Dr. Rodney Lyn, assistant professor in Georgia State University’s School of Public Health, has received a $100,000 grant from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), to study counties in the South that enjoy positive community health outcomes despite social and economic disadvantages that might typically be associated with negative health outcomes.

The Foundation, the nation’s leading philanthropy on health and health care, has awarded Dr. Lyn a 24-month grant through its New Connections program. Dr. Lyn is one of 10 grant recipients in the current cohort.

The project aims to identify community-level factors that may contribute to these paradoxical outcomes reflected in the County Health Rankings, which annually ranks every county in every state in the nation and provides a snapshot of how health is influenced by where we live, learn, work, and play.

“We are so excited to welcome Dr. Lyn into the eighth cohort of New Connections grantees,” said Ms. Catherine Malone, program associate at RWJF. “The program connects first time grantees to the Foundation, and the new perspectives they bring are essential to solving the critical, complex issues affecting our nation’s health.”

“Dr. Lyn’s selection for this grant from more than 300 applicants is a testament to the high-quality research he is conducting and the potential it holds for advancing public health,” said Dr. Michael Eriksen, dean of the School of Public Health. “We are pleased to see him recognized through this support from RWJF.”

“I am honored to have been selected by RWJF to receive this prestigious grant,” Dr. Lyn said. “This award provides me with an opportunity to carry out important research focused on illuminating contextual factors within communities that influence health outcomes, minority health and health disparities. I am hopeful that findings from this study will contribute to efforts focused on promoting health among vulnerable populations, particularly African-Americans.

“This award will provide valuable mentoring, collaboration and support, and allow me to increase the impact of my work by connecting me to others working nationally on health disparities and public health. I look forward to working with the RWJF network of scholars, staff, and policymakers over the next two years in building a national culture of health.”

For more information about the grant, go to http://ow.ly/BkxfI

To learn more about Dr. Lyn’s work, go to http://publichealth.gsu.edu/profile/rodney-lyn/