Engaging Students in Transdisciplinary Health Care Research: Building Research Partnerships and
Mentoring for Graduate, Undergraduate and High School Students in Charlotte, North Carolina
Ms.Claire Schuch1, Ms. Mary Espinosa1, Ms.Aidan Smith2, Ms.Brisa Urquieta de Hernandez2, Dr. Heather Smith1, Dr.Owen Furuseth3, Dr. Maren Coffman4,
Dr. Janni Sorensen1, Dr.Hazel Tapp2,Dr. Andrew McWilliams2, Dr.Yhenneko Taylor5, Ms. Laura Simmons7, Ms. Patricia Avraham2,
Ms. Miriam Espaillat2, Ms. Vanessa Pasquier1, Dr. Michael Dulin5
1UNC
Charlotte, Dept. Geography; 2 Carolinas Healthcare System, Family Medicine, 3UNC Charlotte Metropolitan Studies, 4UNC Charlotte School of Nursing, 5 CHS Dickson Advanced Analytics, 6 UNCC Urban Institute
MAPPR Background
Project Descriptions
Student Involvement
The Mecklenburg Area Partnership for Primary-Care Research (MAPPR) is a
Practice Based Research Network (PBRN) designed to study healthcare
access for the underserved and vulnerable populations in Charlotte and
surrounding areas.
1) Improving Health Care Access for a Transitioning Community using
geographic research.
 Employ field-based qualitative and quantitative spatial tools to target
neighborhoods and community groups.
2) A Community Participatory Approach to Improving Health in a Hispanic
Population.
 Use CBPR to identify a disease/condition of concern to the Hispanic
community, design and implement an intervention, evaluate CBPR
effectiveness, disseminate findings to community and provider partners - all
in an effort to reduce health disparities in the community.
3) A Transdisciplinary Approach to the Evaluation of Social Determinants of
Health
 Examine multiple social determinants that can cause disparities and use
CBPR to develop interventions with the goal of improving health outcomes
for the community.
Since the establishment of MAPPR in 2006, students have been involved
as members of the research team. Students come from a range of levels
(PhD, MD, MA, MS, BA, BS, and even high school) and fields of study
(e.g. Geography, Nursing, Social Work, Public Health). Some students
are key volunteers while others are hired as research assistants through
the University of North Carolina at Charlotte or Carolinas Healthcare
System. In addition to providing research experience and in line with
the principles and philosophy of CBPR, MAPPR allows students to
transition into roles with more responsibilities and leadership. Students
enjoy the same status as community members and are considered
partners in the research process; their voices and the strengths they
bring are recognized. Through capacity building and mentorship by the
core team members, students develop new skills that support their
success as they continue their studies and careers.
Vision and Goal
To bring together health, academic, and community partners to facilitate
CBPR projects that improve the health and quality of life of our community.
Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR )
CBPR is “a collaborative approach to research that equitably involves all
partners in the research process and recognizes the unique strengths that
each brings.” - W.K. Kellogg Foundation
A unique feature of MAPPR's CBPR approach is our commitment to transdisciplinary student involvement and mentoring. In the same way that CBPR
offers structure to collaboration and community capacity building, it also
provides a framework for partnership, skill building and professional
development among students. In MAPPR's case, students across the
educational and disciplinary spectrum interact and learn from professional
researchers and medical staff, community members, study participants and
each other.
Figure 1: Cycle of Action and Reflection involving Community Advisory
Board (CAB), the MAPPR Team, the Hispanic Community, and the
Mecklenburg Health Care/Social Service System
Research
Team
Funding
The projects described were supported by Award Numbers R01MD006127 and 1R24MD004930-01 from the
National Center On Minority Health And Health Disparities as well as Award Number 65236 from the Robert Wood
Johnson Physician Faculty Scholar Program. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not
necessarily represent the official views of the National Center On Minority Health And Health Disparities, the
National Institutes of Health or the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Name
Project/Initial Roles Where are they now?
