Academic Degrees

• PhD (Community-Based and Translational Research), University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, USA
• MA (Physical Activity and Health), Friedrich-Alexander-University, Germany
• MPH (Health Promotion), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
• BSc (Health Economy/Health Care Management), University of Bayreuth, Germany

Interests

• Chronic Disease Prevention and Surveillance
• Public Health Evaluation
• Health Equity
• Health Promotion and Education
• Physical Activity and Health
  • Culturally Relevant PA in Hawai‘i
  • PA for People with Disabilities

Dr. Simone Schmid's research interests focus on enhancing chronic disease prevalence and prevention through increasing physical activity across the State of Hawai'i.  Schmid's research and professional public health experience have been focused on monitoring and evaluation to support health promotion, prevention, and healthy behavior using strength-based approaches within groups that are marginalized. Her objective has been and is building collaborations between academia and the practical applications in the community, to establish culturally responsive evidence using community-based participatory research.

Awards and Honors

• Inductee into the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health for PhD Graduate (2021)
• Winner 3rd annual Hawaii Journal of Medicine & Public Health Writing Contest (2019)
• Recipient UH Mānoa, Office of Public Health Achievement Scholarship (2017-2020)
• Recipient Pauline Stitt Scholarship / Academic Merit (2018)
• Recipient June Chun Naughton ISS Scholarship (2017)
• Recipient Kenji Yamaguma Scholarship (2017)
• Carlo-Schmid Fellow (paid) to support the WHO`s strategic partnership. German National Merit Foundation and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) (2012-2013)
• Best Graduate M.Sc. (2016)
• Best Graduate of the year B.Sc. (2012)
• Dean’s Hawai’i Pacific University (2011)
• Awardee full ride stipend including tuition fees for Bachelor and Masters (2008-2012)
• ‘Evangelisches Studienwerk e.V. Villigst’ (2013-2016)

Selected Publications and Presentation

Poster Presentations

Sentell T, Thompson M, Rodericks R, Schmid S, Pirkle C, Ching L, Look M, Wu Y, Finn J, & Phillips M.  Culturally-Relevant Physical Activity over the Lifecourse and Association with Chronic Disease. Poster presentation at the European Public Health Conference, Dublin, Ireland, November 8-11, 2023. 

Thompson M, Phillips M, Rodericks R, Schmid S, Pirkle C., Ching L, Look M, Wu Y., Finn J, Sentell T (2023) Engagement in Culturally-Relevant Physical Activity (Paddling, Hula, Surfing, and Spearfishing) in the State of Hawai‘i by Age, Island, Race/ Ethnicity, and Gender. ; Poster at Biomedical Symposium JABSOM Hawaii. 

Schmid S, Finn J, Phillips M, Thompson M, Hansen-Smith H, Ching L, Sentell T (2023) Outrigger Canoe Paddling: Culturally-Relevant Physical Activity for the People of Hawai‘i. 2023; Poster at Biomedical Symposium JABSOM Hawaii.

Conference Presentations

Schmid S, Finn J, Phillips M, Thompson M, Hansen-Smith H, Ching L, Sentell T. (2023) Outrigger canoe paddling: Culturally-relevant physical activity for the people of Hawai‘i across levels of the social ecological model. 2023; Oral presentation at the American Public Health Association Conference Atlanta, GA, November 15, 2023.

Sentell T, Thompson M, Rodericks R, Schmid S, Pirkle C, Ching L, Look M, Wu Y, Dudla S, Finn J, & Phillips M. (2023). Engagement in Culturally-Relevant Physical Activity (Paddling, Hula, Surfing, and Spearfishing) in the State of Hawai‘i over the Lifecourse. Oral presentation at the American Public Health Association Conference, Atlanta, GA, November 15, 2023.

Schmid S (2022) 1st year experience of a post-doctoral fellow. Oral presentation at the Hawaii Department of Health for the Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division, July 7th, 2023.

Schmid, S (2016). Physical Activity and people with disabilities – A qualitative process and outcome evaluation of AccesSurf Hawai’i. Oral session at the Hawai’i Public Health Conference, organized by the Hawai’i Public Health Association, O’ahu, Hawai’i, USA, 2016.

Peer-Reviewed Papers

Pokhrel P, Schmid S, Pahano I (2019). Physical activity and use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes among young adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 58 (4)  

Schmid S, Troy C, Nigg C (2019). Physical Activity & People with Disabilities -A Qualitative Process and Outcome Pilot Evaluation of the Non-Profit Organization AccesSurf Hawai`i. HJMPH, 78,2. 
Pokhrel P, Pebbles F, Herzog T, Schmid S, Kawamoto C, Unger J (2017). Comparison of Measures of E-cigarette. Advertising Exposure and Receptivity. Tob Regul Sci; 3(4): 424-434.

Schmid S (2016) Physical Activity Promotion among individuals with disabilities - Outcome evaluation of AccesSurf Hawai`i – a non-profit organization- through a focus group. Thesis report to AccesSurf Hawaii; published in 2019 HJMPH.

Dissertation and Technical Reports

Schmid S (2021) Program Evaluation of AccesSurf Hawai‘i, an adaptive surf, swim and canoe program for people with disabilities. Dissertation report to AccesSurf Hawaii. Scholarspace.

Schmid S (2014) Analysis of the relationship between national policies and physical activity, within the WHO European Region. Thesis report to World Health Organization.

Schmid S (2012) Thesis. The role of migration as an influencing factor on children`s and youth`s health - An analysis of the status quo and possible approaches to action. 

Grants

Simone has successfully applied for over 40 grant application totaling more than 1,3 million in funding for the community organization AccesSurf Hawaii for program, evaluation and research support.