K12 ECR Program Leadership

Dr. Craig Newgard introducing the lunch and learn presenter
Dr. Craig Newgard introducing K12 ECR series lunch and learn presenter

Cynthia D. Morris, Ph.D., M.P.H. - Program Co-Director and Co-Principal Investigator

Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Medical Informatics & Clinical Epidemiology
Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean, School of Medicine

Dr. Morris is the Senior Associate Director and directs the education and career development program for the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute (OCTRI). She is the founding director of the Human Investigations Program (HIP) and Master of Clinical Research (MCR) programs. Dr. Morris has trained more than 800 fellows, faculty and students in clinical and translational research training programs and has mentored more than 30 early faculty investigators in clinical research. Dr. Morris was awarded the 2004 Mentor Award from the Medical Research Foundation, an OHSU Excellence in Education award in 2006 and the John Resko Award for Faculty Research and Mentoring in 2007. She is a past president of the Association for Clinical Research Training. Dr. Morris directs a data coordinating center for clinical trials, and has expertise in registries and cohort studies. Dr. Morris established and maintains the Oregon Registry of Congenital Heart Defects.

Craig Newgard, M.D., M.P.H., - K12 Program Co-Director

Professor of Emergency Medicine and Public Health & Preventive Medicine
Director, Center for Policy and Research in Emergency Medicine (CPR-EM)

Dr. Newgard is an emergency physician and established investigator in emergency care research, with a content focus on emergency medical services (EMS), trauma care, trauma systems and the use of advanced statistical methodology in emergency care. He has received research funding from the NIH, CDC, AHRQ, multiple foundations (e.g., Robert Wood Johnson, Emergency Medicine Foundation, SAEM Foundation) and state contracts. He currently serves as PI for the NHLBI K12 and Co-PI for the NHLBI/NIMH/NINR K12, as well as PI and Co-Investigator for several other federal and foundation grants. Dr. Newgard has mentored many undergraduate and graduate students, residents, fellows, and faculty. His leadership involvement in research training programs has included: NHLBI/NIMH/NINR K12 in Emergency Care Research (Co-PI, 2016-2021); NHLBI K12 in Emergency Care Research (PI, 2013-2016); NHLBI Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium Training Core (PI, 2008 –2015); NIH K12 in Women's health Research Internal Advisory Committee (2013-present);AHRQ K12 in Patient Centered Outcomes Research (Mentor, 2015 –present); Leadership Team and Mentor for the OHSU Emergency Medicine Research Fellowship (2004 –present); Member/Chair for 12 Masters of Public Health thesis committees; and Mentor for the CTSA T32 OSLER medical student program. In total, he has formally mentored over 30 young investigators, including a number of whom have pursued federal career development awards (K12, K23), foundation career development awards (American Heart Association Scientist Development Grant) and have become independent investigators. In addition, Dr. Newgard has been integrally involved in numerous mentee research abstracts, manuscripts, regional and national research presentations, and successful grant applications--all with mentees as lead author/investigator.

Jenny Cook, B.A. G.C.P.H. - Program Administrator

Research Associate, Department of Emergency Medicine & Center for Policy and Research in Emergency Medicine

Ms. Cook is Research Associate and Project Coordinator who brings her passion for Emergency Medicine research and program development to all the projects she serves. After receiving her B.A. in Biology from Willamette University, Ms. Cook began her career at OHSU first as an Emergency Transport Coordinator before transitioning into her various research roles. Along the way, she completed graduate work in public health, and provided research support and coordination for the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (ROC), Oregon POLST (Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment) Registry (OPR), the Neurological Emergencies Treatment Trials (NETT), and the Views on Obtaining Informed Consent in Emergency Situations (VOICES III) study. She also worked to create the first registry for POLST forms (OPR) which provides access to these critical end-of-life care orders for health care professionals in emergent situation 24/7/365. She has extensive research experience conducting data abstraction, quality assurance, consenting patients and families, team training, and manuscript preparation, writing, and submission. In addition to her research experience, Ms. Cook is an adept project coordinator and manager who promotes collaboration, efficiency, transparency and openness in her work.