About us
The Watkins Research Team is comprised of undergraduate and graduate students who work to advance adolescent and young adult health and health equity with the guidance of Dr. Shannon Lea Watkins. Our work is centered on tobacco and nicotine use, youth and young adults, and social media. Our team is committed to fostering an inclusive team environment as well as amplifying the voices of young, curious minds by including them in all stages of the research process
We are based out of the Community and Behavioral Health Department at the University of Iowa College of Public Health. Dr. Shannon Lea Watkins established this team in 2019 with the goal of using non-traditional group dynamics to conduct research. This has been a fruitful endeavor leading to the creation, funding, and publication of several projects. This site, like our research, is a collaboration between Dr. Shannon Lea Watkins and many young adult researchers. Learn more about our goals and projects below.
Why study tobacco and nicotine use?
The tobacco industry's history in the United States is one of deceitfulness and exploiting vulnerabilities that has resulted in many lives lost. Our research group condemns the actions of the tobacco industry and works to investigate tobacco and nicotine-related disparities in health. The fight is ongoing -- look below at a few examples of monumental legislation and events regarded tobacco and nicotine.
Tobacco 21 was a landmark legislation in 2019 that raised the federal minimum age to sell and purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 years old.
In December 2018 the US Surgeon General issued an advisory declaring youth e-cigarette use an epidemic.
All flavored cigarette additives were banned in 2009, with the exception of menthol. However, recently the FDA proposed a ban on menthol cigarette flavorings as well to prevent youth initiation.
Mission
We aim to contribute tobacco, cannabis, and health equity research that elevates the health of vulnerable populations through research practices that prioritize and uplift young voices.
Vision
Our goal is to advance health equity by embracing empathetic research practices, collaborating with young people, and informing health messaging.
Values
Social Justice
Our group prioritizes social justice and health equity in all research endeavors. We deliberately incorporate elements in all areas possible including but not limited to onboarding materials for new members, choice of research topics, group discussions about equity and social justice, and methods for information-sharing with the community.
Collaboration and Co-Learning
We pride ourselves in our ability to work with, learn from, and empower each other throughout the research process. We encourage our members to ask questions and seek support when they need it. Not only do we aspire to elevate our knowledge and skills as researchers, but we also hope to grow as individuals during our time on the team. We deeply respect each individual's perspectives and provide opportunities for growth through mentorship. Mentorship within the group is characterized by transparency, clear expectations, mentorship agreements, and respect for each other.
Just Power-Dynamics
Our team is comprised of Undergraduate students, Masters students, Ph.D. students, alumni, and a PI. We work to remove the hierarchy that academia sets, and we acknowledge that each team member has different skills and life experiences that enrich our work that are not fully captured by educational status.
Actionable Equity
We believe the pursuit of achieving health equity is an actionable one, not a passive task. Our team takes intentional steps to ensure that the work we do is beneficial to not only the scientific community at large, but also to the communities with which we work. We do this by emphasizing the importance of reciprocity and the accessibility of our work. We aim to do this by building community with the people whom we learn from and disseminating our findings in a way that is understandable, usable, and contributes to sustainable change within those communities.
Curiousity
We believe curiosity is a driving force that leads us to do great work. We appreciate out-of-the-box thinkers who contribute to challenging the status quo of what good scientific research “should” look like.
