Conference Co-Directors
Dr. Barbara Wallace is a Clinical Psychologist, Professor of Health Education, Coordinator of the Program in Health Education, Director of the Research Group on Disparities in Health, Director of Global HELP (Health Education and Leadership Program), and Director of the Center for Equity in Health—within the Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College, Columbia University. She is the Founder and Director of the Annual Health Disparities Conference at Teachers College, Columbia University.
In recognition of her outstanding and unusual contributions, Dr. Wallace has been honored with receipt of the status of Fellow within Divisions 50 (Addictive Behaviors) and 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues) of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Wallace’s most recent books include: Making Mandated Addiction Treatment Work (2005, Rowman & Littlefield) and Toward Equity in Health: A New Global Approach to Health Disparities (Editor, Springer Publications). Her other books include: Crack Cocaine: A Practical Treatment Approach for the Chemically Dependent (1991, Taylor & Francis), The Chemically Dependent: Phases of Treatment and Recovery (Editor, 1992, Taylor & Francis), Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families: Prevention, Intervention and Treatment for Community Mental Health Promotion (1996, Praeger Publishers), Understanding and Dealing with Violence: A Multicultural Approach (with Co-Editor Robert T. Carter, Ph.D., 2003, Sage Publications), HIV/AIDS Peer Education Training Manual: Combining African Healing Wisdom and Evidence-Based Behavior Change Strategies (2005, StarSpirit Press) Dr. Wallace has published numerous journal articles and chapters in edited books.
She serves as a regional, national, and international consultant, and travels widely as a keynote speaker, conference presenter, “Trainer of Trainers,” and workshop leader—covering numerous topics: health disparities; health equity; stress and adaptive versus maladaptive affective, behavioral, and cognitive coping strategies; the bio-psycho-social-environmental-cultural framework; multicultural competence and diversity training; HIV/AIDS prevention; the incarceration crisis and addiction treatment as an alternative to incarceration; treating the dually diagnosed; violence prevention, including covert and overt violence; and, trauma resolution for sexual and physical abuse and domestic violence.
Dr. Christopher Emdin is a professor of science education at Teachers College, Columbia University and a nationally-acclaimed expert on urban public education. He also oversees Secondary School Initiatives at the Urban Science Education Center, which is a research-based institution associated with Teachers College. As leading advocate for reforming public education in urban communities, Dr. Emdin is also a columnist for The Huffington Post and the author of the notable and provocative “Emdin 5″ series.
Dr. Emdin began his college career at Lehman College and graduated in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in physical anthropology/biology/chemistry. He continued his academic pursuits at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, earning a master’s degree in natural science in 2003, and in 2007, Dr. Emdin completed his doctorial studies at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York and received a Ph.D. in urban education.
Dr. Emdin’s professional and scholastic accomplishments are notable. He was the co-author of the proposal that established the Marie Curie School in the Bronx, New York, and is currently a consultant and researcher for projects funded by the National Science Foundation. Arrive Magazine recently named him a “Groundbreaking Educator,” and the Association for Science Teacher Education acknowledged him with the award for the “Best Paper for Innovation in Teaching.” Dr. Emdin’s progressive ideas and ardent leadership attracted the attention of Phi Delta Kappa, which saluted him with two awards: he received the “Outstanding Dissertation” and “Emerging Leaders” awards. He is also the author of the book Urban Science Education for the Hip-Hop Generation.
As Dr. Emdin continues to research urban education, he concentrates on issues impacting urban classrooms, which he references as he campaigns for transformative educational solutions. He engages public dialogue through lectures that challenge and activate audiences. Subjects such as the “Obama Effect on Urban Education,” “Hip-Hop Culture and Education,” and “Improving STEM Education,” offer relevant insight and inspire conversation. Because of unique scholarship and specialized research, Dr. Emdin receives frequent invitations for television appearances and has been a guest on programs airing on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and Fox.
He is the author of the highly acclaimed Urban science education for the hip-hop generation (2010, Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers)—which won the 2011 Strage Prize.
Dr. Emdin is serving as Co-Director of the Annual Health Disparities Conference for the first time, while delivering a Keynote and organizing a panel on the topic:
- Contemporary Youth, Hip-Hop, and Urban Science Education: The Role of Multimedia Educational Technology in Disseminating the Science Needed for Community Empowerment to Reduce and Eliminate Health Disparities
Dr. Emdin and Dr. Barbara Wallace (Founding Conference Director) will launch a new Center at the March 15-16, 2013 Annual Health Disparities Conference at Teachers College, Columbia University:
CENTER FOR HEALTH EQUITY AND URBAN SCIENCE EDUCATION (CHEUSE)
The new Center will serve as a home for initiatives that integrate the teaching of urban science education and information on health and health disparities.