Center for Public Health and Technology

Philip M. Massey
Director
masseyp@uark.edu

Regan Murray
Assistant Director
reganm@uark.edu

The Center for Public Health and Technology is a hub for interdisciplinary research at the University of Arkansas. The center specializes in public health research and communication, health literacy, and emerging media and digital technologies in the U.S. and around the globe. Faculty bring together diverse disciplines and capitalize on mixed methodologies to support public health surveillance, intervention, and evaluation in advancing health and human rights, social justice, and health equity.

The Center's Mission

The Center for Public Health and Technology is dedicated to the advancement of population health, community well-being, and disease prevention locally, nationally, and globally, through research, education, and practice.

The Center's Vision

Developing public health solutions that build a better world and healthier future for all.

Leadership

The Center for Public Health and Technology is led by:

  • Center Director, Philip Massey, Ph.D., M.P.H.
  • Assistant Director, Regan Murray, M.P.H.
  • Associate Director of Community, Page Dobbs, Ph.D.
  • Associate Director of Technology, Alex Russell, Ph.D.

Goals

The Center for Public Health and Technology will advance four primary goals:

  • Research: It will create impact by conducting innovative public health research and scholarship.
  • Education: It will train the next generation of public health leaders and scholars.
  • Community: It will cultivate sustainable and equitable community partnerships.
  • Practice: It will implement innovative technologies such as online, digital, social, wearable, etc. to advance population health.

Research Expertise

Current research at the Center for Public Health and Technology specializes in vaccine communication, alcohol use and recovery, and e-cigarette use and tobacco control. The following represent the areas of our research expertise:

  • Digital and Media Technology: We seek understanding in how technologies influence health behaviors in positive and negative ways.
  • Social Media Analytics: We gather and analyze data from social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
  • Community Needs Assessments: We identify strengths and resources available in the community to meet their needs.
  • Survey Development and Data Collection: We utilize and develop metrics and measurements to collect meaningful data.
  • Intervention Development: We develop programs or policies that aim to improve health on a population-level.
  • Program Evaluation: We assess formative, process, outcome, and impact of programs.
  • Policy Analysis: We evaluate policy solutions to social problems and public health issues.