Research Interests

With a background in industrial and systems engineering my global health research includes four primary areas: 1) Designing well-functioning and culturally-relevant health systems to reach marginalized and resource-poor working communities; 2) Redesigning healthcare processes and workflows with continuous improvement tools and participatory approaches; 3) Strengthening health systems via equitable collaborations with local community stakeholders -primarily in urban poor communities; and 4) Designing effective programs to reduce occupational health disparities among migrant workers in the Americas region (North/Central/South).

Global health research on infectious diseases

Global health research on occupational health

Quality of Working Life Documentaries: A 3-part video series

Equal Healthcare Access for Women and Girls In The Americas; National Academy of Sciences Visualizing Health Equity community Art Project

Engaging global health students on campus projects

Education

• Ph D: Industrial and Systems Engineering, (2002), University of Wisconsin Madison – Madison, WI
  Supporting Area: Human Factors Engineering
  Dissertation/Thesis Title: Working Conditions in Peru: A Survey Study of Workers’ Perceptions in an Industrially Developing Country
• MSc: Industrial Engineering, (1999), University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez – Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
  Supporting Area: Cellular Manufacturing Systems
  Dissertation/Thesis Title: A Capacity-Driven Clustering Algorithm for Family Formation
• BSc: Industrial Engineering, (1992), Universty of Lima – Lima, Peru
  Dissertation/Thesis Title: Thesis: A Feasibility Study to Develop and Implement a Manufacturing Plant of Garlic (Allium sativum), Caigua (Cyclanthera pedata) & Hercampuri Gentianella Alborocea) Gelatine Caps

Biography

Community-Engaged Approach: I use and have adapted the Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach -facilitating community-engaged research that is respectful of the complex social, economic, and cultural context of vulnerable, voiceless populations often found in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).

Selected Awards and Honors

• Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award (2005), Teaching – University of Massachusetts Lowell Department of Work Environment
• Antoinette Derjani Outstanding Graduate Student Scholarship (2002), Scholarship/Research – University of Wisconsin Madison Department of Industrial Engineering
• Leadership and Travel Award (2000), Leadership – National Science Foundation Committee on Institutional Cooperation Women in Science & Engineering

Selected Publications

• Brunette, M., Moure-Eraso, R., (2017). Employment Conditions as a Social Determinant of Health in Latino Populations: Policy Interventions Using the WHO Social Determinants Model . American Psychological Association
• Dasgupta, P., Buchholz, B.O., Brunette, M. (2017). Is Worker Involvement an Ergonomic Solution for Construction Intervention Challenges? A Systematic Review. . Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science , Vol. 18 5.
• Brunette, M., Curioso, W.H. (2017). Sistemas de salud móvil integrados: rol de los factores socioculturales y el enfoque de sistemas sociotécnico. Revista Peruana de Medicina Experimental y Salud Pública, 34(3) 544 – 550.
• Sprague, L.M., J., U.N., J., M.B. (2012). Lessons learned from the proteccion en Construccion (PenC) community research partnership. International Public Health Journal, 4(3) 275-283.
• Roelofs, C., Sprague-Martinez, L., Brunette, M., Azaroff, L. (2011). A qualitative investigation of Hispanic construction worker perspectives on factors impacting worksite safety and risk. Environmental health : a global access science source, 10 84.
• Roelofs, C., Sprague-Martinez, L., Brunette, M., Azaroff, L. (2011). A qualitative investigation of Hispanic construction worker perspectives on factors impacting worksite safety and risk. Environmental health : a global access science source, 10 84.
• Brunette, M., Smith, M.J., Punnett, L. (2011). Perceptions of working and living conditions among industrial male and female workers in Peru. Work, 38(3) 211-223.
• Brunette, M. (2005). Spanish-English Construction Dictionary. Available at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) . Available at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) site: http://www.bvsde.paho.org/foro_hispano/Diccionario_de_Construccion.pdf
• Brunette, M. (2005). Development of Educational and Training Materials on Safety and Health: Targeting Hispanic Workers in the Construction Industry. Family & Community Health: The Journal of Health Promotion & Maintenance, 28(3) 253-266.
• Brunette, M. (2004). Construction safety research in the United States: targeting the Hispanic workforce. Injury Prevention, (4) 244.

Selected Contracts, Fellowships, Grants and Sponsored Research

• A Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach to adapt organizational and technical interventions for falls and silica exposure prevention among Hispanic Workers (2007), Grant – National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health NIOSH (R01OH008750-01A1
  Brunette, M. (Co-Principal), Azaroff, L., Gagliardi, M., Grullon, M., Brunette, M., Roelofs, C., Shepherd, S.
• Intergenerational Exchange on Women and Science Research (2006), Grant – National Science Foundation (NSF)
  Brunette, M. (Co-Principal), Rayman, P.M. (Co-Principal), Brunette, M. (Co-Principal), Bond, M.A. (Co-Principal)
• Promoting Safe and Healthy Conditions of Work for All: Design of TrainEducational Materials for Hispanic Construction Workers. (2003), Grant – Occupational Safety and Health Administration/OSHA Susan Harwood Training Grant
  Brunette, M. (Principal)