Ariel Smith Malonga, RN, PhD
Assistant Professor
Population Health Nursing Science
Contact
Building & Room:
954 NURS
Address:
845 S. Damen Ave., Chicago IL, 60612
Office Phone:
Email:
CV Link:
About
Dr. Smith is a registered nurse and an Assistant Professor. She received her BSN and Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL. The core objectives of her work are to address the root causes of health disparities, equip youth with the skills to advocate for themselves, and provide youth with accessible resources to promote a healthy balanced lifestyle. Racial, gender, and sexual minority youth experience stark health disparities resulting from structural systems of oppression. She dedicates her career to developing, implementing, and evaluating digital tools to reduce relationship violence and adverse mental health sequela among diverse populations of high-risk adolescents (i.e., sexual, gender, racial/ethnic minority). Developing effective and accessible interventions for youth who may be reluctant to engage in traditional programs will assist in reducing violence disparities in high-risk groups. Dr. Smith has also been involved in the development and piloting of mentorship programs (i.e., Urban Health Mentorship Program, Strategies for Increasing Success in Nursing) to equip underrepresented minority students with the knowledge and skills to pursue and persist in their nursing education journeys. Diversifying the nursing workforce is a national priority and Dr. Smith will continue supporting UIC Nursing students throughout their academic journeys.