The Community Engagement and Partnership Core is happy to collaborate with community-based organizations, and with scientists who would like to engage with and be inspired by communities.
For more information on possible collaborations, please contact us at cecinspires@unm.edu
To prevent environmentally induced adverse health outcomes and reduce the impact of environmental health disparities by sustaining a strong, mutually beneficial community-academic partnership that promotes meaningful community engagement in research of environmental factors in disease initiation, progression, outcomes, and community impacts in New Mexico.
To promote multi-directional communication that advances environmental public health knowledge, health literacy, and disease prevention among NM-INSPIRES researchers and community stakeholders in underserved communities by using collaborative processes to ensure Center research is widely and effectively disseminated as well as responsive to local community needs.
The CEC team is led by Dr. Tamar Ginossar, Professor at the Department of Communication and Journalism. Dr. John Yu is a Co-leader and a Professor at the College of Nursing. The CEC team works with community, academic, and organizational stakeholders to utilize the tools developed through NM-INSPIRES research groups to advance environmental health literacy, environmental public health, and disease prevention. The CEC facilitates multi-directional interactions with diverse New Mexico communities, including Native American communities, active mining communities, and communities along the US-Mexico Border Region, and others throughout New Mexico.
We collaborate with environmental health scientists, citizens, community groups, journalists, clinicians, public health practitioners, and policy makers in order to:
![]() |
Dr. Tamar Ginossar - CEC Co-Leader Dr. Ginossar is a Full Professor at the Department of Communication and Journalism and the B.A./M.D. program. Prior to joining the department of Communication and Journalism, Dr. Ginossar held a research faculty appointment with the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. Her research focuses on health, environment and science communication as means for increasing health equity. Dr. Ginossar is passionate about working with communities and with interdisciplinary teams to reduce environmental health disparities and is excited about working with our community partners. |
![]() |
Dr. John Yu - CEC Co-Leader Dr. Xiaozhong Yu, MD, PhD, MPH is a Professor for the University of New Mexico, College of Nursing. Yu received a Doctor of Medicine degree from Nanking Medical University in China, a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Nagoya University in Japan, and a Master of Medicine degree from Shanghai Medical University in China. Prior to joining the UNM College of Nursing Yu spent a few years as an Associate Professor with the University of Georgia, and a few years at the University of Washington as the Director of Lab Research and Public Health. |
![]() |
Talyia Torres - Community Engagement Coordinator Talyia was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She attended UNM and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry with a minor in Psychology. While attending university, she volunteered with various organizations such as Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), Presbyterian Child Life/NICU, Native Health Initiative (NHI), and the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). She gained clinical experience by working as a Rehabilitation technician and Registered Behavior Technician. She conducted research through a Diverticulitis and Sepsis study at UNM and had experience writing research papers with UNMs Biochemistry department and NHIs Healers of Tomorrow program. She is passionate about promoting health equity and equality for Indigenous and Hispanic communities in rural parts of New Mexico through environmental health work. |
Using Art and Pueblo Sensibilities to Communicate Health and Scientific Information (NMADRC / CMA Seminar - May 11, 2023)
Mallery Quetawki - Zuni Pueblo
Artist
METALS Superfund Center Translation Core Co-Lead
Mallery has used art since 2007 to help identify the communication gaps between Native American patients and their providers and is now working at the intersection of Environmental Health and the arts and culture of Southwest Native American tribes to help translate research information to those Communities. She creates her art as a trained biologist and through the lens of her Zuni Pueblo upbringing to ensure culturally safe and culturally relevant messaging to Tribal communities.
View the recording here.
Passcode: ADRC#2023