Denise Nelson-Hurwitz, PhD
Associate Professor
Undergraduate Chair
Academic Degrees
- PhD (Microbiology), University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
- MS (Epidemiology), University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
- BA (Economics), Minor (Biology) with Honors, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
Courses Taught
- PH 201 Introduction to Public Health (3)
- PH 202 - Public health Issues in Hawai‘i (3)
- PH 203 - Introduction to Global Health (3)
- PH 480 - Application of Public Health Principles in Research & Practice (4)
- PH 485 - Public Health Applied Learning Experience (3)
- PH 489 - Public Health Undergraduate Capstone Seminar (3)
- PH 649 - Needs Assessment (3)
Awards & Honors
- Delta Omega Award for Innovative Public Health Curriculum, Honorable Mention, PH 480: Application of Public Health Principles in Research and Practice (2017)
- Frances Davis Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (2017)
Research Interests
Dr. Denise Nelson-Hurwitz is an Assistant Professor of Public Health and Chair of the B.A. Public Health degree in the Office of Public Health Studies. Dr. Nelson-Hurwitz is a community-sourced faculty member; having been born and raised in Hawai‘i. She is also a first generation college graduate, and cites commitment to student support and initiatives to increase student diversity as motivations to work in academia. As a researcher, her interests focus on undergraduate educational pedagogy and improving student support services, especially among undergraduate populations under-represented in higher education.
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Nelson-Hurwitz DC, & Buchthal OV. (2019). Using Deliberative Pedagogy as a Tool for Critical Thinking and Career Preparation Among Undergraduate Public Health Students. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 37. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00037.
Nelson-Hurwitz DC, Kehl L, & Braun KL. (2019). Aloha Undergraduates: Development and Application of Local and Indigenous Topics into an Undergraduate Public Health Curriculum. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 16. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00016.
Nelson-Hurwitz DC, Buchthal OV, Tagorda M, & Braun KL. (2018). Adding a Baccalaureate Degree to a Graduate Public Health Program While Addressing Stakeholder Concerns. Pedagogy in Health Promotion. DOI: 10.1177/2373379918794703.
Nelson-Hurwitz DC, Tagorda M, Kehl L, Buchthal OV, & Braun KL. (2018). Developing an Undergraduate Public Health Introductory Core Course Series. Frontiers in Public Health, 6, 155. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2018.00155
Davis CMA, Guo M, Miyamura J, Chang A, Nelson-Hurwitz DC, & Sentell T. (2017). Key Factors in Obstetric Delivery Decision-Making among Asian and Pacific Islander Women by English Proficiency. Hawai‘i Journal of Medicine & Public Health, 76(10), 279.
Nelson-Hurwitz DC, & Tagorda M. (2015). Developing an undergraduate applied learning experience. Frontiers in Public Health, 3. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2015.00002.
Non-Peer Reviewed (Editorial Review) Journal Articles
Braun KL, Nelson-Hurwitz DC, Ono M, Godinet M, Perkinson M, & Mokuau N. (2017). From Hale to Kauhale: Public Health, Social Work, and Aging. Hawai‘i Journal of Medicine & Public Health, 76(4), 135.
Nelson-Hurwitz DC, Arakaki LA, & Uemoto M. (2017). Insights in Public Health: Training Today's Students to Meet Tomorrow's Challenges: Undergraduate Public Health at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. Hawai‘i Journal of Medicine & Public Health, 76(3), 89.