ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is proud to announce that Jamesha Barrett will be awarded the Graduate Student Research Paper Award during the 2026 SOPHE Annual Conference in Portland, April 22-24.
“Being the only recipient of this national award is truly humbling, and what made the moment even more special is the confirmation that this research is of great value for the field and the voices and perspectives of the participants who shared their lived experiences are acknowledged,” said Barrett who is a Master of Public Health student at the University of New Haven with a strong interest in evidence-based health promotion and health equity. “I feel truly honored to receive this award and for the opportunity to present and learn from health education leaders, student researchers, and other public health professionals at the upcoming conference.”
This award fosters quality graduate student research and provides a mechanism by which to recognize outstanding graduate students for creative and innovative research. Every year, SOPHE recognizes one outstanding graduate student for creative and innovative research as illustrated by completion of a research paper.
“My project, created through my work as a research fellow with the WeEmbody (WE) Lab, used photovoice, a community-based research method that allows participants to take photographs that capture their lived experiences,” said Barrett who also serves as Graduate Student Council (GSC) President at the University of New Haven, where she oversees 42 recognized student organizations and leads initiatives that support the holistic well-being of students. “These images then served as the foundation for group discussions, where the participants explained the meaning behind their photos and identified challenges, strengths and solutions. Additionally, their images and narratives revealed insights that can guide health-supportive behavior changes for students and assist University leaders in building more inclusive and responsive campus environments.”
Barrett previously served as Vice President of the Student Public Health Association (SPHA), where she spearheaded several social initiatives and professional development workshops, including Narcan trainings, GradConnect, and other student engagement programs. Beyond her campus involvement, she serves as a conference planning committee member for the New England Rural Health Association (NERHA), and is also an active member and intern with the Connecticut Chapter of SOPHE. She believes she is called to a life of altruism and is guided by her philosophy, “Unravelling Success Through the Rudiments of Altruism: Embracing Change as the Mandate for Elevation.”
SOPHE will present all awards and scholarships to public health professionals, health education researchers, faculty, programs, and practitioners at the 2026 SOPHE Annual Conference in April in Portland. These awards and scholarships recognize significant advancements in the profession of health education and health promotion and outstanding contributions of well-established and rising stars to improving the public’s health.
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About SOPHE
The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) is a nonprofit association that supports leaders in public health, health education and promotion to advance healthy and equitable communities across the globe. SOPHE members work in health care settings, communities, organizations, schools, universities, worksites, and in local, state and federal government agencies. For more information visit www.sophe.org.
