F A C U LT Y S P O T L I G H T Welcome to our new faculty. They bring talent and skill to the college and are incredible additions to our Stempel College family.
Dr. Olatokunbo Osibogun is an assistant
Dr. Courtney Wilson received his doctorate
professor in the Department of
from the University of Florida’s Public
Epidemiology at Stempel College.
Affairs Program—Social Work track.
After pursuing her medical degree in
Dr. Wilson began his career working in
Igbinedion University Okada, Nigeria, she went to the School of Public Health at the
the mental health field in New York City, supporting patients with comorbid mental
University of Alabama at Birmingham to obtain a MPH. In
health disabilities. After completing his master’s
2019, she obtained her Ph.D. in public health from FIU
in social work at Touro College in New York City, he
and completed a NIDA T32 postdoctoral fellowship at FIU
focused on education and academic outcomes for
prior to her academic faculty position at the Department
minoritized youth. Over the years, Dr. Wilson has
of Epidemiology. Her research focuses broadly on
developed a particular interest in working with at risk
cardiovascular health promotion, tobacco use and
populations, communities, educational institutions, and
women’s health. Dr. Osibogun works with NIH-funded
city council members to increase interconnectedness,
cohort studies, including the Population Assessment of
civic engagement, and opportunities available
Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study and the Multi-Ethnic
to marginalized groups. His research focuses on
Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
incorporating geographic information systems in understanding social and economic barriers to
Dr. Melissa Ward is an assistant professor
academic success for marginalized groups.
at the Department of Epidemiology at Stempel College. Previously, she was a postdoctoral associate at the Community-Based Research Institute. A social epidemiologist by training, her research interests include disparities in access to substance abuse treatment, HIV care, and women’s health.
Berenice Castillo will be joining FIU’s School of Social Work in spring 2022, after earning her joint doctorate in social work & development psychology from the University of Michigan School of Social Work. Her research has focused on substance
Dr. Sofia Fernandez came to FIU’s School of Social Work after serving
examines Hispanic adolescent health disparities and
as a postdoctoral associate on FIU-
mechanisms to improve the health and well-being of
RCMI’s Investigator Development Core,
Hispanic adolescents who engage in substance use or
a program designed to provide early state investigators with pilot grant and training opportunities to pursue research careers in the health sciences. Dr. Fernandez earned her doctorate in social welfare from FIU’s School of Social Work in 2017. Her research focuses on utilizing community-based approaches to addressing health disparities among hard to-reach populations, primarily HIV. 18
use behavior over time in adolescents. Her dissertation
demonstrate externalizing behaviors.
