Director:
Sarah Bauerle Bass, PhD, MPH
(she/her/hers)
Contact Information: sbass@temple.edu
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Biography: Dr. Sarah Bass is a Professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the College of Public Health and Director of the Risk Communication Laboratory at Temple University. Her over twenty-five years of experience focuses on health and risk communication and how public health messages are crafted for audiences. With expertise in health literacy, message development, and working with underserved and vulnerable populations, she is using new technologies to develop, target and test messages for their impact on patient/public self-efficacy, behavior intention, and behavior. Use of these technologies is are then applied to community or clinical-based interventions using mHealth, the Internet and other communication channel strategies. She has conducted research on a variety of public health topics, with emphasis on cancer, infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, HCV, smallpox, SARS-CoV-2), and emergency preparedness. With a background in communication, she has also been a state spokesperson and worked in developing state-wide media campaigns around HIV/AIDS early in the pandemic. She has provided training in risk and crisis communication and is widely published in the area of health and risk communication. She has been funded by NIH (NCI, NIBIB, NIMH, NIDA), the CDC, organizations (American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association), international NGOs (Global Alliance to Achieve Nutrition) state and local governments (PADOH, Phila DPH), and industry (Gilead, Merck). She has been named the 2021 winner of the American Public Health Association’s Everett M. Rogers Award, a national honor for outstanding contribution to public health communication.
Favorite Quote: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” –Dr. Seuss
Research Coordinator:
Katie Singley, MPH
(she/her/hers)
Contact Information: katie.singley@temple.edu
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Biography: Katie recently graduated from Drexel’s Dornsife School of Public Health Community Health and Prevention Program. She received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University Maryland where she majored in Psychology and minored in Statistics. Her research interests include substance use, urban health, health disparities, and public health ethics. She previously worked for the Health Equity Advancement Lab (HEAL) where she was involved in various research projects that examine the role of harm reduction interventions in alleviating the opioid epidemic. Her goal is to conduct community-based research that can be used to empower individuals in their health-decision making and create equitable and transformative policy.
Favorite Quote: “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” –The Talmud
Research Coordinator:
Caseem Luck, MS
(he/him/his)
Contact Information: caseem.luck@temple.edu
Hometown: Willow Grove, PA
Biography: Caseem serves as the Research Coordinator in the Risk Communication Lab. He received his B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Millersville University in 2019. Thereafter, he completed an M.S. in Communication for Development and Social Change from Temple University’s Klein College of Communications in 2020. Throughout his undergraduate and graduate career, Caseem has sought to use storytelling as a way to amplify marginalized voices within his local community. Caseem’s research areas have included understanding the meaning-making practices of refugee women pursuing post-secondary education, the experiences of first-generation Latinx college students at Predominantly White Institutions, and the disparities in access to digital technologies for refugee/immigrant-serving organizations in Philadelphia during COVID-19. Caseem hopes to further use storytelling to help inform relevant health communication practices for underserved communities of color in Philadelphia.
Favorite Quote: “The stories we live and tell provide coherence and meaning and orient our sense of purpose.” –Sharon Daloz Parks
Doctoral Fellow:
Kirsten Paulus, MPH
(she/her/hers)
Contact Information: kirsten.paulus@temple.edu
Hometown: Wayne, PA
Biography: Kirsten is a doctoral student in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at the College of Public Health at Temple University. She received her MPH from the University of California at Los Angeles with certifications in Health Education and Health Promotion as well as Population and Reproductive Health. She also completed her undergraduate studies in Global Health and Environment (BA) and Medical Sociology with Honors (BA) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research areas have included the effect of implicit bias on care received and effective contraceptive use in an OBGYN clinic serving disadvantaged women in Western North Carolina, the relationship between the quality of mother-daughter communication and approval of sexual initiation in adolescence and unintended pregnancy in adulthood, contraceptive use patterns among female entertainment workers in Cambodia, and the psychosocial factors that impact whether Asian immigrant women living in Los Angeles disclose their experiences of intimate partner violence. More broadly, Kirsten is interested in understanding how privilege and disadvantage (especially with respect to race/ethnicity, gender identity and sexuality), intersecting experiences, environments, and social identities affect health belief and perceptions, behaviors, and consequently sexual and reproductive health outcomes and status. In addition, she wants to study the social conditions that specifically foster sexual risk-taking behaviors within underserved and hidden communities that can be seen through contraceptive use, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy and how these behaviors may relate to other factors such as knowledge, resources, social networks, economic pressure, social status, stigma, as well as culture. She is committed to advocating for equity and social justice for these populations while engaging directly with communities and individuals to further support the human right to reproductive and sexual health.
