New investigator: Regina Idoate, PhD

Regina Idoate, PhD

This profile is part of a series to highlight the researchers who will be honored at a ceremony for UNMC’s 2020 Scientist Laureate, Distinguished Scientist and New Investigator Award recipients.

  • Name: Regina Idoate, PhD
  • Title: Assistant professor, UNMC Department of Health Promotion, College of Public Health
  • Joined UNMC: 2010
  • Hometown: Fallbrook, California

New Investigator Award

New Investigator Awards go to outstanding UNMC scientists who in the past two years have secured their first funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense or other national sources. New investigators also had to demonstrate scholarly activity such as publishing their research and/or presenting their findings at national conventions.

Research focus:

  • Health disparities

The goal of my research is: to better understand community systems in relation to cultural context, to support population health and reduce health disparities through good culturally responsive work. I study how community partnerships, workforce development programs and the medical humanities impact health disparities, particularly in relationship to American Indian populations.

My research will make a difference because: the innovative community-based and Indigenous research methods I employ bring new ways of looking at things that can support culturally-relevant interventions that promote mental, physical and spiritual health and wellness. My work demonstrates the relevance of context in mobilizing underserved communities in health promotion and prevention efforts.

The best advice I’ve ever been given is:

“Be good.”

This is what my grandmother told me. There’s a lot packed into those two words. As I was taught, our ways of knowing influence our ways of being and our ways of being influence our ways of doing. So, I need to know good and do good to “be good.”

Three things you may not know about me are:

  • I’m a proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.
  • I am not only a researcher and teacher but also a wife, mom, sister, daughter, auntie and friend.
  • Orange is my favorite color!

8 comments

  1. Lisa Spellman says:

    Congratulations Gina on this well-deserved honor!

  2. Rosie Zweiback says:

    Regina! Your contributions to the field are vital and I congratulate you on this lovely honor!

  3. Jean Amoura says:

    Congratulations Regina!

  4. Dee Robertson says:

    Congratulations to my dear and amazing daughter!!
    You are exceptional in ways that matter to this world!

  5. Becky zessin says:

    Congratulations Reg! 🙂

  6. Nicole Giron says:

    Congratulations Gina- this is so well deserved!

  7. Keyonna King says:

    My dear friend! So very proud of you 🙂

  8. Peggy Moore says:

    Congratulations Regina!

Comments are closed.