Karen Emmons is a behavioral scientist with a strong track record of funded research in community-based approaches to cancer prevention in a variety of settings that serve disadvantaged populations, including low-income housing and community health centers. Her work targets a range of cancer risk factors, including nutrition, physical activity, sun exposure, tobacco and second-hand smoke exposure, and cancer screening. Her research teams have included interdisciplinary perspectives on cancer risk reduction and health disparities, with a focus on multiple cancer risk behaviors. Emmons has a strong track record as a mentor and is a past recipient of a mid-career K award (1K05 CA124415-02, Dissemination Research to Reduce Cancer Disparities). Her current work and writing focus heavily on implementation science, particularly in community health settings, and she has been actively involved in national efforts to develop implementation research and training programs. For the past five years, Emmons has held full-time academic administrative positions and has recently made the decision to return to her passion: community-based implementation research. She currently serves as the faculty director of the Community Engagement Program for Harvard’s Clinical Translational Science Award.
