Biography, Disciplines and Teaching Interests

Dr. Tarasenko is a Professor at the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health.  She holds DrPH and MPH degrees from the University of Kentucky, where she majored in both epidemiology and health services management.  She has also completed a post-doctoral Health Policy Fellowship with the Academy Health/National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Dr. Tarasenko is Certified in Public Health.  She also holds Master of Science in Financial Planning, Master of Public Administration and law degrees.  To stay abreast with quantitative methodology and cancer research, Dr. Tarasenko has completed several trainings through the ICPSR Summer Program in Quantitative Methods of Social Research at the University of Michigan and cancer research through the National Cancer Institute.  More recently, Dr. Tarasenko received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Latvia. She is also serving as consultant for the World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe.  More details are provided in Dr. Tarasenko’s CV

Over the years, as PI, co-investigator, and consultant, Dr. Tarasenko has provided conceptual, methodological (e.g., instrumentation and study design), and statistical (e.g., data collection, management, analysis, interpretation, and reporting) support for several university-, foundation-, state-, and NIH- and NSF-funded projects, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies.  She has also tested efficacy of theoretically and community-engaged intervention projects (e.g., on cancer screening and disease management, and promotion of physical activity and consumption of fruits and vegetables).  Dr. Tarasenko has also developed the community needs assessments and evaluation plans.  As a behavioral epidemiologist, Dr. Tarasenko has an extensive knowledge and experience of working with primary and secondary data (e.g., NHANES, NHIS, and National Vital Statistics System, SEER, PLCO, BRFSS, UK Biobank, and PATH).  Dr. Tarasenko’s earlier research focused on primary and secondary cancer prevention in vulnerable populations.  As her dedication for health behaviors, specifically physical activity, among vulnerable populations developed, she combined her background expertise and interests in primary and secondary cancer prevention and physical activity to address an emerged priority in the field of health and health disparities, the relationship between tertiary cancer prevention and physical activity. 

While teaching doctoral and more recently, undergraduate students, Dr. Tarasenko tries to bring her research and service into the classroom.  She is a strong advocate for organizing courses around service learning projects and providing students with hands-on learning experiences.  For example, she has promoted her research interests in cancer prevention and control and dedication to service for the vulnerable populations through service-learning in doctoral-level courses on research methods, epidemiology, and grant-writing.  Students’ projects were awarded first and second places at the GSU Eagle Showcase: Excellence in Service-Learning in 2017 and 2018.

Disciplines: Epidemiology

Teaching Interests: Research methods (including epidemiologic); cancer and behavioral epidemiology; with service learning: grantwriting, strategic planning, evidence-based public health.