Enjoy presentations by this year’s recipients of the Phillip and Ruth Hettleman Prizes for Scholarly Achievement. The talks will provide an engaging look into these distinguished early career scholars’ work. The late Phillip Hettleman, a member of the Carolina class of 1921, and his wife Ruth established their prestigious named award in 1986 to recognize the achievements of outstanding junior faculty.
There are five winners of the 2026 Hettleman Prizes. This Het Talks event features two of them:
Andrea Knittel, Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine
Knittel’s research is reshaping both scientific understanding and clinical practice by bringing attention to a historically understudied population and developing evidence-based approaches to improve care. Her findings have influenced how data on reproductive health in carceral settings are interpreted and have informed innovative interventions that prioritize treatment over incarceration. By integrating research, clinical care, and policy innovation, her work has the potential to improve health outcomes for individuals and their families while driving system-level changes in health and justice systems.
Carmina Valle, Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health
Valle’s work is advancing cancer prevention and survivorship care by demonstrating how digital tools can deliver scalable and cost-efficient health interventions. Her research has shaped effective practices for using social media, mobile health technologies, and personalized messaging to improve health behaviors, reduce cancer risk, and enhance quality of life among cancer survivors. By translating behavioral science into practical, widely deployable solutions, her work is helping address major public health challenges and expanding access to impactful interventions across populations.
This is a virtual, CLE Credit event.