Hi, everyone! My name is Spenser Wright. I’ve lived in Denver for about two years, and am currently a counselor at an inpatient eating disorder treatment facility. My research will focus on the efficacy and ethics of involuntary/court-ordered eating disorder treatment, and the societal factors that may be influencing the medical and legal decision-making processes around it. I’m really looking forward to meeting you all in August!

My name is Grant Yoder, and I am excited to be joining you in the Fall. My background is in community engaged research, and for the past few years I have been working as a researcher at Arizona State University. I am interested in secondary data analysis, and using research as a tool for improving health equity. I am also a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, having served as a secondary school teacher in Tanzania. In my free time, I enjoy playing/watching soccer, as well as biking (slowly), hiking (also slowly), and watching Netflix (much too quickly). I look forward to meeting you all!

Hi! My name is Courtney Hasson and I am excited to join you all.  My undergrad is in anthropology and nursing and my masters is in nursing. I am a nurse-midwife practicing at The Birth Center of Boulder. My research interest is in how obstetrical violence impacts decision making around pregnancy and birth practices. Our birth center works closely with an organization implementing care practices in remote regions of Nepal. 

I look forward to meeting you all in August! 

My name is Carolina Jaime and I am currently finishing up my MA in evolutionary anthropology at CSUF in California. Denver was my home before being accepted to CSUF, so I am excited to move back! My research revolves broadly around issues of disease ecology, the behavioral immune system, maternal and infant health, and the gut microbiome. My current field site is a small-scale community called Conambo which is nestled in the Amazon River Basin of Ecuador. This is a picture of me in traditional face paint during my last research trip there.

Julie successfully defended her dissertation titled, "Body Dissatisfaction and Female Athletes: The Role of Sexual Orientation" on April 14th. Congratulations, Dr. Fricke!

Shane Mueller’s will be defending his Dissertation titled, “Pain, Patients and Opioid Prescribing Policies: An Examination of Problem Presentations and Effects" on May 21 at 9:00am. We will be sending out a Zoom link and abstract when the date draws closer.

In order to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, PCORI will issue a new research funding announcement with an accelerated timeline to support innovative, high-impact studies that fit clearly within our core mission of patient-engaged and patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research. The objectives of this announcement are to (1) strengthen the understanding of different approaches to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on individuals, communities, healthcare providers, and healthcare systems; and (2) provide evidence to inform clinical and public health responses, decision making, and planning. PCORI will encourage the use of diverse methods, including interventional studies and the use of natural experiments, to conduct research on an accelerated timeline. Applicants are encouraged to complete primary outcomes collection and provide actionable findings in no longer than 12 months. 

PCORI Website

Please join us for the final journal club of the semester on Friday, May 8 at 10:30 AM on Zoom. Dr. Ivan Ramirez has graciously agreed to lead a discussion of the article below. Email Dr. Boylan (link) if you need a copy. We look forward to seeing you there!

Topic: Exploring syndemics as a useful concept for understanding health and social disparities

Freudenberg, N., Fahs, M., Galea, S., & Greenberg, A. (2006). The impact of New York City’s fiscal crisis on the tuberculosis, HIV, and homicide syndemic. American Journal of Public Health, 96(3), 424-434. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2005.063511

Virtual Journal Club