Parvati Singh, assistant professor in the Division of Epidemiology, received the Early Career Distinguished Scholar Award, a university honor recognizing faculty who show promise of making significant contributions to Ohio State and their field for years to come.
Interim Dean Karla Zadnik and Cynthia Carnes, senior associate vice president for research operations, joined a division meeting in Cunz Hall to surprise Singh with the news this week.
Singh, who joined the college in 2021, is a psychiatric epidemiologist who studies psychiatric emergencies, suicides and racial disparities in mental health outcomes. She uses large data sets to illuminate how social stressors and shocks have disparate outcomes, with higher rates of involuntary admission to psychiatric care, schizophrenia diagnosis, and suicide for Black people.
“Every segment of your work has such impact in general, and at this particular time in our world and in our nation,” Zadnik said.
Alison Norris, division chair and professor, said Singh demonstrates an “amazing pursuit of excellence” and a consistent hunger and curiosity to work with others.
“You lift us all by looking for ways to work with us and feed our ideas with your ideas,” she said.
The significance of Singh’s work is “truly remarkable,” wrote Abigail Norris Turner, associate dean for faculty and inclusive excellence, in her nomination letter.
“Dr. Singh is transforming her field of psychiatric epidemiology through thoughtful, creative, and rigorous application of epidemiologic methodological expertise to novel questions about systemic drivers of disparities in public health,” Norris Turner wrote.
Singh’s work sheds light on critical public health issues and has received extensive media coverage, reaching broad audiences and drawing attention from policymakers and stakeholders who seek to advance public health. She delivered a TEDx talk about her research in 2023.
The university honors three assistant or early associate professors with the Early Career Distinguished Scholar Award annually. Awardees receive a $20,000 grant to pursue their research.
