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Dr. Christina Roberto Wins 2022 Thomas A. Wadden Award for Distinguished Mentorship

christina roberto wins thomas a wadden award for distinguished mentorship

Congratulations to Christina Roberto, PhD, who has won the 2022 Thomas A. Wadden Award for Distinguished Mentorship from The Obesity Society.

“This award is incredibly meaningful to me,” Dr. Roberto said. “Over the last decade, I have had the good fortune to work with an amazing group of trainees. Mentoring them has been a total joy, and I have learned as much or more from them as they have learned from me.”

Dr. Roberto, the Mitchell J. Blutt and Margo Krody Blutt Presidential Associate Professor of Health Policy at the Perelman School of Medicine and Associate Director with the Center for Health Incentives & Behavioral Economics (CHIBE), was nominated for this prestigious award by Drs. Aviva Musicus, Sophia Hua, Alyssa Moran, Anna Grummon, and Violeta Chacón.

Some of her nominators said, “Dr. Roberto is remarkably dedicated to the growth and career development of her mentees, consistently going above and beyond to support them in achieving their goals. Throughout our research careers, she has selflessly donated her time to our mentorship, offering countless opportunities to collaborate on and lead research projects, present at conferences, and expand our academic and professional network. Whether she’s providing feedback on a job talk, poster, analytical plan, or manuscript, we know that the comments provided will be extraordinarily thoughtful, detailed, and thorough. She doesn’t just offer a suggestion; she explains why she made that suggestion so that we can learn and grow. Her assiduous feedback has drastically improved our writing, communication, and presentation skills, in addition to our own ability to give others feedback on their academic pursuits.”

Another one of her nominators said, “The world needs more scientific mentors like Christina. She is incredibly smart, creative, organized, analytical, persistent, and humble. She is a joy to work with and has taught me more about how to do research than any course or professional experience.”

And finally, another nominator stated, “Dr. Roberto is an exceptional mentor. The most significant part of her mentorship has been her ability to foster genuine conversations that make me feel supported. She often shares the powerful experiences that have shaped her career, which makes me feel validated and encouraged throughout my journey as a PhD student. With her actions, Dr. Roberto demonstrates a strong work ethic and integrity and has been an important role model that I admire.”

The award is named after Penn Professor Thomas Wadden, PhD, who mentored dozens of scientist-practitioners in the obesity research community.

Dr. Roberto will be recognized and will deliver a few remarks at ObesityWeek 2022, which is The Obesity Society’s annual scientific meeting held this year in San Diego.