Dr. Uma N.

Before completing a PhD, Dr. Nair earned a BA in psychology and sociology from the University of Mumbai. She also holds an MA in clinical psychology from SDNT Women’s University and an MS in exercise sciences from Ithaca College. Her research portfolio spans federally, state-, and foundation-funded work aimed at developing nicotine and tobacco dependence interventions for underserved populations and reducing cancer-related disparities in sexual and gender diverse (LGBTQ+) populations. She also has an emerging research program focused on training healthcare providers in the use of psychedelics as therapeutic interventions for mental health, with an emphasis on improving equitable access to these innovative treatments.

Dr. Nair has served as a Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator on National Institutes of Health grants and as a Lead and Senior Author on multiple peer-reviewed publications. Her scholarship reflects a strong commitment to translating rigorous research into practical, community-relevant impact. She has more than 45 publications, and her research has appeared in journals such as Nicotine & Tobacco Research, the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, and many others. 

As a professor at the University of South Florida, Dr. Nair teaches Health Policy and Clinical Prevention and Health Promotion in Diverse Populations. She has also worked as a professor at the University of Arizona. With over 10 years of mentorship experience, Dr. Nair has extensive experience mentoring undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. As a research mentor, her greatest strengths lie in helping mentees translate ideas into methodologically rigorous projects. She specializes in grant writing, study design, and aligning research questions with real-world impact. She is particularly skilled at working with students to clarify their research identity and strengthen their writing. 

For Dr. Nair, mentorship is collaborative, respectful, value-based, and highly individualized. She strives to meet mentees where they are at, whether it’s a foray into exploring a research idea or preparing for publications in high-impact journals. She believes that strong research mentorship can be transformative and a learning experience for everyone involved, from the individual conducting the research to the communities that benefit from scientific inquiry and discovery.