Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Dra. Dina García has many roles within the department, school, and university. She is a scientist, with a program of research focused on uncovering the underlying causes and mechanisms of oral health inequities. She is an activist, working in partnership with communities to make meaningful change. She is an educator, committed to equity-driven, student-centered pedagogy […]

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center was recently awarded a $2.7 million Worta McCaskill-Stevens K12 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The five-year grant will allow Massey to mentor promising, multidisciplinary, early-stage clinical investigators in the conception, development, and implementation of innovative cancer prevention and control studies designed to optimize participation by cancer survivors […]

Jessica LaRose, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, received the School of Public Health’s 2026 Professional Achievement Award at VCU’s Women in Science, Dentistry, and Medicine Annual Leadership Conference this April. This award honors her achievements in leadership, scholarship, and mentorship in service to her department and the School […]

During this year’s promotion and tenure cycle, Dina García, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., was promoted to associate professor with tenure. García joined the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in 2018 as an assistant professor. In this role, she directs the Kalpulli Research Group and teaches graduate courses on community-based participatory research, health disparities, and social justice. In 2024, she […]

In observance of Cancer Control Month, established in 1943 to bring awareness to those battling cancer and cancer survivors, we’re highlighting some of the ongoing research by students and faculty in the department. Malik Phillips, M.P.H.PhD CandidateDissertation title: “Examining Patient–Provider Communication and Medical Mistrust Among Black Male Cancer Patients“ This qualitative study will include 50 […]

During VCU’s State of the Research event on April 8th, hosted by Vice President for Research and Innovation Dr. P. Srirama Rao, Dr. García was honored along with four other faculty members for her outstanding mentorship of students. Regarding Dr. García’s nomination for the award, a faculty colleague said “Dr. García’s dedication to developing confident, […]

The theme of this year’s Women’s History Month is “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.” This year, Women’s History Month recognizes women who are leading the way toward lasting changes for global challenges, including those beyond environmental concerns. As an exemplar of this theme, we are highlighting the POWER project (Academic PI Jessica […]

Katherine Y. Tossas, Ph.D., M.S., director of Catchment Area Data Analytics (CADA) and associate co-director of global oncology at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, is one of 20 mid-career scientists, engineers and medical professionals selected to the 2026-28 cohort of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s New Voices in Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine […]

Marcie Wright, Ph.D., M.P.H., has been named interim associate dean for research at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Public Health, where she will provide strategic leadership to advance the School’s growing research enterprise. Wright, an associate professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, began her career at VCU in 2008. She has […]

International Open Access Week is observed annually in order to highlight the benefits of free and immediate access to scholarly research worldwide. Open access allows research scholarship to have wide-reaching effects, and grants colleagues the ability to freely share and use research. This year’s theme is “Who Owns Our Knowledge?” – an opportunity to consider […]