Dr. Alana E.

Dr. Ewen’s work centers on eliminating racial disparities in type 2 diabetes through rigorous epidemiologic methods and community-driven approaches. At the University of Michigan, Dr. Ewen studies how racial discrimination–related stress, social determinants of health, and neighborhood environments shape diabetes risk and self-management among racially marginalized adults. Her mixed methods, implementation science, and causal epidemiology expertise have informed peer-led diabetes interventions, contributed to NIH-funded studies, and guided implementation strategies to improve chronic disease prevention and care delivery.

Dr. Ewen’s scholarship is strengthened by advanced training from Harvard’s Emotional Well-Being & Physical Health Program and Washington University’s Dissemination & Implementation Science Institute. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Current Diabetes Reports, BMC Health Services Research, and the American Journal of Men’s Health. She has presented her work at national and international conferences, including the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions, the Society of Behavioral Medicine, and the Society for Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine. 

Before pursuing her doctorate, Dr. Ewen spent six years as a Graduate Medical Education Data Analyst and Project Management Specialist at the Boston Medical Center. In this role, she worked closely with medical residents and fellows across multiple specialties and collaborated with trainees and faculty to design and implement research studies focused on clinician well-being, quality improvement, social determinants of health, and innovations in medical training. Dr. Ewen also provided methodological guidance on IRB submissions, sampling strategies, survey development, quantitative methods approaches, and statistical analyses. She also supported residents and fellows in developing publishable manuscripts, contributing to several studies on program administrator burnout, physician well-being, and medical education innovation, and partnered with hospital leadership to strengthen quality improvement and documentation systems. 

As a mentor and educator, Dr. Ewen is deeply committed to developing future clinical and research leaders. At the University of Maryland School of Public Health, she served as a graduate teaching assistant (GTA) and Head GTA for epidemiology, digital health, and community health courses, supporting over 200 undergraduate students per semester. She led discussion sections, delivered lectures on study design and social determinants of health, and helped students build confidence in applying methodological concepts. Dr. Ewen has mentored undergraduate, MPH, MSW, and PhD students in research design, statistical analysis, academic writing, and scientific communication.

At the University of Michigan’s Curtis Center for Health Services Research and Innovation, Dr. Ewen leads data integration, fidelity monitoring, and evaluation strategies for NIH-supported diabetes and behavioral health interventions. She has been recognized with multiple achievements throughout her higher education journey and research career, including induction into the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health, the Ann G. Wylie Dissertation Fellowship, and the Barry Portnoy Dissertation Research Award.

Dr. Ewen has served as a Research Fellow and mentor at the University of Michigan and has held multiple primary leadership roles in research. These roles include leading NIH‑funded evaluation work at the University of Michigan, directing her own multi-method dissertation study at the University of Maryland, and serving as a co‑investigator and Analytic Lead on several studies at Boston Medical Center. She has coached students through research topics spanning biostatistics, epidemiology, public health, behavioral and social science in health, and health services and outcomes. 

Dr. Ewen is passionate about supporting pre-medical students seeking research and publication opportunities to strengthen their competitiveness for top-ranked medical schools and cultivate their identities as emerging clinician-scholars.