Associate Professor Maria De Jesus has been awarded the American University Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholarship, Research, Creative Activity, and Other Professional Contributions.

De Jesus’ research examines the role of cross-cultural health communication as a mechanism to eliminate health inequalities. As globalization and migration have created a demographic imperative for the development of effective health communication strategies and technologies, her scholarship responds to the world-wide interest in the health of members of immigrant and diaspora communities and pointedly connects health to the key dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, class, culture, religion, immigration, migration, communication, and inequalities. Her overarching goal is to generate knowledge, particularly on underrepresented populations, that can inform health practice and policy.

At AU, she was awarded a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services to examine the application of technology in disseminating educational messages and to reduce disparities by addressing socio-economic, literacy, access, and psycho-social barriers among underserved Latina populations. In addition, she was awarded a grant from the District of Columbia Developmental Center for AIDS Research to conduct a community-based study that examines and compares the culture-specific HIV and HIV testing perceptions and communication norms of East African-born and African American women in Washington, DC, who are disproportionately affected by HIV.