Favorite Quote: “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.” –Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Temporary Research Coordinator:
Alex Rotaru, MPH, CQIA
(he/they)
Contact Information: Alexandru-mircea.rotaru@temple.edu
Graduate Student Worker:
Eberechukwu Muoneke
(she/her/hers)
Contact information: eberechukwu.muoneke@temple.edu
Hometown: Imo, Nigeria
Biography: Eberechukwu is a second-year master student in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the College of Public Health, Temple University. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Sunderland, United Kingdom. She has over 10 years of clinical experience in nursing in diverse health care settings. Her research interests are in chronic and infectious diseases in adults. Prior to Temple, she collaborated with communities in providing health education and preventive medicine especially in underserved communities in Nigeria. Her goal is to continue to leverage her clinical experience and public health knowledge to develop messages that will empower diverse patient population with the skillset they need in their health care journey.
Favorite quote: “In life, we cannot always do great things. But we can do small things with great love” –Mother Theresa.
Graduate Student Worker:
Arianna Vacio
(she/her/hers)
Contact information: arianna.vacio@temple.edu
Hometown: Edinburg, TX
Biography: Arianna, a graduate research assistant brings her bilingual skills to the team, enriching communication efforts and ensuring accessibility to diverse communities. Her commitment to bridging healthcare disparities underscores her dedication to improving individual patient experiences and promoting community well-being. After completing her bachelor’s degree in Biology at Saint Edward’s University in 2021, where she also served as a research assistant for the Molecular Neuroscience lab, she cultivated a passion for community work. Motivated to integrate her interests in neuroscience research and dentistry, she is pursuing a master’s degree in oral health science at the Kornberg School of Dentistry. Her current research focuses on assessing the efficacy of the Wim Hof breathing technique in alleviating anxiety among dental patients.
Favorite Quote: “I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t laugh” –Maya Angelou
Undergraduate Student Worker:
Murad Wali
(he/him/his)
Contact Information: murad.wali@temple.edu
Hometown: Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
Biography: Murad is a senior pursuing a B.S. in Health Professions with a minor in Healthcare Management. He is dedicated to contributing to the healthcare field, with a strong passion for public health, research, and administration. His interest in healthcare was sparked by his experience as a Student Worker/Undergraduate Researcher at Temple’s Lung Center, where he gained exposure to medical charting and basic clinical research. Additionally, he is deeply appreciative of his volunteer work at a free clinic in West Philadelphia, where he learned to interact with patients on both clinical and administrative levels, and to assist vulnerable populations in accessing essential care. On campus, Murad has been actively involved in leadership roles with the United Mission Relief, Pre-Health Association, and Pakistani Student Association, and is an inducted member of Alpha Epsilon Delta. He is committed to making a meaningful impact in his community and serving as an advocate for equitable healthcare access. In his free time, he enjoys sketching, maintaining a good exercise routine, traveling with friends and family, trying different cuisines, engaging with the community, and binge-watching Netflix. He is excited about the opportunity to apply his skills and knowledge in this lab setting and looks forward to contributing to future healthcare innovations and practices.
Favorite Quote: “Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.” –John F. Kennedy
Undergraduate Student Worker:
Simrahn Bidaye
(she/her/hers)
Contact Information: simrahn.bidaye@temple.edu
Hometown: South Brunswick, New Jersey
Biography: Simrahn is a sophomore majoring in Health Professions at Temple University’s College of Public Health. She is deeply passionate about improving health outcomes in underprivileged communities through public health research. She believes that healthcare is about more than just diagnosing illnesses; it’s about building meaningful connections with patients and advocating for their well-being. This perspective drives her commitment to public health as a tool for identifying and addressing disparities in healthcare access. Working with the Risk Communication Lab has allowed her to actively contribute to research focused on empowering vulnerable populations. Apart from her time at the lab, she is a certified medical assistant and EMT, and she volunteers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she gains hands-on experience in patient care. After graduation, Simrahn plans to attend medical school, with the goal of pursuing a career as an OBGYN or pediatrician.
Favorite Quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” –Maya Angelou
Undergraduate Student Worker:
Emma Clarke
(she/her/hers)
Contact Information: eclarke2@tulane.edu
Hometown: Devon, Pennsylvania
Biography: Emma recently graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Cognitive Studies. She conducted undergraduate research in social psychology, investigating intergroup relations and the well-being of marginalized groups. Seeing the ways that inequality can manifest in so many aspects of life inspired her to join the Risk Communication Lab and learn more about health disparities, as well as improving health decision making for marginalized communities. She currently works on a team of social scientists doing user experience research as well. Emma’s future plans include pursuing a PhD in social psychology and applying this degree to the evaluation of public policy.
