Mentoring – Training the Next Generation of Scientists

The LA-TCI is committed to training future and current scientists.  We mentor high school, undergraduate, and graduate students.

Summer Research Interns

The LA-TCI mentors summer research interns from the LSUHSC School of Medicine Research Internship Program. The program works to cultivate students’ interest in pursuing medical and research careers in the basic/clinical sciences or public health. Students spend 8-weeks in the program during the summer matched with mentors. All students present their research results at the end of the summer at a poster session or oral symposium.

Summer 2017 – Hannah Guichet- Haynes Academy of Louisiana “Awareness and Utilization of Tobacco Cessation Services Among Disadvantaged Minority Female Smokers” Third Place Winner

Summer 2018: “Characteristics of Smokers Who Intend to Use E-Cigarettes as a Cessation Aid in Comparison to Those Who Do Not Intend to Use as a Cessation Aid”

Summer 2018 – Kelsey Lain-Benjamin Franklin High School, New Orleans “A Review of E-Cigarette Use Among Pregnant Women”

Summer 2019 – Brian Washington- Undergraduate student, University of New Orleans “Differences in Patient-Provider Communication Between Smokers and Non-Smokers” First Place Winner

Summer 2020: “Effective Patient-Provider Communication and Perceived Quality of Care Among Current Smokers”

Summer 2020 – Patrick Daly-Undergraduate student, LSU Baton Rouge “The Relationship between E-Cigarette Information Seeking and Trusted Sources of Information on E-Cigarettes and Respective Use”

Summer 2021 – Naija Nelson- Undergraduate student, Villanova University, Villanova PA “Examining Differences in Reasons Why Former vs. Current Teenage E-Cigarette Users Smoke”

Summer 2021 – Theresa Nguyen-High School Student, De La Salle High School, New Orleans “Smoking and Mental Health: Associations Between Adolescent E-Cigarette Use and Feelings and Behaviors Toward Suicide” First Place Winner

Summer 2022 – Laila Flores, Undergraduate student, Xavier University of Louisiana “The Association Between Covid -19 and Vaping Among Young Adults Ages 18 to 24 Caused by Pandemic Related Stressors”

Summer 2022 – Firdaous Ningbinnin, Undergraduate student, Xavier University of Louisiana “Smoking and Reproductive Health: The Association Between Tobacco Cessation and Impaired Female Fertility”

Graduate Mentees

Mirandy Li, Ph.D. MD/PhD Graduate Student LSU Health New Orleans School of Public Health 2017-2022 “Minority Stress, Mental Health, and Social Support among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Smokers in the Deep South”

Undergraduate Mentees

Taylor Herring, B.S. Master of Health Policy & Systems Management Student LSU Health New Orleans School of Public Health 2022 “Difference in Dental Professional Advice to Quit Smoking Between Regular and Electronic Cigarette Users”

Arlysse Rodney, B.S. Public Health Student Xavier University of Louisiana 2017 “Racial Disparities Among High-Risk (Pre-diabetic) Smokers in Public Hospitals”

For more information about our training opportunities, please email us at latci@lsuhsc.edu