Dr. Saritha Bangara’s Public Health Research Receives Additional Funding

SHERMAN, TEXAS — Associate Professor of Public Health and Public Health Department Chair Dr. Saritha Bangara has received her second grant for research on “Educating Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) on Women’s Health Issues (WHIs) and IPV-associated Risk Factors using Data Driven and Trauma Informed Education Modules at the Grayson Crisis Center in Sherman, Texas.”

Bangara’s research with the Grayson Crisis Center began in 2019 with focus groups identifying the needs of individuals at the center and the gaps she and her student-interns could fill. Bangara received the first grant for her research in 2020 from the Discovery Grant Foundation, which funded her research for three years. She has now received the second grant for her research from the Clara Blackford Smith & W. Aubrey Smith Charitable Foundation which will fund her research from December 2024 to December 2025.

Bangara typically has five student-interns at a time assisting with various aspects of the research, such as leading the education modules, providing childcare so individuals can attend the sessions, and analyzing the collected data. Each year, Bangara and her students attend the American Public Health Association (APHA) Conference and present on their research. Last year, the student abstract was recognized with the APHA Women’s Caucus Highest Scoring Student Abstract Award.

“The need is there,” Bangara said when talking about her continued education and research plans at the crisis center. “For students to see this—the people at the center—it helps them learn and develop empathy in ways that can’t be taught. The experience of assisting these individuals is important for their future.”

Bangara says she will continue to submit applications to extend grant funding of her important research at the Grayson Crisis Center. The education modules she and her student-interns provide are essential resources for those in need at the center, and the modules are updated to reflect the current needs and questions of the participants.

Bangara will deliver a Bernice S. Melvin Sabbatical Series Lecture on March 19, 2025, keep an eye on Austin College’s News & Events page for forthcoming event details.

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.