Our faculty is comprised of dedicated educators and researchers who bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to IPR. With diverse backgrounds and a passion for expanding knowledge and fostering intellectual growth and shaping future leaders.
Current Faculty Members at USC:
Hoda Abdel Magid, PhD, MHS
Assistant Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on anxiety disorders, trauma, and interventions for improving mental health outcomes in underserved neighborhood environments, and development of algorithms to identify underserved environments.
Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, PhD MPH
Distinguished Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Associate Dean for Community Initiatives
Research focuses on understanding cultural influences on health behaviors, communication strategies for health promotion, and interventions to address health disparities.
Jessica L. Barrington-Trimis, PhD
Associate Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on vaping, e-cigarette use, and the potential health effects of electronic nicotine delivery systems on youth and young adults.
Britni Ryan Belcher, PhD MPH
Associate Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on obesity, diabetes, public health, and behavior change. Her work involves physical activity promotion, sedentary behavior reduction to reduce obesity and diabetes risk.
David Black, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on mindfulness meditation to reduce addiction, stress, and pain management, and increase mental health, and behavior change.
Ricky Bluthenthal, PhD
Distinguished Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Associate Dean for Social Justice
Interim Chair, Department of Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on harm reduction, drug policy, and community-based interventions for substance use disorders.
Rachel Carmen Ceasar, PhD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on qualitative and involves interests span topics related to adolescent health, sexual health education, and programs to reduce risky behaviors.
Junhan Cho, PhD
Assistant Professor of Research Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on biostatistics, epidemiology, and data analysis methods in public health research.
Genevieve Dunton, PhD, MPH
Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences & Psychology
Division Chief for the Division of Health Behavior Research (HBR)
Research focuses on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and their effects on health outcomes. Her work involves using ecological momentary assessment technology to monitor and promote physical activity for obesity prevention.
Kayla de la Haye, PhD
Associate Professor (Research) of Psychology and Spatial Sciences
Research focuses on social networks, health behavior diffusion, and peer influences on health decisions.
Jimi Huh, PhD
Associate Professor of Research Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on adolescent and young adult health, with a focus on understanding risk behaviors, including substance use and mental health among Asian at-risk populations, and quantitative methods for evaluating trajectories of risk.
Matthew Kirkpatrick, PhD
Associate Professor of Research Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on mental health and substance use disorders, with an emphasis on understanding risk factors and developing effective interventions, particularly for tobacco use cessation.
Adam Matthew Leventhal, PhD
Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Director of the Institute for Addiction Science
Research focuses on etiological and epidemiological studies of tobacco and substance use addiction in laboratory and survey studies.
Tyler Mason, PhD
Associate Professor of Clinical Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on health behavior change, particularly in the context of physical activity promotion and wellness programs.
Kimberly Miller, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Co-Director, USC Center for Young Adult Cancer Survivorship Research
Research focuses on health disparities, social determinants of health, and strategies to reduce health inequalities.
Raina Pang, PhD
Associate Professor of Research Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on health psychology, behavior change interventions, and promoting healthy habits.
Claradina Soto, PhD
Visiting Associate Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Director of the Initiative for California American Indian Health Research and Evaluation
Research focuses on cultural psychology, social identity, and intergroup relations among Native American populations and tribes. Her work involves understanding how cultural factors influence social behavior and interactions.
Jane Steinberg, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor of Clinical Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on health communication, risk perception, and behavior change, particularly in the context of public health campaigns for risky sexual behavior and cancer prevention.
Steven Yale Sussman, PhD
Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on addiction science, substance abuse prevention, and the development of evidence-based interventions.
Jennifer Unger, PhD
Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Director of the PhD Program in Health Behavior Research
Research focuses on adolescent health behaviors, substance use prevention, and cultural influences on health decisions.
Thomas William Valente, PhD
Professor of Population and Public Health Sciences
Research focuses on social network analysis, health communication, and the spread of health behaviors through social connections.
Heather Lynn Wipfli, PhD
Professor of Clinical Population & Public Health Sciences and International Relations
Research focuses on global health, maternal and child health, preventing and reducing tobacco use and infectious diseases and health disparities in different parts of the world.
Affiliate Members outside of USC:
Blackman, Kacie (Cal State Northridge) – Research focuses on education, curriculum development, and educational equity.
Fishbein, Diana (UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute)- Research focuses on child development, developmental psychology, and interventions for promoting positive outcomes in children.
Fujimoto, Kayo (UT Houston) – Research focuses on health disparities, healthcare access, and improving healthcare outcomes for underserved populations.
Gehlert, Sarah (Washington University in St. Louis)- Research focuses on social determinants of health, health disparities, and interventions for vulnerable populations.
Huang, Terry (NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center (CDC-designated) ) – Research focuses on obesity and chronic disease prevention, systems-oriented community health, design for health, public health entrepreneurship, and strategies for collective impact.
Leischow, Scott (Arizona State University)- Research focuses on tobacco control, smoking cessation, and public health interventions.
Li, Chao Yang (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)- Research focuses on public health research, epidemiology, disease surveillance, and health policy.
Little, Melissa (University of Virginia)- Research focuses on child and adolescent mental health, developmental psychology, and interventions for promoting positive outcomes.
MacKinnon, David (Arizona State University)- Research focuses on statistical methods, psychometrics, and the development of advanced analytical techniques for psychological research.
Majmundar, Anuja (FDA Center for Tobacco Products) – Research focuses on cancer research, cancer prevention, and promoting awareness about cancer risk factors and prevention strategies.
Pokhrel, Pallav (University of Hawaii Cancer Center)- Research focuses on cancer prevention, tobacco control, and health disparities.
Riggs, Nathaniel (Colorado State University) – Research focuses on mindfulness interventions with high- risk youth.Sakuma, Kari-Lyn (Oregon State University)- Research focuses on nutrition, dietetics, and public health nutrition.
Shin, Hee-Sung (USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center Media Impact Project) – Research focuses on social network analysis, adolescent health and substance use.
Shonkoff, Eleanor (Merrimack College)- Research focuses on education, learning sciences, and the development of effective teaching strategies.
Skara, Silvana (Research Institute of the University Department of Croatian Studies) – Research focuses on community health, health education, and health promotion.Warren, Christopher (Northwestern University)- Research focuses on food allergies, asthma, and allergic diseases.
Tackett, Alayna (Ohio State University) – Research focuses on addictive tobacco use and tobacco product preferences in laboratory studies, child and adolescent mental health, and emotion regulation.