Biography
Dr. Maria E. Fernández is Professor of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, and Director of the Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research (CHPPR). She has extensive experience developing and evaluating health promotion interventions, and conducts research to improve dissemination and implementation of effective programs.
Her research has focused on cancer prevention and control among underserved populations. She has conducted both qualitative and quantitative studies that range from the identification and description of basic behavioral conceptual models of cancer screening and vaccination to the development and evaluation of new interventions to increase cancer control that have resulted in over 100 peer reviewed publications. Dr. Fernández has a large portfolio of federally and state-funded research and extensive experience in developing, evaluating, and disseminating breast and cervical cancer screening interventions. She is an expert in dissemination and implementation research and conducts studies to understand and intervene to accelerate the use of evidence-based cancer control interventions in real-world settings.