2025 Rutgers Health Chancellor Awards: Showcasing Excellence at the Rutgers School of Public Health

Four distinguished members of the Rutgers School of Public Health community have been recognized with 2025 Rutgers Health Chancellor Awards for their outstanding contributions. These awards honor exceptional achievement in research, education, mentorship, service, and lifetime contributions.

Emily Barrett, George G. Rhoads Legacy Professor and vice chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, earned the Distinguished Mentor Award. This recognition highlights her exceptional commitment to mentoring postdoctoral and clinical fellows, junior faculty, staff, and students across all academic levels, fostering a culture of growth and development within Rutgers. 

“One of the most fulfilling parts of my job is helping our amazing early career faculty and students to launch their careers in public health,” said Barrett. “Great mentorship is essential for success, so I feel very honored to be recognized with this award.”

Recognized with the Excellence in Education and Teaching Award, Joye Anestis, associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy, has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to empowering students through innovative teaching, training, and the advancement of education at Rutgers Health.

“I am deeply honored to have been chosen for the Chancellor’s Excellence in Education and Teaching Award,” said Anestis. “Throughout my career as a clinical psychologist, I’ve been committed to alleviating the suffering caused by mental illness and suicide. I’ve pursued this mission at Rutgers Health by integrating education on these topics into the School of Public Health curriculum and by training future psychologists at UBHC. I’m grateful for the opportunity to do this work, for the administrators who recognize its importance, and for the students and mentees who continue to inspire and shape me.”

Mary Hrywna, associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy and a founding member of the Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, received the Excellence in Clinical or Health Sciences Research Award in recognition of her leadership as a mid-career investigator and advancing clinical and health sciences research at Rutgers Health.

“I’m honored to receive this award, which reflects the dedication, creativity, and collaborative spirit of the incredible team that I work with,” said Hrywna. “It is their commitment and support that inspire me to continue doing work that is meaningful and impactful to public health.”

The Excellence in Clinical or Health Sciences Research Award has also been awarded to Greta Bushnell, assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology and a member of the Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science at the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care and Aging Research, for her significant contributions as an early-career investigator to impactful clinical and health sciences research at Rutgers Health.

“I am honored to receive the Chancellor’s Excellence in Clinical or Health Sciences Research Award as an early career investigator,” said Bushnell. “This recognition reinforces my commitment to advancing research that improves treatment and outcomes for young people with mental illnesses.” 

Introduced in 2020, the Chancellor Awards recognize the exceptional efforts of faculty and staff in 15 categories that span research in biomedical and health sciences, clinical care, community service, mentorship, education, leadership, diversity, equity, inclusion, and staff service. Award recipients, nominated by their peers, are selected by the Chancellor Awards Committee after a thorough review of their impactful contributions.