Each year, the College of Science and Health recognizes faculty who have made significant scientific contributions in their area of research. We are thrilled to announce the recipient of the 2024 Mid-Career Excellence in Research Award,
Dr. Joanna Buscemi, Associate Professor of Psychology and Associate Dean for Clinical Education and Health Initiatives.Dr. Joanna Buscemi received her Ph.D. in 2011 in clinical psychology, joined DePaul in 2016, and was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2022 and Associate Dean for Clinical Education and Health Initiatives in 2023. Dr. Buscemi's research focuses on addressing health inequities for underserved populations, particularly minoritized children, which has culminated in publishing 85 peer-reviewed journal articles with over 3,200 citations according to Google Scholar. In the past seven years, she has obtained over $5 million in external funding, including a 2022 National Institutes of Health grant focusing on oral health interventions for pediatric Medicaid patients undergoing dental surgery. Dr. Buscemi has also engaged in public advocacy, having led the Health Policy Committee of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) from 2015-2019 and the SBM Health Policy Council from 2019-2022 to bridge policy gaps and enhance her field's public health impact.
Through her CHOICE (Challenging Health Outcome Inequities Through Community Engagement) Lab, Dr. Buscemi uses evidence-based approaches to promote health behavior change to reduce risk for chronic disease development. She has formed key academic and community partnerships and conducted numerous groundbreaking studies, from a school-based nutrition program with Chicago Public Schools to a Latina breast cancer patient/survivor quality of life initiative using e-health technology. Dr. Buscemi's work is a testament to DePaul's mission to serve communities in need and pursue social justice with equity, compassion, and collaboration.