JOHNSON CITY – Dr. Kate Beatty, a public health researcher whose work focuses on rural and Appalachian health and advancing health care for rural and low-income women, has won East Tennessee State University’s Distinguished Faculty Award for Research.
It is the highest research honor that ETSU presents to a faculty member.
A faculty member who wrote a letter in support of her nomination noted that Beatty’s
work “is both practical and policy-relevant – critical attributes for meaningful research
in the public health arena.”
Beatty has been a member of the ETSU College of Public Health since 2014, where she is currently an associate professor in the Department of Health Services Management and Policy.
During her time at ETSU, she has played a role in three major research centers: the Center for Applied Research and Evaluation for Women’s Health (CARE Women’s Health), the Center for Rural Health Research and the Rural Health Equity Research Center.
Beatty has developed and led a collaborative, externally funded research program with the goal of expanding access to care and improving the quality of care for rural and underserved populations. She has been involved with a wide range of research projects aimed at improving the lives of people through the betterment of practices and engagement with policymakers and funders.
Her work has often focused on rural communities, including Appalachia and the U.S.
southeast around issues related to maternal and child health, substance use disorder
and the social determinants of health.
She has participated in 18 funded projects for a total of more than $30 million in
external funding and has served as principal investigator on eight of those projects.
“To say that Dr. Beatty’s work is impactful and life-changing is an understatement,”
wrote a colleague. “She has worked tirelessly to make a difference for people so they
can achieve their health goals and their full potential.”