VCU Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

09/04/2026

This week we are pleased to welcome to the department Nicholas Thomson, Ph.D., who will also be serving as associate dean for research for the School of Public Health! Dr. Thomson is a forensic psychologist who brings expertise in violence intervention and prevention, gun violence, and development psychopathology.

Read more about Dr. Thomson on the SOPH blog: https://blogs.vcu.edu/sph/2026/08/05/thomson-named-associate-dean-research-vcu-public-health/

09/02/2026

Congratulations, Farnese!

Farnese Motto, a Ph.D. student studying social and behavioral sciences, was accepted into the This Is Public Health (TIPH) Ambassador program for the academic year 2026-27.

09/01/2026

This year, we are launching a new seminar series, which we hope will grow to be a key element of the SBS identity and a way to share knowledge within our department community and beyond.

We're thrilled to announce that our very first seminar speaker will be Nandi Marshall, DrPH, MPH, CHES, CLC, CDE, CPH, current president of the American Public Health Association! She will be joining us on September 17th and we'll be hosting her talk on the Monroe Park campus at the University Student Commons.

RSVP to attend the in-person event here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfg1dYS3TPSbqZ3Yvp4mdX0nCvYGL5pMPfCGg1Q6uTAhL9_MQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=107426269286964978723

Or register to attend virtually via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/qt1vi9uDR_e1pFOI6_az0A

08/18/2026

Yesterday we held our fall orientation session - welcoming returning scholars along with our four new scholars just starting their doctoral journeys! Led by graduate program director Dina Garcia, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., the afternoon session centered the development of community among our scholars and was a great kickoff to a new term!

08/17/2026

Applications are open for fall 2027 admission to our PhD program! Get more info on our website https://sbs.vcu.edu/ , and apply here: https://aspph.org/student-journey/sophas/

08/07/2026

We are thrilled to be welcoming Dr. Thomson to the school and our department!

We have news! 🗞️

Nicholas Thomson, Ph.D., will join in September as our first associate dean for research.

"Dr. Thomson understands how to bring people and disciplines together, support investigators at every stage of their careers and move strong ideas toward meaningful impact. His leadership will be central to building the research culture and infrastructure that will propel our School forward," said Dean Monica Swahn, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Get the full story in the comments below ⬇️

08/05/2026

Breaking news! Dr. Jessica G. LaRose will be leading this training grant alongside Drs. Patrick Nana-Sinkam and Oxana Palesh of VCU's School of Medicine.

VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center was recently awarded a $2.7 million Worta McCaskill-Stevens K12 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The five-year grant will allow Massey to mentor promising, multidisciplinary, early-stage clinical investigators in the conception, development,....

08/03/2026

A new publication by SBS alumna Dr. Jeanine Guidry and Dr. Kellie Carlyle discusses HPV vaccine acceptance in West Virginia, and suggests that misinformation may contribute to hesitancy.

Background: West Virginia is of particular concern regarding HPV vaccine hesitancy, currently ranking 45th among U.S. states in HPV vaccine uptake. General vaccine hesitancy and HPV- and HPV vaccine-specific misinformation, both associated with lower vaccination, have increased in recent years, comp...

07/30/2026

Congratulations to SBS affiliate faculty Dr. Monica Baskin!

We are proud to share that, pending approval by the VCU Board of Visitors in September, Monica L. Baskin, PhD, has been named director of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and Lipman Chair in Oncology, effective August 3, 2026.

Since joining Massey as deputy director in 2025, Dr. Baskin, an internationally recognized behavioral scientist and champion for health equity, has strengthened our research enterprise and deepened our commitment to the communities we serve across Virginia.

As director, Dr. Baskin will guide Massey into its next chapter of scientific discovery, clinical excellence, and life-saving innovation.

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Baskin on this well-deserved appointment!

Learn more about Dr. Baskin's vision and career: https://bit.ly/4vRm7KY

07/22/2026

SBS chair Jessica G. LaRose, PhD, FSBM, received this year's Women in Science, Dentistry, and Medicine (WISDM) Professional Achievement Award for the VCU School of Public Health! This award celebrates her excellence as a role model and mentor, as well as her outstanding leadership, scholarship, and teaching experience. Read more on our blog: https://blogs.vcu.edu/sbs/2026/07/21/dr-jessica-larose-receives-wisdm-award/