Ryan Kilmer

The Social Aspects of Health Initiative, or SAHI, was designed explicitly to identify and address health inequities in urban regions. Building upon a strong and growing cadre of health researchers across the university, and especially in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the College of Health and Human Services, SAHI focuses on social, institutional and environmental contexts, as well as policies and practices that contribute to equitable health care provision, health outcomes, and quality of life.

I have been serving as SAHI’s Director since August, 2019. Our primary objectives include:

•Connect scholars with shared interests, ideas, and values

•Facilitate interdisciplinary research

•Utilize university expertise and resources to address community issues

•Support community partnerships and initiatives

•Secure external funding for research

•Disseminate research findings

•Guide action, including practice and policy change

Current SAHI projects include:

•Examining needs, assessing capacity, and laying groundwork to increase Latino access to early care and education in Mecklenburg County (Gambrell Fellowship, PI: Stephanie Potochnick)

•The impact of place-based initiatives on social and economic mobility: A project of the Social Aspects of Health Initiative (SAHI) interdisciplinary team (Ignite team planning grant, PI: Ryan Kilmer)

•Landscape Study: Services and Supports in Mecklenburg County, Prenatal through Age 3: A project of the Social Aspects of Health Initiative (Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, PIs: Laura M. Armstrong and Joseph Kangmennaang)

At the Undergraduate Research Symposium in late July, Keyara Pierre-Louis’ work, “Family Partner Involvement in Youth and Family Services: Effects of Pre-Engagement with Families and Child and Family Team Meeting Follow-Up”, was named Best Poster in the Social Sciences, Psychology, and Math Education category. She conducted her project in the Community Psychology Research Lab.

Nancy Kempa’s poster, reflecting her work in the Community Psychology Research Lab, was named one of two Honorable Mentions in the Social Sciences, Psychology, and Math Education category.

Congratulations to Keyara and Nancy!

Congratulations to Keyara Pierre-Louis, Nancy Kempa, and Rickelle Mason – they were selected as part of the inaugural class of Charlotte Research Scholars and worked in the Community Psychology Research Lab this summer. My colleague Jim Cook and I co-supervised their efforts. Three graduate students – Taylor Bishop, Kate Strater, and Virginia Johnson also deserve acknowledgment for their hard work in helping mentor and guide the students and the development and execution of their projects.