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Dear friends,

This year marks the end of the 6th year of UNL’s Minority Health Disparities Initiative (MHDI). Looking back, the changes in the program and the impact of the work over the last six years are profound. MHDI has held eight state-wide minority health conferences, three writing retreats for UNL and UNMC faculty that resulted in two books (with a third on the way), fostered a significant increase in external funding applications (and awards!) related to minority health, and created a community of like-minded scholars who draw support and inspiration from one another.
 

The mission of the initiative continues to be three-part: 1) to promote research on minority health disparities among those already engaged in health-related research, 2) to increase the diversity of health science scholars, 3) to train the next generation of minority health scholars through broad outreach. Our approach to these goals has been both comprehensive and strategic. We have partnered with UNL Graduate Studies to sponsor a summer research program for undergraduates interested in minority health. Since 2013 this program has been supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates program. The “REU” now regularly receives more than 250 applications each year for 6 available summer positions. Our applicant pool is the most diverse of the UNL summer programs and is among the most diverse programs supported by NSF.
 

Since 2014, MHDI has invested in a community impact effort that has collaborated with faculty from Nutrition, Comm Studies, Sociology, Psychology, Ag Econ and others to reach out to Nebraska communities across the state for direct engagement with local health issues. Support from the University of Nebraska’s Rural Futures Institute allowed for a large community-based research project in Lexington Nebraska that is providing new insights into the demographic and health changes ongoing in rural parts of the state. In Lincoln, our Advisory Board has transitioned to include the directors of the city’s major cultural centers and representatives from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Division. Together, we are forging new links between the research goals of the University and the community and agency goals of the region.


Our grant portfolio related to minority health at the University of Nebraska has grown dramatically as well. MHDI now regularly facilitates the development of tens of millions of dollars in applications, and millions of dollars in awards from the National Institutes of Health. Our method here takes advantage of one on one faculty mentoring on the grant writing and project planning process. This allows our team to provide specialized expertise to both new and experienced faculty. Steady, year on year increases have shown that this method works—and more so, it has shown minority health interested faculty that UNL remains dedicated to providing the support necessary for them to be successful researchers who make lasting differences in our world. This helps build community, dedication, and a sense of ownership by our faculty affiliates. For many of them, MHDI is as much a campus home as their own departments.
 

Over the next few years, we look forward to continuing each of these trends. UNL and UNMC continue to hire promising young researchers whose desire for impact can find strength in our support. We will continue to shape the health of Nebraska communities through improved knowledge, connection, and research service. And finally, we will continue our goal of increasing the diversity of the health research community by seeking out and finding the next generation of scholars. That is our promise.


Sincerely,
Kirk Dombrowski, Director of MHDI

Associate Dean for Research and Partnerships

John Bruhn Professor of Sociology

 

The Minority Health Disparities Initiative at the University of Nebraska is an interdisciplinary research initiative funded by the University of Nebraska's Office of Research and Economic Development and the Tobacco Settlement Funds in Nebraska. The Initiative provides UNL faculty with an infrastructure for conducting innovative research to improve the health status of vulnerable and disadvantaged populations and expand the participation of minorities in research and education. The objectives of MHDI are to create a community of like-minded scholars capable of engaging each other in the pursuit of high level research on minority health and health disparities, increase the participation of minority scholars at all levels (faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates) in health-related research, and train the next generation of minority health scholars at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral levels.

 

Our Team

The Minority Health Disparities Initiative is funded by the UNL Office of Research & Economic Development and the Tobacco Settlement Funds and was established in 2012 by a dedicated group of faculty and staff to promote the reduction of health disparities in Nebraska. Since 2015, MHDI has been led by Dr. Kirk Dombrowski, is coordinated by Kim Gocchi Carrasco and draws on support from Devan Crawford (Director of Research Analysis). The activities of MHDI are overseen by an advisory board that is chaired by the first UNL MHDI director, Dr. Rick Bevins. The MHDI Advisory Board brings together leaders of community organizations, University of Nebraska faculty and staff, members of Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services, representatives from UNL’s administration, and scholars from across the NU system. 

At the core of the Minority Health Disparities Initiative are our University of Nebraska faculty and staff. Representing numerous departments and NU campuses, they advance scientific research to better understand and improve health outcomes of underserved populations. Their research, teaching, scholarship, and service contribute to meaningful change in our state and in communities around the world.

A YEAR IN REVIEW

MINORITY HEALTH

DISPARITIES INITIATIVE 

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