2025-26 EOSA Scholars
The following faculty members have been selected to participate in the 2025-26 Engagement and Outreach Scholars Academy program.
Assistant Professor, Nursing
fernandezm21@ecu.eduDr. Fernandez earned a Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. Since joining ECU, Dr. Fernandez has established a program of research on women’s reproductive health, with a particular focus on mental health during pregnancy loss. Recent projects include a mixed-methods study on psychological distress among women who miscarried during the COVID-19 pandemic, with findings published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. Dr. Fernandez also led the development of an innovative miscarriage bereavement training intervention for ECU midwifery students, supported by the National Science Foundation I-Corps@ECU program and the ECU College of Nursing. In recognition of their contributions to nursing research, Dr. Fernandez was awarded the Excellence in Research Award from Sigma Theta Tau International, an Honor Society of Nursing, Beta Nu Chapter, in 2024. Dr. Fernandez’s EOSA project focuses on improving support for families who have experienced a miscarriage, stillbirth, or the loss of a newborn in eastern NC. Many families in rural areas face big challenges—such as of transportation, and limited access to services—when trying to get help after this kind of loss. Dr. Fernandez is working with the Pitt County Health Department, which provides maternal health services in rural areas. This project aims to make sure families in eastern NC get the care and compassion they deserve after experiencing the loss of a pregnancy or baby.
Assistant Professor, Elementary Education
huffmanm23@ecu.eduDr. Mary Huffman has over two decades of experience as an educator in the K-12 setting. As an Assistant Professor in the College of Education at ECU, Huffman has taught a variety of undergraduate elementary education courses including Social Studies, Differentiation, and Curriculum & Instruction, while integrating high impact practices into every class. Her research focuses on teacher self-efficacy and high-impact practices in higher education. For her EOSA project, Dr. Huffman is collaborating with the Pitt County School District to design a hands-on, place-based (PD) immersive opportunity to increase teachers’ historical content knowledge, build self-efficacy and confidence to teach students across our local community, and learn from scholars across the UNC System. Through a mixed-methods multi-case study design, the project engages directly with teachers across North Carolina to gather pre- and post-intervention data using surveys and interviews. The PD intervention, featuring place-based historical sites around Roanoke Island and academic scholars, serves not only to enrich participants’ historical understanding but also to equip them with practical, inquiry-based pedagogical tools. Teachers will develop and implement lesson plans that integrate content and strategies from the PD, bridging theory and classroom practice.
Reeve Kennedy
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
kennedyre22@ecu.edu
Dr. Reeve Kennedy is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at East Carolina University and the coordinator of the School Social Work Certificate. She earned her PhD in Sociology from the University of New Hampshire, as well as an MA in Sociology and MSW. She also holds a BA in Psychology from Vassar College. Prior to joining the faculty at ECU, Dr. Kennedy was a Postdoctoral Fellow at The Pennsylvania State University in the Department of Sociology and Criminology, as well as an affiliate with the Child Maltreatment Solutions Network. Her research focuses on child and adolescent wellbeing, with a specific focus on bullying, bullying prevention, and child maltreatment. Bullying is a public health issue around the world. It is an area of particular need at the school level, as most bullying among children and adolescents occurs in the school context. Working with Pitt County Schools, Dr. Kennedy’s study aims to: (1) Assess the state of bullying across three Pitt County middle schools, including rates, types, and focus of bullying perpetration via a school-wide pre- and post-test survey; (2) Ascertain how students in Pitt County middle schools define bullying via vignettes on the school-wide pre- and post-test surveys; (3) Provide interactive education to students regarding what is and is not bullying and how to respond to bullying; and (4) Assess what parents and teachers define as bullying.