Favorite Quote: “The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.” –Charles Swindoll
Undergraduate Student Worker:
Madeline Pennell
Contact Information: madeline.pennell@temple.edu
Hometown: Simsbury, Connecticut
Biography: Madeline Pennell is a junior studying communications with a minor in public relations at Temple University. Madeline has a strong interest in public health communications, which was inspired by her previous internships at Prevention Point Philadelphia and the Center for Public Health Law Research. Through these experiences, she has gained valuable insights into communications, public health, research, public relations, and design. Her time at Prevention Point allowed her to learn and create social media content about harm reduction, opioid use disorder, HIV/AIDS awareness and testing and much more. She is very excited to learn more about public health, research and communications while working in the Risk Communication Lab!
Favorite Quote: “Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day” –Alice Morse Earle
Doctoral Student:
Imani Wilson-Shabazz
(she/her/hers)
Contact Information: Wshabazz@temple.edu
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Biography: Imani Wilson-Shabazz is a doctoral student in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at the College of Public Health at Temple University. She is a recent graduate of the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, earning an MPH in Community Health Sciences with a certificate in Population and Reproductive Health. She completed her undergraduate studies in Cognitive Science (BA) and Gender Studies and Human Sexuality (BA) with honors from the University of Southern California. Her previous research projects have focused on the negative effects of abstinence-only sex education programs on black girls in the South, BDSM community engagement as self-care practices for women of color, and unintended pregnancy prevention in trans-masculine individuals. More broadly, Imani’s research centers on transforming family planning systems and institutions to empower queer individuals of color to make informed and affirmed reproductive choices.
Favorite quote: “You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.” –Angela Davis
Doctoral Student:
Scout Silverstein, MPH
(they/them)
Contact Information: scout.silverstein@temple.edu
Biography: Scout creates necessary changes in the healthcare landscape by building inclusive programming and strengthening policy. A specialist in gender-affirming eating disorder care with a Master of Public Health, they provide training to health care professionals, consultation to clinicians, and coaching to parents of transgender youth. Scout has an ever-growing research portfolio focused primarily on eating disorders in transgender and intersex populations, including resilience strengths and protective factors. They also have published papers focused on eating disorders in neurodivergent populations, early intervention for eating disorders, the use of standardized patients to train early career physicians in culturally specific care, subjective definitions of recovery, care pathways for medical aid in dying, and gender-affirming care in medical subspecialities. They have an 8 year history of leading health equity focused legislative efforts. Scout’s passion is in clinical program development with a focus on adaptations for identity-affirming care delivery.
Favorite quote: “Everything worthwhile is done with others.” –Moussa Kaba
Doctoral Student:
Rose Marcelin, MPH
(she/her/hers)
Undergraduate Research Assistant:
Matthew T. Dewhurst
(he/him/his)
Contact Information:
matthew.dewhurst@temple.edu
Hometown: Washington, DC
Biography: Matthew is a senior in the 4+1 Masters in Epidemiology program at Temple University and a current Research Assistant at the Risk Communication Lab. His research interests include global health, substance use, health education, health disparities, and infectious disease. He has experience designing and implementing health interventions for children overseas as well as various volunteer experiences in both Philadelphia and Washington, DC. His goal is to contribute toward sustainable and impactful safeguards for underserved communities
Favorite Quote: “To love well is the task in all meaningful relationships, not just romantic bonds.” –bell hooks, All About Love: New Visions
Undergraduate Research Assistant:
Catherine Lane
(she/her/they/them)
Contact Information: catherine.lane0002@temple.edu
Hometown: Lawrenceville, GA
Biography: Catherine is a junior studying advertising and media studies and production at Temple University. Catherine has been with the lab since her sophomore year and has loved every minute with the lab. She is passionate about advocating for health education, particularly in LGBTQ+ health and gender disparities in health. Her passion comes from her own place in the LGBTQ+ community, as well as her parents who instilled in her a strong sense to push for what is right, driving her dedication to spreading accurate, helpful, and accessible health information. She is especially focused on proving reliable resources and combating misinformation and knowledge gaps through social media messaging.
Favorite Quote: “While it is always best to believe in oneself, a little help from others can be a great blessing.” – Andrew Huebner