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Sarah Maxwell

Sarah Maxwell

Assistant Provost & Professor
Joint appointments: Public Health, Public Policy, and Public & Nonprofit Management
Faculty Affiliate, Boston University School of Medicine, Laboratory for Human Neurobiology; Research Affiliate, Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, George Mason University
 
972-883-6469
Green Hall 2.806
Website
Website
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Professional Preparation

Ph.D. - Public Policy
George Mason University, Schar School of Policy and Government - 2004
M.A. - Mass Communications
University of Denver - 1994
B.S. - Psychology
Colorado State University - 1990

Research Areas

Research Interests
Health policy; tick-borne illness/Lyme Disease; infectious disease and vulnerable populations 

Publications

Improving Surveillance of Human Tick-Borne Disease Risks: Spatial Analysis Using Multimodal Databases  2023 - journal article
Understanding Habitats and Environmental Conditions of White-Tailed Deer Population Density and Public Health Data to Aid in Assessing Human Tick-Borne Disease Risk 2023 - Journal Article
Assessing Tick-Borne Disease Risk and Surveillance: Toward a Multi-Modal Approach to Diagnostic Positioning and Prediction 2022 - Journal Article
Tick-Borne Disease Risk and Exposure among Vulnerable Populations in Perceived Non-Endemic Regions 2022 - Journal Article
Triangulating the New Frontier of Health Geo-Data: Assessing Tick-Borne Disease Risk as an Occupational Hazard among Vulnerable Populations 2022 - Journal Article
Neurological Pain, Psychological Symptoms, and Diagnostic Struggles among Patients with Tick-Borne Diseases  2022 - journal article
Tick-Borne Surveillance Patterns in Perceived Non-Endemic Geographic Areas: Human Tick Encounters and Disease Outcomes 2021 - Journal Article
Spatial and temporal comparison of perceived risks and confirmed cases of Lyme disease: an exploratory study of Google Trends  2020 - Journal Article

Awards

EPPS Teaching - Comet Awards Recognition - University of Texas at Dallas [2015]
EPPS Teaching - Comet Awards Recognition - University of Texas at Dallas [2014]
EPPS Teaching - Comet Awards Recognition (Spring & Fall)) - University of Texas at Dallas [2011]
Outstanding Teacher in Multicultural Education - University of Texas at Dallas, Office of Diversity and Community Engagement [2011]
Nominee, Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Awards - University of Texas at Dallas [2011]
Outstanding Faculty Member - University of Arizona, Eller College of Management Student Council [2008]
Outstanding Faculty Member - University of Arizona, Eller College of Management Student Council [2007]
Outstanding Faculty Member - University of Arizona, Eller College of Management Student Council [2006]
Outstanding Faculty Member - University of Arizona, Eller College of Management Student Council [2005]

Appointments

Professor
UT Dallas [2024–Present]
Assistant Provost
University of Texas at Dallas, Office of Community College Relations [2018–Present]
Associate Professor
University of Texas at Dallas [2012–2024]
Faculty Affiliate
The Hobson Wildenthal Honors College [2015–Present]
Associate Dean
UTD, Office of Undergraduate Education [2015–2017]
Assistant Dean
University of Texas at Dallas [2010–2012]
Clinical Assistant Professor
University of Texas at Dallas [2009–2012]
Lecturer
University of Arizona, Eller College of Management [2005–2009]
Consultant
Maximus, Inc. [2004–2005]
Consultant
National Youth Employment Coalition / National Council on Crime and Delinquency [2004–2018]

Presentations

Beyond the Simple Use of Google Trends for Epidemiology: Spatiotemporal Patterns of Symptoms, Lab Tests and Confirmed Cases of Lyme Disease. American Public Health Association Conference.
2018/10 Kim, D., Maxwell, S.P., Le, Q
American Public Health Association Conference. 
Facebook stakeholder engagement by high-asset foundations.
2015/08 Maxwell, S.P. & Carboni, J.L
Academy of Management Annual Conference, Vancouver, BC. (double blind review; full paper submission)
Community engagement as a predictor of higher education matriculation
2014/03 Carboni, J.L., McNeely, C.L., Maxwell, S.P. 
8th Annual Public Administration Research Conference. University of Central Florida. 
Academic and industry mentoring-coaching partnerships for at-risk youth: C-CORE as an emerging and promising college model.
2012/10 Maxwell, S.P., & Connell, N.M.
University of New Mexico Mentoring Institute: Albuquerque, NM. 

Additional Information

Biography
Sarah Maxwell earned her Ph.D. in public policy from George Mason University. She is currently Assistant Provost, Office of Community College Relations and Professor, jointly appointed in Public Health, Public Policy, and Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Dallas. She previously served as Associate Dean, Office of the Executive Vice President; Associate Dean, Office of Undergraduate Education; and Assistant Dean, School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. Dr. Maxwell is an award-winning faculty member, earning over eight school-level teaching awards, one university award in multicultural education, and was nominated as a UTD-candidate to UT System for the Regents award. Her service to the university is extensive and includes positions such as President, Phi Kappa Phi Honorary Society, UT Dallas Chapter. 

