Gao receives U of MN IDEA grant

GaoZ-prefAssistant professor Zan Gao, Ph.D., and director of the Physical Activity Epidemiology Lab (PAEL), is the recipient of a $7,000 research grant from the Institute on Diversity, Equity and Advocacy  (IDEA) at the University of Minnesota.

His proposal is titled, “Promoting Health and Quality of Life through Smartphone Apps in Asian Immigrant Breast Cancer Survivors.” The research will examine how a free and commercially available app (MyFitnessPal) that is capable of uploading statistic to an online community such as Facebook might promote improved health-related outcomes in Asian immigrant breast cancer survivors.

The Institute for Diversity, Equity, and Advocacy (IDEA) convenes scholars from the University of Minnesota and around the world to collaborate in innovative ways across disciplines, departments, colleges, and campuses. IDEA works to transform the university by enhancing the visibility and productivity of an interdisciplinary group of faculty and community scholars. This group’s expertise in equity, diversity, and underrepresented populations leads to innovative scholarship that addresses urgent social issues. IDEA is also designed to enhance retention and faculty diversity by fostering stronger ties among and with faculty and the local community.