Brisa Hernandez
1, 2, 3 - CHS MAPPR
Research Coordinator
2nd year PhD Student in Geography and Urban Regional Analysis at UNC
Charlotte, CHS MAPPR Research Director
Tom Ludden
1, 2, 3 - GIS Consultant
PhD in Geography and Urban Regional Analysis from UNC Charlotte, Research
Scientist at CHS Dickson Advanced Analytics
Aidan Smith
1, 2, 3 - Volunteer
Cannon School Graduate, MAPPR intern, NC State Freshman, College of
Sciences
Joshua Blackwell
MAPCATS
MA in Geography from UNC Charlotte, Environmental Scientist at Waratah
Corporation
Kendra Harris
1, 2 - Undergraduate RA
BS in Public Health from UNC Charlotte
Taja Allen
1, 2 - Undergraduate RA
BS in Public Health from UNC Charlotte
Thad Dixon
1, 2 - Graduate RA, MAP ABD, PhD Candidate in Geography and Urban Regional Analysis at UNC
Development Team
Charlotte
Heather Manos
1 - Foundational
MAPPR development
MD from UNC Chapel Hill, Critical care doctor at CMC-Huntersville Urgent
Care
Jenna Thomas
(Searcy)
1 - Undergraduate RA
MD from UNC School of Medicine, Resident at Cabarrus Family Medicine
James “Curt”
White
2 - Community Liaison
MA Candidate in Public Administration at UNC Charlotte, District Supervisor at
the City of Charlotte
Paul McDaniel
2 - Graduate RA
PhD in Geography in Urban Regional Analysis from UNC Charlotte, Research
Fellow with the Immigration Policy Center at the American Immigration Council
Ramon Concepcion 2 - Graduate RA
Torres
RA for Juntos Center for Advancing Latino Health, University of Kansas Medical
Center and RA for IRIS Educational Media, Eugene Oregon
Silva Mathema
2 - Graduate RA
PhD in Public Policy from UNC Charlotte, Research Fellow at the Poverty &
Race Research Action Council
Yhenneko Taylor
3 - Statistician
PhD in Health Services Research from UNC Charlotte, Research scientist at CHS
Dickson’s Advanced Analytics Group
Koshilie Gunadasa 3 - Medical student RA
MD from St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine, Related Practice Provider
at Mayo Clinic Health System Blackshear Family Practice
Maritza Garcia
3 - Undergraduate RA
UNC Chapel Hill Accelerated Nursing program
Sasha Lara
3 - Undergraduate RA
3rd year UNC Charlotte student, Business Major
Maria Davila
3 - Graduate RA
MS Nursing student at UNC Charlotte, Registered Nurse at CHS
Mary Espinosa
3 - Photovoice
participant
2nd year UNC Charlotte student, Social Work Major, MAPPR community
representative, coordinator of women’s group
Miriam Espaillat
3 - Graduate RA
MS in Social Work from UNC Charlotte, CHS Research Analyst/Patient
Navigator
Claire Schuch
3 - Graduate RA
3rd year PhD student in Geography in Urban Regional Analysis at UNC Charlotte
Brisa Urquieta de Hernandez
MAPPR Research
Coordinator
PhD Student in Geography and Urban
Regional Analysis at UNC Charlotte
CHS MAPPR Research Director ,
overseeing all MAPPR projects and
mentoring students
Mary Espinosa
High school
student,
founder of
United 4 the
Dream
Participant
in MAPPR’s
Photovoice
project
MAPPR
Summer
Intern
Research assistant,
community
representative,
women’s group
coordinator
UNC Charlotte
student, Social Work
major
Aidan Smith
Claire Schuch
Geography PhD
Student, MAPPR
Research
Assistant
Qualitative
Data
Collection
Photovoice
Coordinator
Qualitative
Data Analysis
Volunteer
Coordinator
Health Fair
intervention
Research
Findings
Dissemination