Dorsey Research Honor Society

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Charter Members

The L.C. Dorsey Research Honor Society is a new multidisciplinary network of social, behavioral, health, and citizen scientists who have produced or contributed to the production of exceptional minority health and health disparities research. This honor society will be comprised of graduate students, faculty, and citizen scientists who produce meritorious research that contributes to the effort to improve health among vulnerable populations. The charter members of this honor society are listed below.

University Faculty

Bettina Beech

Bettina M. Beech, DrPH, MPH, was the Founding Dean of the John D. Bower School of Population Health and Founding Executive Director for the Myrlie Evers-Williams Institute for the Elimination of Health Disparities at UMMC. Dr. Beech is a population and public health scientist and a leading expert in family studies examining cardiometabolic risk factors among African American youth, and the science of research training and mentoring among groups underrepresented in biomedical science. She served as Principal Investigator (2018-2020) and Science Director (2020-2021) of UMMC-GTEC.

Marino Bruce 2020 Marino A. Bruce, Ph.D., MSRC, MDiv, is a sociologist who conducts studies integrating the full range of determinants influencing chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease among African American males. Dr. Bruce served as a core faculty mentor (2018-2021) and Principal Investigator (2020-2021) of UMMC-GTEC.
Roland J. Thorpe, Jr., PhDRoland J. Thorpe, Jr., Ph.D., is a social epidemiologist and gerontologist who has generated a substantial body of research examining the influence of social determinants of health on the development of race- and SES-related disparities in health outcomes among middle to older age African American men. Dr. Thorpe served as a core faculty mentor (2018-2021) and Co-Director (2020-2021) of UMMC-GTEC.
Elizabeth Heitman 2023Elizabeth Heitman, Ph.D., is an internationally known educator in research ethics and responsible conduct of research. Her work focuses on cultural aspects of ethics in clinical medicine, biomedical science, and public health. Dr. Heitman is a long-time affiliate of the Jackson Heart Study Undergraduate Training and Education Center at Tougaloo College and currently serves as a core faculty mentor of UMMC-GTEC.
Keith C. Norris, MD, PhDKeith C. Norris, MD, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized clinician-scientist and health policy leader who has made major contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion while addressing disparities in contemporary society. Dr. Norris served as Co-Director (2018-2020) and a core faculty mentor (2018-2021) of UMMC-GTEC.

Citizen Scientist

Mary E. Crump, DrPH, MPH, RNMary E. Crump, DrPH, MPH, RN, has a distinguished track record of civic engagement and has been a community leader and advocate for underserved communities for well over four decades. Prior to her retirement from UMMC, Dr. Crump was Clinic Manager for the Jackson Heart Study.

Doctoral Degree Student

Raymond Jones, PhD, MSRaymond Jones, Ph.D., MS, graduated with his doctorate degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology from the University of Southern Mississippi and accepted a postdoctoral position in the Department of Medicine at the Center for Exercise Medicine, University of Alabama-Birmingham. He was a Robert Smith, MD Graduate Scholar in the first cohort (2019-2021) of UMMC-GTEC.