Isabel C. Scarinci, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Professor, Vice-Chair for Global and Rural Women’s Health

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Senior Advisor for Globalization and Cancer

O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center

University of Alabama at Birmingham

EDUCATION:

Master’s in Public Health – University of Alabama at Birmingham

Master’s and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology – Louisiana State University

Clinical Internship in Clinical Psychology – Harvard Medical School

Dr. Scarinci has dedicated her career to tobacco control and cervical cancer prevention and control among underserved populations in the U.S. and in low- and middle-income countries. As a behavioral scientist, her work centers on the application of behavioral science to public health by promoting behavior change at the population level and developing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based interventions. Once these community-based programs are established, she seeks to bring about sustainability and/or to inform policy changes. One example is a 17-year program to promote breast and cervical cancer screening among Latina immigrants in Alabama that relies 100% on the work of committed volunteers – Sowing the Seeds of Health. She has also been one of the leaders of OPERATION WIPE OUT – a statewide plan to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem in Alabama. In 2021, she was chosen as one of six “Champions of Health” worldwide by Rotary International for her work in cervical cancer prevention and control in the U.S. and other low- and middle-income countries.