Contact
Email: whlaing@miami.edu
Roles
Professor
Director of PhD in Epidemiology Program
-
Biography
WayWay M. Hlaing, MBBS, MS, Ph.D., FACE, is a professor and Director of the Epidemiology Ph.D. program in the Department of Public Health Sciences (DPHS).
Dr. WayWay M. Hlaing's educational background consists of an MBBS (a US Medical Degree equivalent based on the Scottish system of a six-year medical curriculum), an MS degree in Health Sciences, and a Ph.D. in Epidemiology. Before joining the University of Miami (UM), she was a tenured associate professor of epidemiology at Florida International University (FIU). She joined the DPHS at UM in 2010, and she currently serves as a teacher, researcher, mentor, and the Director of the Ph.D. in Epidemiology program.
She is trained in cardiovascular disease epidemiology. She has served as an investigator or a methodologist on numerous federal and foundation-funded studies relating to cardiovascular disease, obesity, HIV/AIDS, and substance abuse. The central theme of her research is the intersection between chronic conditions and health disparities. Her education research relates to doctoral/post-doctoral competencies and ethics in epidemiology.
She has taught introductory and advanced epidemiology courses in online, onsite, and hybrid formats to undergraduate and graduate students for over two decades. Her teaching philosophy includes setting challenging goals for her students and herself, valuing diverse professional experiences and theoretical perspectives, and applying effective participatory learning experiences in the classroom.
Public health students and alumni selected Dr. Hlaing as the outstanding faculty advisor in 2005-2006. She is also the recipient of the Faculty Senate's Excellence in Teaching Award (Undergraduate or Graduate) in 2007 at FIU. At UM, she received the Outstanding Graduate Program Director Award in 2016 and Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health's "Excellent in Teaching Award" in 2018 and 2020. She was also nominated for "Teaching Excellence Awards" by the UM Faculty Senate in 2015 and the ASPPH in 2020 and 2021.
Dr. Hlaing is a member of the Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER), the International Epidemiologic Association (IEA), and the American College of Epidemiology (ACE). She is an elected Fellow of the ACE (FACE), a status conferred to individuals who have demonstrated expertise in the field and made significant national/international contributions.
She is also an inducted fellow of the Academy of Medical Educators at UM. She served on the Education Committee of the SER and the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE), writing and reviewing epidemiology questions for the CPH (Certified Public Health) exams. She is currently chairing (2020-2023 term) the American College of Epidemiology (ACE) Ethics Committee. She is also a co-chair of the Ph.D. Council of the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health (ASPPH) and a member of the American Public Health Association (APHA)' Ethics Section.
Last update: June 6, 2022 -
Education & Training
Education
Licensures and Certifications
-
Honors & Awards
No result found
-
Teaching Interests
My general interest is teaching epidemiology to new and advanced learners.
I am particularly interested in applying epidemiologic designs and methods from theory to practice. One essential and instrumental skill I want to impart is how to critically appraise epidemiologic studies to determine the totality of the evidence. -
Research Interests
The goal is to utilize the portability of epidemiologic methods to conduct scientifically sound and ethically optimized studies that have public health or clinical implications or both.
General interest is in the intersection of chronic disease epidemiology and health disparities. -
Publications
Disclaimer: The information presented in this section has been consolidated using AI and machine learning technologies. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, errors may occur. If you identify any inaccuracies, please use this link to inform our data team. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and helps us improve the quality of our content.
-
Professional Activities
No result found