Grantee: Daniel P. Giovenco, PhD, MPH
Daniel P. Giovenco, PhD, MPH
- Columbia University Health Sciences
Current Title
Assistant Professor, Department of Sociomedical Sciences
Describe your scientific identity.
I am a social and behavioral scientist whose research identifies multilevel determinants of nicotine and tobacco use inequities and generates evidence to inform structurally-based policy solutions.
What are your research interests?
My research focuses on population surveillance of emergent and evolving nicotine use behaviors and examines ways in which community-level factors (e.g., local policies, exposure to tobacco marketing) can mitigate or exacerbate longstanding tobacco use disparities. A more recent line of research explores cannabis industry marketing tactics and the co-use of cannabis and nicotine.
What is the significance of your current research project?
In 2022, I was awarded an R01 as Principal Investigator from the National Cancer Institute to evaluate new policies aimed at restructuring tobacco access in neighborhoods. Specifically, our team will assess the impact and equity of pioneering initiatives in three US cities to reduce tobacco retailer density in neighborhoods via tobacco retail license caps. Given that the local retail environment is a key structural driver of tobacco use inequities, our project can provide timely, “real world” evidence to assess policy impact and inform equitable policy development and implementation in other settings considering similar approaches.
What motivated you to work in tobacco control research?
During my graduate studies, I was broadly interested in research that addresses social determinants of health and health equity. While working with my mentor, Dr. Cristine Delnevo, I came to understand that tobacco use is now unjustly concentrated among socially and economically disadvantaged populations and poses one of the most urgent threats to public health and social justice. I am deeply motivated to continue this line of work until tobacco use no longer poses a major threat to population health and society.
Describe something that had a profound influence on your program of research or scientific interests (an "ah-ha!" moment).
My dissertation research involved data collection on tobacco marketing at the point-of-sale across the state of New Jersey. After visiting hundreds of retailers in person, I noticed striking and indisputable differences in how certain tobacco products were marketed to different types of communities and consumers. This “on the ground” fieldwork experience motivated my interest in place-based tobacco control research—I have integrated some element of geography or community in virtually all of my projects to date.
Selected training, awards, and honors:
- NIH Director’s Early Independence Award (DP5) (2016)
Tobacco use is now unjustly concentrated among socially and economically disadvantaged populations and poses one of the most urgent threats to public health and social justice. I am deeply motivated to continue this line of work until tobacco use no longer poses a major threat to population health and society.”
Selected Grants
| Project Title | Grant Number | Program Director |
|---|---|---|
| Assessing the impact, equity, and mechanisms of a novel policy intervention to reduce tobacco retailer density in communities | 5R01CA269848-02 | Margaret Mayer |
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