For the Record provides information about recent professional activities of University of Delaware faculty, staff, students and alumni.

Recent announcements include the following:

Appointments

Adam Davey is the new associate dean for research in the College of Health Sciences (CHS). He is tasked with growing the core infrastructures that support the college’s research enterprise, including models of best practice, to obtain center and training grants as well as career development. With the recent growth in the breadth of the CHS portfolio, including a major cardiovascular health grant, UD is an ideal situation for Davey.

“I’m looking forward to developing a concrete strategy to ensure that all CHS faculty have access to high quality mentorship and guidance,” said Davey, who was previously a professor and founding chair in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Temple University. “I’d also like to contribute to the academic climate in terms of helping researchers learn about new methods, skills and techniques.”

On campus since the beginning of July, Davey’s immediate plans include growing the college’s biostatistical and population health expertise. “I see my role as the Zamboni driver between periods of a hockey game,” joked Davey. “I want researchers to have smooth conditions — make the process as easy as possible.”

He wants young faculty, graduate students and undergraduates involved early and often in burgeoning research areas. “Think about the opportunities coming out of growing interest in areas like personalized medicine and machine learning and informatics, to name a few. We not only need talented young researchers, but we also must make special efforts to bring underrepresented groups into the research enterprise as early in their careers as possible.”

A developmental psychologist by training, Davey has a personal focus on human aging research, in particular, the epidemiology of the second century of life. While at the University of Georgia, he headed the Data Management and Analysis Core of the Georgia Centenarian Study, the first population study of people who reached the age of 100. The experience gave Davey an opportunity to work with people across many disciplines — genetics, neuropathology, cognitive functioning, family wellbeing — a dialogue that’s sorely needed in health care.

“Successful health care comes out of coordination between all disciplines,” Davey said. “Communication is at the center of any successful enterprise and yet there is no mechanism in the current health care reimbursement system for that kind of synchronization.”

Barret Michalec has been named associate dean of interdisciplinary initiatives and interprofessional education in the College of Health Sciences. Michalec comes to CHS with experience in interdisciplinary curriculum, programs and committees — both at UD and externally. He has collaborated in interprofessional education research alongside many disciplines, including medicine, nursing and psychology. 

“This position provides a unique opportunity to not only assess and expand current interdisciplinary programs and courses within CHS, but also develop new innovative projects, curricula and modules that can advance health professions education and faculty development,” said Michalec. “We can further strengthen connections with clinical and community partners in and around the University.”

A key directive of this position is designing and implementing interprofessional education initiatives aimed at health professionals, both undergraduate and graduate. An associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Michalec will retain teaching and research responsibilities in the College of Arts and Sciences.

“We are very excited to have Barret join our team and bring his expertise to our interdisciplinary research and interprofessional education,” said Kathleen Matt, dean of the College of Health Sciences. “Part of our goal to define ‘a new direction in health care,’ and that’s built on the broad base of a comprehensive university.”

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