Dr. Eduardo Leorri
Associate Professor, Associate Dean of Planning
leorrie@ecu.edu
Dr. Leorri is a Professor in the Department of Earth, Environment, and Planning at East Carolina University. His research focuses on understanding coastal evolution at different times scales (from tens of thousands of years to decadal scale) within the Quaternary/Holocene from a multidisciplinary perspective (micropaleontology, geochemistry, sedimentology), including the Anthropogenic impact (physical and chemical) in the coastal systems. Dr. Leorri is partnering with Proyecto Cabachuelas, a community-based ecotourism initiative managed by the Cabachuelas Work Cooperative (CABACOOP), as well as working with Dr. Heimann-Ríos, Dr. Anderson, and graduate student Katherine Foster at ECU, and Dr. Rodríguez & Acosta-Colón, M.S., at the University of Puerto Rico, for his EOSA-funded project. The team will be conducting the first geochemical and microbiological study of three culturally significant caves—Buruquena, Gemelos, and Tembladera—within the Las Cabachuelas Nature Reserve in Morovis, Puerto Rico. These caves contain ancient rupestrian rock art and host biofilms that may contribute to the deterioration of these irreplaceable cultural artifacts. CABACOOP plays a vital role in heritage preservation, environmental stewardship, and local economic development through educational and cultural programs. The primary goal of the research is to understand how environmental conditions—such as temperature, humidity, and CO₂ levels—affect the composition and behavior of biofilm communities in each cave. By characterizing the biofilm communities and their potential to cause biodeterioration, we can assess the risk they pose to the preservation of rock art. Expected products include microbial diversity profiles, geochemical analyses of cave surfaces, early indicators of biodeterioration, and preliminary risk assessments. These findings will inform conservation strategies and support sustainable ecotourism practices, and we aim to co-develop educational materials that inform both local residents and visitors about the ecological and cultural value of the Reserve.
Laura Merrell
Associate Professor, Health Education and Promotion
merrelll24@ecu.edu
Dr. Laura Merrell is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Education and Promotion in the College of Health and Human Performance. She earned a PhD and MPH from the University of South Florida and holds a holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her research focuses on health literacy in sexual and reproductive health – including HPV vaccination, sexual health knowledge, and sexual assault prevention. Dr. Merrell came to ECU for the opportunity to shift some of her research focus to factors that contribute to negative maternal health outcomes. Dr. Merrell’s EOSA project, in partnership with the Safe Communities Coalition of Pitt County, aims to address maternal health disparities in Eastern North Carolina by laying the foundation for a formal, community-led maternal health coalition. The coalition’s long- term vision is to improve the health and well-being of pregnant and birthing people- and their children- through collaboration, advocacy, and evidence-based action. The project goals are to (1) Identify maternal health challenges through epidemiologic analysis and community input; (2) Map existing maternal health resources and assets across Eastern NC; (3) Engage key stakeholders and community members through interviews, focus groups, and forums; and (4) Develop a strategic action plan to launch a sustainable, maternal health coalition.
Morteza Nazari-Heris
Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering
nazariherism24@ecu.edu
Dr. Morteza Nazari-Heris (Senior Member, IEEE) is an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Department of Engineering at East Carolina University and is also affiliated with the Center for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering (CSE3). Before this, he served as an Assistant Professor of Electrical Energy Systems at Lawrence Technological University and as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Areas of National Need at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Nazari-Heris has led and completed three major research projects on Power and Energy Systems and Designing a High-accuracy, Fast-response Electrical Work Zone Alerting System. With over 100 technical journal publications, conference proceedings, and book chapters, Dr. Nazari-Heris has a strong track record of disseminating his research findings. His experience involves numerous projects involving Smart Energy Systems, Resilience, Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure, Machine Learning, and Sustainable Energy. His HIL lab at ECU has a cutting-edge test laboratory that studies various grid conditions, PV emulators, and battery dispatch schedules. The goal of Dr. Heris’ EOSA project is to improve energy resilience in Eastern North Carolina communities that are susceptible to frequent power outages brought on by severe weather events like hurricanes. Dr. Heris is partnering with the Center for Energy Education to study battery-supported renewable energy systems to increase grid sustainability and dependability. The project will determine the best places to integrate renewable energy and storage technologies by examining past power outage data and creating a novel site selection approach. Resilient energy infrastructure that can survive natural calamities and shorten outage time will be supported by this data-driven strategy.
Mary Nyangweso
Professor, Religious Studies
wangilam@ecu.edu
Dr. Mary Nyangweso is the J. Woolard and Helen Peel distinguished professor in Religious Studies at East Carolina University (Greenville, North Carolina). She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in the Sociology of Religion (PhD) at Drew University. She also received her bachelor’s in education at Kenyatta University, Nairobi Kenya; master’s in philosophy (Religion) at Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya; master’s in theology at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. She is also a Fulbright Awardee. Nyangweso specializes in African religions, Islam, Religion and sexuality, Religion and gender rights and Religion and Healthcare. Dr. Nyangweso is currently working on two research projects titled: “African Journeys: Religious and Other Implications and “Faith and Healthcare Outcomes: Interrogating Religion as a Social determinant of Healthcare.” Dr. Nyangweso is partnering with Churches Outreach Network to examine the impact of interfaith initiatives on health outcomes in Eastern North Carolina communities. Specifically, the project will explore how health disparities are informed by social factors, including religion, in eastern North Carolina and how health outcomes can be improved for eastern NC residents.