Coordinators/Staff
Alex Swartzinski
Alex Swartzinski is a recent graduate of Eastern Michigan University’s Urban Regional Planning program where he began his relationship with CHDIS as a student intern. After graduation, Alex joined the CHDIS team full-time to use his GIS Mapping, community engagement, and literature research specialties to improve public health. Alex was recently published as a co-author in a Hamtramck, Michigan transportation study which uncovered innovative methods to reduce traffic speed through temporary modifications to the built environment. His role primarily focuses on improving health access and equity through community-level interventions.
Alex is a Project Coordinator at EMU CHDIS. He works on a wide range of grant-funded projects, ranging from firearm injury risk factors within the built environment, to healthcare access.
Szu-Hsien Chen, MSN, RN
Szu-Hsien Chen, MSN, RN, is currently attending the DNP program at EMU School of Nursing. His research interests span cardiovascular health, prediabetes screening, health literacy, and various facets within the Asian American population. In his efforts to address prediabetes screening among Asian Americans, Szu-Hsien actively facilitates multiple health screening events aimed at identifying community members at risk of prediabetes/diabetes or hypertension, directing them to primary providers for further evaluation and care. Additionally, he contributes to local vaccination clinics, advocating for COVID-19 and flu prevention. Within the Center for Health Disparities Innovations and Studies (CHDIS), Szu-Hsien plays a pivotal role in training community navigators to assist Asian Americans in enrolling in health insurance and accessing
preventive care. As a graduate assistant, he teaches in the nursing skills lab and evaluates students’ competency. Furthermore, Szu-Hsien conducted a quality improvement project at the school of nursing aimed at teaching nursing students through a self-directed learning approach, fostering independent study skills crucial for future nursing development.
Szu-Hsien serves as a project coordinator for CHDIS on an NIH study investigating the impact of structural racism on firearm-related violence within the Asian American community. His contributions include protocol development, pilot testing, and community engagement efforts. Additionally, he has a published peer-reviewed paper examining the transition of internationally educated nurses into nursing practice in the United States, with the aim of providing valuable insight to facilitate their seamless integration into the U.S. healthcare system. Szu-Hsien has also been recognized by the College of Health and Human Services based on his academic achievements, program and community involvement, and commitment to your pursuit of knowledge in his chosen field, including demonstrated leadership skills among students in the
post-MSN DNP program.