The Hopkins Undergraduate Summer Training and Research (USTAR) Executive Committee
Lisa D. Brown, PhD
Director, Office of Undergraduate Research
and Associate Professor of Biology
Morgan State University
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Dr. Brown received her B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Rhode Island and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Physiology from the University of Connecticut. Early research interests focused on the effect of neural activity on muscle plasticity. She shifted from benchwork to focus on strategies that promote undergraduate research training and the development of critical thinking skills in STEM-related disciplines. As the Coordinator of the Honors Program within the School of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences at Morgan State University, Dr. Brown developed a series of Honors Interdisciplinary courses that focus on the development of critical thinking skills through writing exercises, analysis of scientific literature and the development of either a research-based or literature-based thesis. Currently, Dr. Brown serves as the Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and as an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Morgan State University. She has several grant-funded programs that focus on retention and graduation of students in STEM majors. As the Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, Dr. Brown works to cultivate student success through innovative approaches to enhance undergraduate research participation across all disciplines at Morgan State University.
Genie Han, MSc
Senior Research Project Coordinator
Department of Health, Behavior, and Society
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Genie Han, MSc, is a Senior Research Project Coordinator in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her current projects include the Hopkins Undergraduate Summer Training and Research Program (USTAR), Cochrane Eyes and Vision (CEV), Johns Hopkins University Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC), and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity (AIM-AHEAD). Outside of project coordination, Ms. Han has 6 years of experience developing systematic review methodology and guiding systematic review teams from review question formulation to publication. She graduated from Drexel University in 2017 with a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences and from Boston College in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics with a minor in Biology.
Justine Johnson
Assistant Dean of Inclusive Excellence in the College of Natural Mathematical Sciences (CNMS) Associate Director and Co-PI of the NIH funded G-RISE Meyerhoff Graduate Fellows Program, UMBC
Kiara Mayhand
PhD Student, Department of Health,
Behavior, and Society
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Kiara Mayhand is a third-year PhD student in the Health, Behavior, and Society Department at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research is centered around addressing racial health disparities in chronic kidney disease outcomes with a specific interest in the use of predictive machine learning methodology. Kiara is part of the inaugural cohort of Health Equity Scholars at the Bloomberg School and is passionate about using her work to promote positive health outcomes in marginalized communities. Prior to pursuing her PhD, Kiara earned a Master of Public Health degree in epidemiology and health analytics from The College of New Jersey. Outside of work, Kiara enjoys traveling and spending time with her loved ones.
George W. Rebok, PhD, MA
Professor Emeritus
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health
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Dr. George Rebok is a Professor Emeritus at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He received his MA and PhD degrees in life-span developmental psychology at Syracuse University and completed postdoctoral training in dementias of aging at Johns Hopkins. His research focuses on cognitive aging, prevention science, and public mental health, and has included studies on cognitive interventions with diverse older adults. Dr. Rebok serves as a Senior Advisor for the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (JHAD-RCMAR). He has been a Principal Investigator of the NIA-funded ACTIVE study and chaired the national Steering Committee for this intervention trial. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Association for Psychological Science, and Gerontological Society of America. In 2017 he received the American Psychological Association Division 20 award for Mentorship in Aging. In 2022 he received the Dean’s Award for Distinction in Faculty Mentorship.
Roland J. Thorpe, Jr., PhD
Professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg
School of Public Health
Faculty Page
Dr. Roland J. Thorpe, Jr. is a Professor in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Founding Director of the Program of Men’s Health Research in the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions (HCHDS), Deputy Director of HCHDS, and Co-Director of the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center for Minority Aging Research at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Thorpe is a social epidemiologist whose research focuses on the association of how social determinants of health impact health and functional outcomes among men across the life course. Dr. Thorpe serves as principal investigator on several NIA-funded grants and is a MPI of the Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity (AIM-AHEAD). Dr. Thorpe is the inaugural Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity. Dr. Thorpe is also the Editor in Chief of Ethnicity & Disease, Associate Editor for Innovation in Aging, Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, and American Journal of Men’s Health.