02/11/2022

SAVIR Membership Spotlight

Nichole Michaels, PhD, MPH
Senior Research Scientist
Nichole.Michaels@NationwideChildrens.org

1. Tell us about your areas of interest within injury and violence prevention. Why did you decide to pursue a career in this field?

I am a mixed methods researcher and my work centers on substance use disorders and child maltreatment; in particular, I am interested in the intersection of these topics. I currently lead 2 R01 research projects to examine fentanyl test strips as a harm reduction strategy for drug overdoses. My lab is also investigating the relationship between drug overdoses and child maltreatment and the role of social support and social networks in family treatment courts.

I’ve always been passionate about improving the lives of children. After a very brief career as a teacher, I went back to school for my Master’s degree in Public Health, and through a series of fortunate events, I started working in pediatric injury prevention in 2003. I started my career as a program coordinator working in the community to implement pediatric injury prevention programs and advocate for public policy initiatives. Gradually, I became more involved in injury research and eventually went back to school to earn my PhD in Public Health at The Ohio State University.

2. How long have you been a member of SAVIR? What has been your favorite part about being involved with SAVIR?

I joined SAVIR in 2011. In addition to introducing me to amazing injury researchers from throughout the country, SAVIR has also given me the opportunity to support the mission of the organization in a variety of ways. As a doctoral student, I served as the Student Representative to the SAVIR Board of Directors, and later I accepted a role as the Secretary of the Council of Centers. I am currently the Co-Chair of the SAVIR Membership committee.

3. What has been the most rewarding aspect of your career so far?

Injury and violence prevention research is so vital, but often overlooked. Although the work is challenging, I find tremendous satisfaction in knowing that we are working on important problems that impact individuals globally and across all demographics. Although the contributions of my lab are just a small piece of the puzzle, knowing that our work can have a positive impact on society keeps us motivated.

4. What do you like to do in your free time?

Free time can be hard to come by these days, but one of my goals for 2022 is to try to make more time for relaxing activities that I enjoy. I am a single parent, with one teen at home and one away at college. Together, we enjoy going to theatre and dance performances whenever we can. I also love traveling, hiking, reading, and doing advocacy work on issues that are important to me.