As we kick off this next year at HTQL, we’re taking a moment to celebrate the incredible achievements and milestones that made this past year special.

Research and Community Impact

We launched a study bringing CHW-led education and HPV self-sampling in homeless shelters, expanding access to screening.

Two first-time first authors published new work by Rebecca Ziolkowski et al., in BMJ Open, by Mrithula Suresh Babu et al., in Preventive Medicine Reports.

Improving uptake of COVID-19 testing and vaccination in a homeless population: mixed-methods evaluation of community health worker-led education in a shelter

Association between health insurance coverage and stage of diagnosis for cervical cancer among females in Indiana from 2011–2019

We shared our ongoing research at national and international conferences (APHA, AACR, EUROGIN, IPVS, ACTS), highlighting cervical cancer disparities and community-engaged health initiatives, including HPV self-sampling and CHW-led interventions.

Ivon, a UREP-C scholar (exchange student from Colombia) who joined the lab this year, conducted a systematic literature review on HPV self-sampling for cervical cancer screening in Latin America and in Colombia specifically.

Our 2024–25 Human-Centered Design for Health Seminar Series featured experts sharing practical strategies for using HCD to advance public health – from co-design to health technology innovation.

Academic Milestones

Layla Claure successfully defended her PhD, “Understanding Disparities in Cervical Cancer Screening among Hispanic Women in Indiana for Future Initiatives”

Graylin Skates defended her MS thesis, “Tinkering with Care Navigation: Designing Public Health Programs to Respond to Moving Social Contexts”

Mrithula Suresh Babu and Samantha Mata Robes passed their PhD preliminary exams

Awards & Recognition

Lara Balian – Public Health Excellence in Research Impact Award and HHS Hero Award

Layla Claure – Public Health Outstanding Doctoral Student Award and HHS 3-Minute Thesis Awards (Second Place 3-Minute Thesis, People’s Choice, and 2025 Impact Award for Research Exemplifying Real World Impact)

Abigail Higgins – HHS Outstanding Senior Award and Public Health Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award

Jan Tipton – HHS Faculty Engagement Award

Looking forward

This year, we’re excited to welcome new talent and to continue growing our partnerships and research dedicated to health equity. Stay tuned!