leadership
Co-Directors – Dr. Barbara Wallace and Dr. Christopher Emdin
Dr. Barbara Wallace is a Clinical Psychologist, Professor of Health Education, Coordinator of the Program in Health Education, Founding Director
of the Research Group on Disparities in Health, and Founding Director of Global HELP (Health Education and Leadership Program) within the Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College, Columbia University. She is also the Founding Director of the Annual Health Disparities Conference at Teachers College, Columbia University, and now Co-Director with Professor Christopher Emdin. In addition, she serves as Co-Director of the new Center for Health Equity and Urban Science Education (CHEUSE), as well as CHEUSE Director of Health Equity.
In recognition of her outstanding and unusual contributions, Dr. Wallace has been honored with receipt of the status of Fellow within Divisions 50 (Addictive Behaviors) and 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues) of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Wallace’s most recent books include: Making Mandated Addiction Treatment Work (2005, Rowman & Littlefield) and Toward Equity in Health: A New Global Approach to Health Disparities (Editor, Springer Publications). Her other books include: Crack Cocaine: A Practical Treatment Approach for the Chemically Dependent (1991, Taylor & Francis), The Chemically Dependent: Phases of Treatment and Recovery (Editor, 1992, Taylor & Francis), Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families: Prevention, Intervention and Treatment for Community Mental Health Promotion (1996, Praeger Publishers), Understanding and Dealing with Violence: A Multicultural Approach (with Co-Editor Robert T. Carter, Ph.D., 2003, Sage Publications), HIV/AIDS Peer Education Training Manual: Combining African Healing Wisdom and Evidence-Based Behavior Change Strategies (2005, StarSpirit Press) Dr. Wallace has published numerous journal articles and chapters in edited books.
She serves as a regional, national, and international consultant, and travels widely as a keynote speaker, conference presenter, “Trainer of Trainers,” and workshop leader—covering numerous topics: health disparities; health equity; stress and adaptive versus maladaptive affective, behavioral, and cognitive coping strategies; the bio-psycho-social-environmental-cultural framework; multicultural competence and diversity training; HIV/AIDS prevention; the incarceration crisis and addiction treatment as an alternative to incarceration; treating the dually diagnosed; violence prevention, including covert and overt violence; and, trauma resolution for sexual and physical abuse and domestic violence.
Dr. Christopher Emdin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology at Teachers College, Columbia 
University, where he also serves as Director of Secondary School Initiatives at the Urban Science Education Center. He is author of the book, Urban Science Education for the Hip-Hop Generation, and also a columnist for the Huffington Post, where he writes the "Emdin 5" series. Dr. Emdin holds a Ph.D. in Urban Education with a concentration in Mathematics, Science and Technology, Masters degrees in both Natural Sciences and Education Administration, and Bachelors degrees in Physical Anthropology, Biology, and Chemistry.
Dr. Emdin is Co-Director of the Annual Health Disparities Conference at Teachers College, Columbia University, as well as Co-Director of the new Center for Health Equity and Urban Science Education (CHEUSE), as well as CHEUSE Director of Urban Science Education.
Dr. Emdin has coauthored proposals to start New York City Public Schools, taught middle school mathematics and general science, and high school physics, and chemistry. He has also been a researcher on many NSF funded research projects in mathematics and science education. Dr. Emdin was recently awarded the “Best paper for Innovation in Teaching” by the The Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) and was named "Groundbreaking Educator" by Arrive Magazine. He was also awarded the Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) Outstanding Dissertation and Emerging Leader Awards.
His research focuses on issues of race, class, and diversity in urban science classrooms, the use of new theoretical frameworks to transform education, and urban school reform. Dr. Emdin researches, consults, and delivers speeches on various issues in schools such as science technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, urban education, school and classroom climate, fostering dialogue in schools, and student engagement. He is a noted public speaker on issues such as the Obama Effect on Urban Education, Hip-hop culture and education, improving STEM education, and various educational and socio-political issues related to urban youth of color.