Institute for Interdisciplinary Health Research (IIHR)

Institute

Bringing Data Equity and Action to the Community

Health is more than the absence of illness – it is a complete state of physical, mental, and social wellbeing. In line with that broad definition, IIHR provides resources for faculty conducting scholarship, service, and teaching on all aspects of health and well-being: emotional, physical, occupational, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, and financial.

IIHR is a collaborative effort aimed at supporting faculty research and bringing community stakeholders together for the betterment of health and wellbeing for all. We bring academic expertise to basic and applied challenges in health research and academic mentorship opportunities to increase the inclusion and diversity of those traditionally left out of the research process.

Our Mission

Utilize data and rigorous methodologies to conduct and support health-focused research across disciplines to further faculty scholarship.
Promote data equity and identify actionable solutions to complex challenges in human health and wellness to serve the community.
Provide mentorship, professional training, and education to community members, business leaders, and government agencies.

Services Offered

Interdisciplinary Health Research (Scholarship): We support rigorous interdisciplinary health research by promoting faculty professional development goals and increasing funding and advancement opportunities.
Applied Research Partnerships (Service): We enhance community health by engaging in collaborative efforts with local and regional stakeholders. Our focus is on developing essential tools and mechanisms that effectively disseminate and translate research findings and policy analyses.
Continuing Education, Professional Development, Data Academy (Teaching): We offer data- and health-equity focused certificate programs and workshops as opportunities for professional development and sustainable solutions for future challenges. Topics include: field research methods, program evaluation, data visualization, qualitative data collection and analysis, biostats, grant writing, business models, logic models, outcome and framework models, infrastructure building / capacity building, health communication, ethical use of data, working with human subjects.

Michaela George, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Global Public Health

Dr. Michaela George grew up in Marin and has always felt a strong connection to her community. After several trips to the east coast for her education (Middlebury College in Vermont and Boston University in Massachusetts), she settled in the Bay Area to pursue her passion for epidemiology and public health. After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, Michaela started working at Dominican University of California in 2015. Michaela has a long history of incorporating students into her research, both in the classroom and the community. She has established relationships with partners like Center for Domestic Peace, the Ritter Center, the Rite of Passage Research Collaboration, and Play Marin, using her expertise to evaluate existing programs, design research studies to answer grant-funded questions, and develop sustainable strategies to enact change.

Contact Dr. Michaela George.

Benjamin Rosenberg, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology

Dr. Benjamin D. Rosenberg is a social-health psychologist with expertise in health behavior, research methods and statistics, and survey design.

Ben earned a BA in psychology from the University of Colorado – Boulder, as well as an MA and PhD in applied social psychology from Claremont Graduate University. Ben is a passionate instructor and mentor; collaborating with students on research is one of his favorite parts of being a professor. He enjoys connecting with students on a personal and academic level. His favorite classes to teach include Research Methods, Social Psychology, Health Psychology, and Statistics. In addition, he is an active researcher in areas of social psychology, motivation, and health. He has authored or co-authored papers on these topics in journals such as Motivation Science, Social Science & Medicine, Journal of Health Communication, Journal of Mixed Methods Research, and Computers in Human Behavior. Ben is the Director of the Health and Motivation Lab.

Contact Dr. Benjamin Rosenberg.