Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences alumna and affiliate faculty member, Jeanine Guidry, says improving our understanding of why people may or may not vaccinate remains ‘of great importance.’ By VCU News staff Jeanine Guidry, Ph.D., an affiliate faculty member at the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the School of Population Health and at the Richard T. […]

SBS Affiliate Faculty member Autumn Lanoye, PhD, LCP served as moderator for Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Gordon Ginder Innovations in Cancer Symposium on March 26th. “Don’t underestimate the level of meaning and importance” on a person’s stress management and overall wellbeing, said Susan Lutgendorf, Ph.D., to a crowded room of cancer investigators and community advocates. […]

This Women’s History Month we’re featuring outstanding SBS alumnae, women in leadership roles, and students and faculty conducting research focused on improving women’s health in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Brown graduated from the Social and Behavioral Sciences Ph.D. program in 2020. She is currently Assistant Professor at Drexel University’s College of […]

Dr. Vanessa B. Sheppard has built a career researching health disparities, focusing her efforts on groups who have been historically underrepresented in clinical research, including African American and Latinx populations. Her dedication and groundbreaking research led her to be named the American Cancer Society’s Researcher of the Year in 2022, and she currently serves as […]

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center hosted the inaugural Catchment Area Data Conference (CADC) – Beyond Definition at the Richmond Marriott on Dec. 7-9. Pictured from left to right: Chris McNair, Ph.D., Karriem Watson, M.S., M.P.H., Lisa Richardson, M.D., M.P.H., Recinda Sherman, Ph.D., M.P.H., Katherine Tossas, Ph.D., M.S., Robert A. Winn, M.D., and Karen Knudsen, Ph.D., […]

With expertise in behavior science, math and other fields, the MAVEN project aims to boost public health in the post-pandemic era. An interdisciplinary team of Virginia Commonwealth University scientists and mathematicians has been awarded more than $660,000 by the National Science Foundation to study vaccine coverage and identify drivers of vaccine uptake in the United […]

The V Foundation for Cancer Research announces the first class of “A Grant of Her Own: The Women Scientists Innovation Award for Cancer Research.” By: Mykala Healy Cary, NC (June 27, 2023) – The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a premier cancer research charity, proudly announces the first recipients of A Grant of Her Own: The Women […]

First Year Student Success course offers a step forward for Latinx newcomers at VCU After a successful debut this past fall, ¡Adelante! helps build skills and a sense of community during their adjustment to college. As a first-generation Latina student, Dianne Aguilar-Zurita wanted guidance on how to navigate college. In her freshman year at Virginia […]

By Quin Elliott Vanessa Sheppard, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Population and Public Health Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the VP for Health Sciences and former HBP chair, has been named the American Cancer Society’s Researcher of the Year. This prestigious award recognizes her outstanding contributions to cancer research, advocacy, and policy, as well […]

Jessica LaRose, Ph.D., M.S. will be stepping in as the interim chair of HBP We are pleased to announce that Dr. Jessica LaRose has been selected to serve as Interim Department Chair. Dr. LaRose is a tenured associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Policy and formerly a Blick Scholar in the School […]