About the RCMAR Scientists
The RCMAR Program supports and celebrates the RCMAR Scientists and their research. Each RCMAR Center funds and provides mentorship for a small number of early career behavior and social scientists each year. On this page, you will find information about currently funded RCMAR Scientists. To learn more about current and former RCMAR Scientists and see publication information, visit our database.
Meet the Current RCMAR Scientists
Ashraf Abugroun
MBBS, MPH
Customizing clinical guidelines for personalized treatments & studying factors that promote healthy aging.
Jennifer Adrissi
MD, MSCR
Developing community-partnered interventions to improve access to Parkinson’s disease research opportunities in the Black community.
Cole Allick
PhD, MHA
Dr. Allick is passionate about working with Indigenous Elders on aging related research.
Dalmina Arias
OTD, OTR/L
Culturally adapting integrated primary care & occupational therapy to preserve function & prevent cognitive decline
Jose Eduardo Cabrero-Castro
PhD
Advancing geriatric cognitive health through cross-cultural, machine learning research on aging, cognition, & life-course disparities.
Debaleena Chattopadhyay
PhD
Enabling continual digital inclusion of older adults with multilevel sociotechnical interventions
Michelle Chen
PhD
Yiqun Chen
PhD
Health Economist, Applied Microeconomist
Joey Annette Contreras,
PhD
Deciphering Alzheimer’s through brain connectomics, neuroinflammation, and genetic risk in diverse aging populations
Sean Darling-Hammond
BA, JD, PhD
Cleothia Frazier, PhD, MPH
I examine heterogeneity in aging processes and social determinants of sleep, cognition, and mental health.
Natalia Giraldo-Santiago
PhD, LCSW
Dumichel Harley
MS, PhD
I focus on dementia and gerontology, aiming to provide greater dementia resources for disadvantaged communities!
Kelechi Ibe-Lamberts
PhD
Community-engaged work focused on refugee and immigrant health throughout the life course and through a transnational lens.
Chinwe Ibeh
BA, MS, MD
Brad Kamitaki
MD
Marcie (Xi) Mao
PhD
Focus on health disparities, environment, and socioeconomic factors in ADRD
Jennifer H. Kwok
PhD
Jesus David Melgarejo Arias
MD, PhD
Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne
BS, MS, PhD
Improving HIV health services delivery for transgender & gender expansive individuals across the lifespan
Helen Ovsepyan
PhD, JD, MPH
John Pamplin II
BS, MPH, PhD
Structural drivers of racial inequities in mental health & cognitive aging
Yaolin Pei
PhD
Alexander Mattia Presciutti
PhD, MSCS
Alex’s research is focused on improving cardiac arrest and critical care survivorship
Kendra Ray
BS, MPH, PhD
Explores a music-based app’s feasibility to improve access to interventions in underserved communities.
Juliette Roddy
PhD
The feasibility and economics of early screening for cognitive impairment in an urban Native populations.
Moushumi Roy
PhD
Nekehia Quashie
PhD
I examine the intersections of family dynamics and health of older adults cross-nationally.
Lisa Salinas
PhD, RDN, LD
Exploring how pulse intake and diet quality impact cardiovascular and cognitive disease risk and development.
Jessica Saniguq Ullrich
PhD, MSW
Engaged in Alaska Native kinship care research focused on intergenerational wellbeing in Southeast Alaska.
Jasmine Santoyo-Olsson
DrPH, MS
End-of-life care planning for people living with dementia & their caregivers in rural areas
Melissa Vera
PhD
Dr. Vera’s research focuses on the intersections of Indigenous and planetary health using Indigenous methodologies.
Ariel Washington, PhD, MSSW
Sophia Zamudio-Hass
DrPH, MSc
Improving HIV health services delivery for transgender & gender expansive individuals across the lifespan