IHSI announces new affiliate program

12/9/2024 Bridget Melton

Written by Bridget Melton

The Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute (IHSI) is pleased to offer a new program that allows collaborators to formalize their connection with IHSI through an affiliate appointment.

The program, currently open by invitation, is designed for those who wish to deepen their relationship with IHSI and contribute to its mission of catalyzing interdisciplinary health research that addresses personal, public, and planetary health challenges. Affiliates enjoy increased visibility and opportunities to engage with and benefit from IHSI staff, other affiliates, and networks, both across campus and with external partners, and to help shape health research, innovation, and translation.

Affiliates may work together with IHSI by contributing to its research training and experiential learning programs, boosting the institute’s visibility, serving on a committee (including with the Mayo Clinic & Illinois Alliance), or collaborating on research projects and funding opportunities. A full list of ways affiliates may contribute to IHSI is available on the IHSI Affiliate program page.

“IHSI affiliates serve a critical role in IHSI’s strategic directions as we seek greater impact across campus and beyond. Our health research and innovation community is passionate and driven to improve human health, and our new affiliate program will help strengthen our connections and collaborations,” said Stephen Boppart, Director of IHSI.  

Welcome early-stage affiliates!

IHSI would like to thank and recognize early supporters of the affiliate program, representing many different departments, institutions, and areas of expertise. These affiliates were invited to join IHSI as affiliates prior to a formal announcement, helping to work out processes and refine communications.

Arjun Athreya, Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic – Rochester
Christopher Brooke, Department of Microbiology
Ian Brooks, School of Information Sciences
Neal Cohen, Department of Psychology
Sharon Donovan, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition
Trent Ford, Illinois State Water Survey – Prairie Research Institute*
Ruby Mendenhall, Carle Illinois College of Medicine and College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Tara Leytham Powell, School of Social Work
Laura Mattie, Department of Speech & Hearing Science
Laura Rice, Department of Health and Kinesiology
Wendy Rogers, Department of Health and Kinesiology
Nidia Ruedas-Gracia, Department of Educational Psychology*
Hillary Schwarb, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Shardé Smith, Department of Human Development and Family Studies
Chris Stone, Illinois Natural History Survey – Prairie Research Institute*
Kevin Tan, School of Social Work
Jeffrey Trask, Champaign County Christian Health Center*
Cari Vanderpool, Department of Microbiology

*Appointment pending

These collaborating affiliates have worked with IHSI on grant proposals and submissions, participated in the Emerging Research Leaders Academy, served as presenters and mentors for the NIH Grant Writing Series, Community-Academic Scholars program, and Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship with Mayo Clinic, partnered with the BERD and REDCap teams on research projects, and more! Their leadership and commitment to human health is evident, and the IHSI team looks forward to even more robust collaboration in the future.

To become an IHSI affiliate, you may reach out to your collaborators at IHSI, or request an invitation by emailing healthinstitute@illinois.edu. To apply, individuals are asked to complete an application and submit a CV. Please visit the IHSI Affiliate page for more information.