A nationally recognized expert in behavioral health services, Angela Wangari Walter will partner with the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya, to examine alcohol and tobacco use among adults who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Associate Professor Angela Wangari Walter of the Department of Public Health in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences joins an elite group of scholars from across the nation who have been selected to receive the prestigious . During the 2025-2026 academic year, Walter will focus on enhancing behavioral health research and teaching capacity in Kenya to improve the health of people diagnosed with cancer.
The prize, awarded by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, is granted to a select group of scholars each year in recognition of their outstanding scholarship and global leadership.
鈥淎ll of us in the college are incredibly proud that Dr. Walter was selected as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar in the research and teaching category,鈥� says Dean Mary Gallant of the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences. 鈥淭his prestigious honor reflects the merit of her contributions to global scholarship, cross-cultural exchange and advancing knowledge and practice that transcends borders. It also shines a spotlight on the department, college and university.鈥�
A nationally recognized expert in behavioral health services, Walter will partner with the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, Kenya, to examine alcohol and tobacco use among adults who have been diagnosed with cancer. She will also work with CUEA faculty to co-develop curricula that will train a workforce in behavioral health.
鈥淚 am grateful to receive this award and to partner with my Kenyan colleagues to build a lasting infrastructure in Kenya and other African nations that will contribute to improving population health and lessening the burden of cancer,鈥� says Walter, an implementation scientist who studies how to facilitate the adoption of evidence-based practices and interventions into routine health care and community settings to advance the impact on population health.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 14.6 million new cancer cases and 8.5 million cancer deaths will occur in low- and middle-income countries by 2030.
鈥淎s the incidence of cancer rates continue to increase, so does the need for the implementation of culturally grounded, evidence-based interventions, which remain underutilized in resource-limited communities,鈥� says Walter. 鈥淐ommunity research partnerships, combined with international collaboration, can create opportunities to address pressing public health challenges and implementation issues. The partnership also builds the capacity of researchers, institutions, communities and the next generation of the public health workforce.鈥�
In collaboration with faculty and leadership in CUEA鈥檚 School of Nursing, Walter will conduct interviews and focus groups across health care facilities in Kenya to learn about current assessment and treatment strategies for patients using tobacco and alcohol, and will identify approaches that have worked as well as ones that have not.
鈥淎 major challenge to reducing cancer rates in low- and middle-income countries is that proven treatments and programs, as well as implementation strategies, have not been designed to align with the unique priorities and cultural assets present in communities,鈥� says Walter. 鈥淢y community-engaged and clinical translational research aims to promote solutions-focused interventions and strategies that are culturally grounded and build on local assets and expertise, so they both enhance health and well-being for cancer survivors, and that are sustainable over time.鈥�
To sustain the intervention program for people diagnosed with cancer, Walter will collaborate with CUEA faculty to incorporate mental health and substance use training in the nursing education curriculum. Students will gain knowledge on substance use disorders and mental illness, as well as evidence-based interventions to treat these conditions, and learn the skills to screen, assess and support patients.
鈥淲e are excited about this collaboration and the transformative impact it will have on the health and well-being of individuals diagnosed with cancer,鈥� says Dean Mary Kung鈥檜 of the School of Nursing at CUEA. 鈥淏y combining our strengths, we are advancing cancer care and bringing hope to patients and their families.鈥�
Walter will also work with partners to communicate the results of the research and solutions in international scholarly journals and will work locally to inform the policy landscape, ensuring that there is sustained support for implementation.
As a nationally recognized scholar, Walter has significantly contributed to the literature on substance use treatment and mental well-being. She trains and mentors undergraduate and graduate public health students, as well as early career faculty at 51视频 and physician researchers across New England. Walter holds multiple leadership positions in the community and nationally, including the American Public Health Association, and serves as an active member of the American Association of Cancer Research.
Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided talented and accomplished scholars with the opportunity to teach and conduct research abroad. Over 800 individuals teach or conduct research abroad through the program annually. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections and work to address complex global challenges. Notable Fulbrighters include 62 Nobel Laureates, 93 Pulitzer Prize winners, 82 MacArthur Fellows, 44 heads of state or government and thousands of leaders across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Fulbright is a program of the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. government. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide. In the United States, the Institute of International Education implements the Fulbright U.S. Student and U.S. Scholar Programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. For more information visit the website.