Susanna Sisson, Ph.D., R.D.N.,C.H.E.S., F.A.C.S.M.

Biography

Dr. Susan B Sisson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and the Associate Dean for Research in the College of Allied Health. She is a Sam K. Viersen Family Foundation Presidential Professor. She is currently the director of the Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Laboratory. Dr. Sisson earned her B.S. from the University of Central Oklahoma in Kinesiology and Health Studies and her M.S. in Exercise Physiology from the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Sisson went onto earn her PhD in Exercise and Wellness at Arizona State University. In 2006, she was awarded the Christine L. Wells Award for Excellence in Research. Following completion of her doctoral program, Dr. Sisson completed two post-doctoral fellowships. The first was in health psychology at the University of South Carolina and then in physical activity epidemiology at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

She conducts her research in the Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Laboratory. Research in the lab focuses on promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors such as dietary intake and physical activity in children to prevent lifetime chronic disease such as obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Physical activity, nutrition, and sedentary behavior epidemiology are areas of expertise. Early childcare and education settings are of particular interest and Dr. Sisson actively collaborates with many Native American tribes and nations in Oklahoma. Dr. Sisson frequently using mixed methods in community engaged and community based participatory research projects, often multi-level intervention. Dr. Sisson’s personal and professional vision is to help others reach full potential and have opportunity for healthy growth and development. She works toward this vision by engaging in collaborative research to enhance health of young children, thoughtful mentorship of graduate students, and dedication to increasing the research impact of the College of Allied Health.

Email

Susan-Sisson@ouhsc.edu

Additional Websites

• Publications
• OUHSC Profile

Research Interests:

• Early childhood, policy, systems, and environment research
• Implementation science
• Native American, early care and education
• Preschool, family and home environment
• Screen time, nutrition, and physical activity
• Diabetes and obesity prevention
• Early childhood
• Policy system and environment research
• Lifestyle health behaviors
• Community engaged and participatory research

Grant Funding

Role: Co-Investigator,
Title: Happy Teacher Project: Early Childhood Teachers' Well-Being and Contributing Factors
Investigators: Kyong Ah Kwon, Kenneth Randall, Alicia Salvatore, Diane Horm
Institution: Early Childhood Education Institute

Role: Co-Investigator,
Title: Food Resource Equity and Sustainability for Health (FRESH) (5R01MD011266-02)
Investigators: Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan
Institution: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Role: Collaborator
Title: A Comprehensive Approach to Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country (DP14-1421PPHF14)
Investigators: Tracy Prather, grant PI, Janis Campbell, OUHSC PI
Institution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Total Direct Costs: $5,000,000

Role: Role; Principal Investigator,
Title: Compliance and Technical Assistance for CACFP in Family Child Care Homes (2017-68001-26355)
Investigators: Naneida Lazarte-Alcala, Ph.D., Alicia Salvatore, Ph.D., Julie Stoner, Ph.D., Ji Li, MS, Deanna Hildebrand, Ph.D., Tiffany Poe, MS
Institution: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative; United States Department of Agriculture; National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Role: Principal Investigator,
Title: Integrated Obesity and Diabetes Prevention Intervention for Young American Indian Children: Phase 2 Preschools, Parents, Physicians
Investigators: Ashley Weedn, MD, MPH, Lancer Stephens, Ph.D., Alicia Salvatore, MPH, PhD
Institution: Harold Hamm Diabetes Center; Enrichment Grant

Role: Principal Investigator,
Title: Preschools, Parents and Physicians: Working Together to Curb Obesity in American Indian Children
Investigators: Diane Horm, Ph.D., Marshall Cheney, Ph.D., Ashley Weedn, MD, MPH, Lancer Stephens, Ph.D., Kristen Copeland, MD
Institution: Presbyterian Health Foundation
Total Direct Costs: $50,000