Sherman, Texas -- At the 2024 American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting & Expo in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dr. Saritha Bangara, Associate Professor of Public Health and Chair of the Public Health Department, and her student research team won the APHA Women’s Caucus Highest Scoring Student Abstract Award.

Bangara, along with students Zoe Brass ’24, Roshni Khosla ’24, and Megan Devaney ’24, presented their award-winning research on the topic of “Educating survivors of intimate partner violence on women’s health issues and IPV-associated risk factors using data-driven and trauma-informed education modules at the Grayson County Crisis Center.” The project was funded by a grant that Bangara received from the Discovery Foundation.

This year’s APHA conference was held from October 27-30, 2024, with the theme of “Building Trust in Public Health and Science.” Each year, APHA’s Annual Meeting and Expo convenes about 12,000 public health professionals and partners from around the world to engage, collaborate and grow. The Annual Meeting brings together a broad spectrum of professionals across a variety of disciplines.

The American Public Health Association APHA publishes the American Journal of Public Health, The Nation’s Health newspaper and a collection of influential books through APHA Press. At their Annual Meeting and Expo, thousands of people share the latest public health research. Learn more at www.apha.org.

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.