On July 1, Malcolm Cutchin, PhD, assumed the position of professor and chair of the Department of Health Care Sciences in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He comes to the College from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a tenured professor in the Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy in the School of Medicine.

In announcing the appointment, Howard J. Normile, associate dean for health sciences, said "Dr. Cutchin brings to the College significant research experience, including success in securing federally funded grants as both principal investigator and co-investigator. He has numerous peer-reviewed publications and a strong record of interdisciplinary research making him a great fit for chair of this multidisciplinary department. His research interests on the health and well-being of older adults should provide excellent collaborative opportunities for faculty."

For the past two years, Doreen Head, PhD, served as interim chair for the department and director for the occupational therapy program. She continues her responsibilities as assistant professor-clinical and director of occupational therapy. "The department is most appreciative to Dr. Head for her leadership, dedication and support during this period," Normile said.

On the national stage, Cutchin has a strong record of academic leadership and service at the Society for the Study of Occupation: USA, receiving the organization's highest honor in 2012 as the invited Ruth Zemke Lecturer. He served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Applied Gerontology for four years. He also has been actively involved in the Association of American Geographers and the Southern Gerontological Society, which honored him with the Gordon Streib Academic Gerontologist Award in 2013.

Cutchin's academic networks are international in scope. He was a faculty member at the Institute of Public Health at the University of Southern Denmark (2010-11) and continues to collaborate with Danish and Swedish colleagues. He currently serves as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Centre for Ageing and Supportive Environments at Lund University, Sweden. Normile said, "Dr. Cutchin's latest book 'Researching Social Gerontology' brings together the best scholars in gerontology. It is expected to set a new standard in gerontology education in the U.S. and internationally."

Dr. Cutchin received a bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and master's degree and doctorate in geography from the University of Kentucky. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health. His work generally falls into the category of human-place relationships and well-being. Project foci have included rural physician retentions, assisted living residences, ethnic populations living near petrochemical plants, and preventive home visits for at-risk older adults.

The Department of Health Care Sciences is composed of eight programs: Nurse Anesthesia, Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, Radiation Therapy Technology, Radiologic Technology, and Radiologist Assistant.

The Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is committed to advancing the health and well-being of society by preparing highly skilled health care practitioners and conducting groundbreaking research to improve models of practice and methods of treatment in pharmacy and the health sciences.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering more than 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students.

July 31, 2013

Media Contact: Kathleen J. Karas
Phone: (313) 577-2312
Email: kkaras@wayne.edu