Position:
Department Chair and Professor of Public HealthLocation:
Henkel Hall, Room 215Phone:
(540) 665-4798Email: agollenb@yibangyi.net
Employed Since:
2010Educational History:
B.S. Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Ph.D. Epidemiology & Biostatistics,
University of Massachusetts-Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences
Fields of Expertise:
Reproductive epidemiology; health disparities; community engagement; immigrant health
Professional Highlights:
Since my time began at Shenandoah University, I’ve had a number of memorable professional highlights.
I’ve had the opportunity to travel with students on Global Experiential Learning courses three times to Belize and once to the Dominican Republic. I enjoy sharing travel with students and exposing them to new experiences and cultures while completing meaningful service projects.
I’ve also had the opportunity to share my research studies with students in a collaborative manner. Among many studies, we’ve completed two research projects focused on women’s and men’s preconception health and involved over a dozen students on each project. While COVID-19 interrupted recruitment on the most recent research study, we were able to recruit approximately 350 women from the local Winchester community. We hope to understand barriers to optimizing couples’ preconception health to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
Research:
My research interests have evolved over the years but almost always involve faculty-student collaborative efforts and in areas that benefit the local Winchester region. In particular, my research interests center around reproductive epidemiology and identifying factors that contribute to health inequalities among vulnerable groups. I am interested in the continuum of a healthy reproductive lifespan from early adulthood and preconception health through pregnancy and interconception care for couples.
Personal Quote:I jointed the SU community in 2010 with the task of building a new undergraduate program in Public Health. It’s been an exciting adventure, building roots in the Winchester community, meeting some talented and hardworking students, and sharing my love of Public Health with the next generation of leaders.
Some memorable experiences from my first two years at SU:
-Taking my First Year Seminar class in Maternal & Child Health to the March of Dimes March for Babies Event in October 2011
-Planning a Global Experiential Learning Course including a 2-week immersion in Central America for May 2013
-Working with several SU students to launch a pilot community nutrition study in the Shenandoah Valley
Personal Highlights:
My family and I live in Loudoun County with our menagerie of animals! We enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and swimming with our dogs and giving back to the community.