Arts & Sciences Events
[PAST EVENT] APIA Commencement & Awards Celebration
Access & Features
- Free food
- Open to the public
As William & Mary's newest ethnic studies program, Asian & Pacific Islander American Studies continues to grow its roster of alumni with the graduation of the class of 2019. All are invited to attend the commencement and awards celebration on May 11, 530PM, in the James & York Rooms of Sadler Center.
This year's recipient of the Hatsuye Yamasaki Award for Visionary Leadership is our commencement speaker, Dr. Grace X. Ma who will deliver a keynote entitled "Mystery and Mastery: Facing the Complex Challenges Ahead."
RSVP by May 6, 2019: fjtang@wm.edu
ABOUT THE COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER:
Dr. Grace X. Ma, PhD is Associate Dean for Health Disparities, Founding Director of Center for Asian Health, Laura H. Carnell Professor and Professor in Clinical Sciences at Lewis Katz School of Medicine, and Primary member of FCCC, Temple Health at Temple University. Her community-based participatory research (CBPR) and patient-centered outcome research (PCOR) have focused on early detection, patient navigation, cancer prevention and control (Hepatitis-related liver cancer, cervical, breast, lung and colorectal cancers), smoking cessation, and access/quality of healthcare in underserved Asian American Pacific Islanders, African American and other ethnic health disparity populations.
She is the founding director of Temple University Center for Asian Health (CAH), established in 2000, which is one of the first in the nation dedicated to reducing cancer and health disparities among Asian Americans funded by NCI/CRCHD-NIH. In partnership with Asian community leaders, she also co-founded the first Asian Community Cancer Coalition in the U.S. eastern Region, including PA, NJ, NYC, DE and DC/MD. Dr. Ma’s work is nationally and internationally known and has been cited extensively. Over the past 23 years, Dr. Ma has been Principal Investigator (PI) of continuous NIH research funding awards and for other Federal (e.g. CDC, PCORI), State and City Health Department research projects and exceeded $70 million. As PIs of NIH NCI-funded Center grants (U54, CPACHE 2018-2023) - TUFCCC/HC Regional Comprehensive Cancer Health Disparity Partnership); (U54, CNPC, 2010-2017)--Asian Community Cancer Health Disparity Center (ACCHDC), SPN (2000-2005) and CNP (2005-2010), Dr. Ma has directed and organized regional networks of cancer health disparity research, training and community outreach.
She also directed many large-scale randomized intervention trials, as well as implementation and dissemination studies at worksites, community health centers, primary care clinics, community-based organizations and churches (NIH-funded R01s, U01s and R24s). She is also PI for CDC-funded project, Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH)” and PI for PCORI funded A Comparative Trial of Improving Care for Underserved Asian Americans Infected with HBV. Dr. Ma is the MPI for Unpacking Mechanisms of Disparities for HIV-related Hypertension in African Am and Asian Pacific Am MSM (RO1, NIH/NIMHD).
Dr. Ma designed and directed more than 90 intervention or observational longitudinal research studies, which include a number of studies focusing on multilevel risk factors and viral related diseases (e.g. HBV, HCV, HIV and HPV), evidence-based interventions for improving screening, vaccination, disease management, medication adherence, quality of life and continuum of care among underserved Asian Pacific Americans and African American disparity populations. She authored and co-authored 5 books, over 165 peer-reviewed publications and delivered over 600 professional presentations at regional, national and international conferences. She has trained and mentored over 180 junior faculty, post-doctoral, doctoral and master minority fellows to create a pipeline of diverse researchers and health practitioners to conduct health disparity research in ethnic populations.
Dr. Ma has served on numerous scientific advisory boards and NIH study sections in health disparities research, including NIMHD-NIH national Health Disparity Science Vision Advisory Panel. She has also served on national, state, city and community health disparity advisory boards. She is an active member of numerous public health professional associations, American Association for Cancer Research, journal editorial boards, national and statewide cancer control plans. Dr. Ma, a recognized academic leader, has received numerous distinguished awards from NIH, academic institutions, scientific associations, and community organizations.