Her numerous refereed articles focus on human tick-borne disease risk using multi-modal databases under a One Health model framework. She is also engaged in health initiatives for vulnerable populations, receiving a grant from the Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation to assess tick-borne disease among migrant and seasonal farmworkers in Texas.  Dr. Maxwell also completed a grant to develop research-based vector-borne disease educational materials. Her latest funding, through a competitive research grant, includes the development of a county-level tick-borne disease data guidebook. 

Her disease surveillance research has led to numerous invitations and appointments, including: Faculty Affiliate (current) and Fellowship (2022-2023), Boston University School of Medicine, Laboratory for Human Neurobiology; Research Affiliate, Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, George Mason University; Research Member, Integrate, Communicate, Inform (ICI)-Vector-borne Disease Working Group; and Member, Scientific Board, Texas Lyme Alliance. Her research is included in official state health reports and Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits for medical professionals. 

In addition to her academic career, Dr. Maxwell managed $10 million in federal, state, and private grants while working for a national nonprofit organization. During this time, she organized a joint task force between the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Department of Justice to study promising employment practices for court-involved youth. She also worked as a consultant to nonprofits and federal contractors, developing best practices and management guidelines for youth development practitioners. Dr. Maxwell has secured approximately 10.7 million dollars in total funding during her 30-year career. When she is not writing or teaching, Dr. Maxwell can be found fostering service dogs for wounded veterans and individuals with disabilities and serving as an ambassador for the Global Lyme Alliance.

News Articles

Ecologically diverse Texas needs county-level data for tick-borne diseases
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Tick-borne Diseases
Researcher Seeks Better Picture of Lyme Disease Cases in Texas

Activities

Activities
Program and School Committees         
Facilitator, Social Media in the Curriculum, Public Affairs Conference
Marketing Committee
MPA Core Faculty
Faculty Search Committee         
Created and served as Program Coordinator, Open Doors: Public and Nonprofit Management Student Success
Undergraduate Committee
Annual Alumni Conference Committee
Ad Hoc Committee, Tenure Review
EPPS Faculty Hiring Committee, Global Health Policy
EPPS Faculty Hiring Committee, Public and Nonprofit Management
EPPS Faculty Advisory Committee           
 
University Service
Executive Board Member, Phi Kappa Phi 
Member, IRB Committee 
Executive Sponsor, Veterans Employee Resource Group 
Faculty Mentor, Eugene McDermott Scholars Program 
Guest Lecturer – Public Health, EPPS Class 
Guest lecturer for EPPS , South Korean University visiting students 
Guest Speaker, EPPS Freshman Seminar Course 
Interviewer, Archer Fellowship Program 
Member, AES Advisory Committee 
Member, ATEC Faculty Search Committee 
Member, Committee on Effective Teaching 
Member, Conference Committee, Public & Nonprofit Management (PNM) 
Member, ERG Advisory Committee 
Member, Health Professions Evaluation Committee 
Member, Mid-Probationary Review Committee
Member, New Student Engagement Board 
Member, President’s Teaching Award Committee for Blended Learning 
Member, Promotion Review Committee, Benavides 
Member, Task Force on Teaching Implications of Increased Enrollment 
Member, Undergraduate Committee, PNM 
Mentor, Undergraduate Success Scholars 
Mentor, UTD Transfer Partnership Program 
Outside Committee Member, Tenure and Promotion
Partner Member, NSF, EDRETI with Brain & Behavioral Science (BBS)  PR Coordinator, Phi Kappa 
Presenter,  Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Medical, Lyme Disease 
Presenter, North Texas Community College Consortium 
President, Phi Kappa Phi, UTD Chapter 
Representative, Texas Transfer Alliance 
Reviewer, UT System RFP “Curricular Innovation in the Post‐Pandemic Digital Age” 
Search Committee Chair, Senior Director of Enrollment 
Faculty Support, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 
Vice Chair/Member, Committee on Distance Learning 
Vice President, The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, UTD Chapter

Affiliations

Fellow
2022/08–2023/06
Boston University School of Medicine, Laboratory for Human Neurobiology 
Faculty Affiliate
2020/07
Boston University School of Medicine, Laboratory for Human Neurobiology 
Research Affiliate
2021/03–2025/03
Center for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, George Mason University 
President
2020/01–2021/12
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, UTD Chapter 
Ambassador
2017/02
Global Lyme Alliance
Research Member
2019/05
Research Member,  Integrate, Communicate, Inform (ICI)-Vector-borne Disease Working Group                                            
Member, Scientific Board
2020/04–2022/07
Texas Lyme Alliance 
Member, Board of Directors
2020/01–2022/02
Kimiya International 
Member
2016/01–2018/06
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Undergraduate Education Advisory Council 
Vice President
2016/01–2017/01
Seagoville’s Pathways to Technology Early College High School (P-Tech) Advisory Board, Dallas Independent School District 

Funding

Principal Investigator, Nursing in the Fields
$50,000 - Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation [2020/01–2020/12]
Tickborne Disease Detection and Prevention among Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers in Texas http://www.rahf.org/grant-programs/emergent-innovation-program
Principal Investigator, Texans & Ticks
- Lyme Disease Association, Inc [–2018/12]
An educational campaign on Lyme Disease and co-infections in Texas.
Principal Investigator, Youth Mentoring
$198.873 - United States Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention []
Home Builders Institute – C-CORE Mentoring Grant