San Diego State University

SDSU FUERTE (Faculty Unified towards Excellence in Research and Transformational Engagement) will increase scientific workforce diversity through hiring nine ethnically diverse early-stage research faculty with commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in science. Expertise of new faculty (Fall 2022) includes one of three FUERTE research foci: Cancer research; Environmental Health, and Obesity/Physical Activity/Nutrition. FUERTE provides comprehensive faculty development programming and team-mentorship to support faculty thriving and research independence.

FIRST Cohort Leadership

María Luisa (“Mari”) Zúñiga, Ph.D.

Contact Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator – Administrative Core, Director – Faculty Development Core

Mark Reed, Ph.D.

Co-Principal Investigator, Faculty Development Core, Director - Administrative Core

Lauren Wilner, Ph.D.

Co-Investigator, Evaluation Core

Jennifer Ilmazeki, Ph.D.

Assistant Director, Administrative Core

Joanna Brooks, Ph.D.

Assistant Director, Faculty Development Core

Eileen Pitpitan, Ph.D.

Director, Evaluation Core

FIRST Cohort Faculty

With the support and engagement of faculty & leadership from across SDSU, in Spring 2022 FUERTE succeeded in hiring an eight-person cohort of early career health sciences faculty focused on health disparities who joined SDSU in Fall 2022. Cohort Faculty have expertise in one of the three of FUERTE’s focal research areas: Cancer disparities/Cancer research; Environmental Health, or Obesity/Physical Activity/Nutrition.

Benjamín Aceves, Ph.D., MPH

Assistant Professor

School of Public Health, College of Health and Human Services

Kai-Chung Cheng, Ph.D., MS

Assistant Professor

Environmental Health Sciences/SDSU Imperial Valley/School of Public Health

Linda Lara-Jacobo, Ph.D., MSc

Assistant Professor

Environmental Health Sciences/SDSU Imperial Valley/School of Public Health

Nicolas López-Gálvez, Ph.D., MPH

Assistant Professor

School of Public Health, College of Health and Human Services

Jessica McCurley, PhD, MPH

Assistant Professor

Psychology, College of Sciences

Corinne McDaniels-Davidson, Ph.D., MPH, CHES

Assistant Professor

School of Public Health, College of Health and Human Services

Teresa Monkkonen, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Biology, College of Sciences

Ariana Stickel, Ph.D., MA

Assistant Professor

Psychology, College of Sciences

FIRST Cohort News

October 4, 2021September 27, 2022

SDSU receives $15 million to fund research on Latinx disparities

The SDSU Faculty Unified towards Excellence in Research and Transformational Engagement program, “SDSU FUERTE,” on Wednesday announced it received a $15 million grant from the… Continue Reading

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