About Eidos
Launched in January 2022, Eidos is the first program of its kind, cultivating change efforts as a connector and think tank.
Our Vision
Eidos sees a world where community experiences, diverse partnerships, thought leaders, and public health science join to advance the wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community.
Our Mission
The Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania cultivates and engages emerging and experienced leaders from community, academic, civic and business spheres to create innovative solutions for the LGBTQ+ community. We use social enterprise, community engagement, education, and research to further the sustained well-being of the LGBTQ+ community.
The Future We See
Who We Are
Eidos brings the best Penn has to offer: our students, staff and faculty’s investment in social justice, and our world-class interdisciplinary expertise in cutting-edge intervention science across the 12 schools.
José Bauermeister, MPH, PHD
Founding Faculty Director, Eidos
José Bauermeister’s work focuses on synergizing systems-level interventions, community engagement, digital strategies, and clinical innovations to optimize the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ communities.
José has led projects funded by the NIH, CDC, Ford Foundation, MAC AIDS Fund, HopeLab, and Herb Ritts Foundation. He has published over 250 peer-reviewed publications. He is also the Albert M. Greenfield University Professor of Human Relations, Chair of the Department of Family and Community Health in the School Nursing, and Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine. José is an Aspen Institute’s Health Innovators Fellow, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Jessica Halem, MBA
Senior Director, Eidos
Jessica Halem inspires organizational change through inclusive communication strategies, evidence-based trainings and leadership development to advance LGBTQ+ health and well-being.
Jessica has 20 years of leadership in LGBTQ+ health, serving as Executive Director of the Lesbian Community Cancer Project in Chicago and the inaugural LGBT Director at Harvard Medical School. She has won awards from The Advocate, Howard Brown Health, Harvard, HERO, and GLMA. A sought-after speaker, she addresses LGBTQ+ health, workplace inclusion, and innovation using improv skills with start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, and medical centers around the world. Jessica serves on the Board of the Tegan and Sara Foundation.
Affiliated Faculty
Dolores Albarracin, PhD, MS
Professor
Annenberg School for Communication
social psychology, social media
Dani Bassett, PhD, CPGS
Professor
School of Arts and Sciences
curiousity, complex systems
Cedric Bien-Gund, MD
Instructor
Perelman School of Medicine
self-testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis, implementation science
Stephen Bonett, PhD, MA, RN
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing
HIV/STI prevention, PrEP, Implementation science
César Briceño, MD
Academic Clinician Associate Professor
Perelman School of Medicine
Surgical outcomes in oculoplastic surgery
Ed Brockenbrough, PhD, MSEd
Associate Professor
Graduate School of Education
Black masculinity, Queer of color critique
Robert Carpick, PhD
Professor
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Nanomechanics and nanotribology (friction, adhesion, wear, lubrication)
Seul Ki Choi, MPH, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
School of Nursing
Analytics, User engagement, Digital health
Ron Collman, MD
Professor of Medicine
Perelman School of Medicine
HIV virology/pathogenesis; Respiratory tract microbiome
Ryan Dew, PhD
Assistant Professor
Wharton
data-driven marketing, marketing analytics, machine learning
Nadia Dowshen, MD, MSHP
Associate Professor
Perelman School of Medicine
adolescent HIV prevention, digital health, transgender health
Dalmacio Dennis Flores, PhD, RN, FAAN
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing
Family-based interventions, Sexual health communication
Ian Frank, MD
Professor
Perelman School of Medicine
HIV, sexually transmitted infections
Robert Gross, MD, MSCE
Professor of Medicine & Epidemiology
Perelman School of Medicine
HIV clinical epidemiology, medical care adherence
Holly Harner, PhD, MBA, MPH, RN, WHCNP-BC, FAAN
Practice Professor
School of Nursing
Healthcare disparity, injury and violence, OBGYN
Abby Howe-Heyman, PhD, CNM, RN
Practice Assistant Professor
School of Nursing
Perinatal health, Sexual assault, Midwifery education
Jonathan D Katz, PhD
Practice Associate Professor
School of Arts and Sciences
queer art history, curating, activism
Heather Love, PhD
Professor
School of Arts and Sciences
Gender/sexuality studies, literature, and critical theory
Steven Meanley, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor
School of Nursing
Aging and HIV, LGBTQ+ resilience, Syndemics
Raina Merchant, MD, MSHP, FAHA
Professor
Perelman School of Medicine
Disease prevention, racism, emergency medicine
Desmond Patton, PhD, MSW
Professor
Social Policy & Practice
Annenberg School for Communication
Social media, youth, AI ethics, gun violence, grief and joy
Andy Tan, PhD, MBA, MPH, MBBS
Associate Professor
Annenberg School for Communication
Tobacco, youth, social media
Jennifer Tran, PhD
Postdoctral Fellow
School of Nursing
Mental health, Intersectionality, Narrative programs
Beans Velocci, PhD
Professor
School of Arts & Sciences
trans history, sex classification, knowledge production
Dovie Watson, MD, MSCE
Instructor
Perelman School of Medicine
Gender affirming care, PrEP, HIV/STI prevention and care
Annie Wilson, PhD
Senior Lecturer
Wharton
Wellness consumption; Consumer perception; Signaling
Sarah Wood, MD, MSHP
Assistant Professor
Perelman School of Medicine
Adolescents, Health Equity, Implementation Science
Team
Anna Sweeney, MS
Project Manager
Injury prevention, Community engagement, Qualitative data
Advisory Board
Antonia Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN, ex officio
Dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing