USF College of Public Health (COPH) Professor Dr. Karen Liller has been recognized for her expertise on gun violence and injury prevention by both USF and the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH).

Distinguished USF Health Professor

Liller was recently named a Distinguished USF Health Professor. 

Distinguished USF Health Professors are senior members of the USF Health faculty who hold the rank of professor and have distinguished themselves exceptionally among their peers, both within and outside of the university. The title is awarded through a process of nomination and external/internal peer review and identifies those holding it as outstanding members of their profession.

“I am so honored to receive this designation,” Liller said. “It’s very meaningful to me as I’m totally invested in bettering public health for our society and especially in decreasing injuries and deaths among children and youth. This has been my goal for over 30 years now in academia.”

COPH Dean Donna Petersen nominated Liller for the title noting in her nomination materials that Liller is an internationally recognized leader and expert in injury prevention in children and adolescents.

“The field of injury prevention is not a large one, and Dr. Liller chose to develop expertise in a wide variety of unintentional injuries experienced by children rather than focus on one injury alone,” Petersen wrote. “This eclectic approach allowed her to develop the Injury Prevention Guide, published by the American Public Health Association (APHA), demonstrating her expertise in myriad areas. For nearly 30 years she has translated her research findings to practice-based teaching, research and outreach interventions and the development of injury prevention laws and policies. She has received numerous awards and acknowledgments in the field, including being named most recently a Fulbright Specialist for her expertise in public health and injury prevention.”

Liller noted that receiving the Distinguished USF Health Professor title is not only a wonderful recognition for her, but it also recognizes all of the individuals on her teams throughout the years and the college.

“Having this award, I believe, allows the college to be known for the work of professors and their teams who are dedicated to advancing public health and translating their research to practice so that lasting changes can occur,” she commented. “Again, this is a huge honor, and I am very grateful.”

ASPPH National Gun Prevention Task Force

Due to her interest in and research on gun violence, Liller has also been invited to be a member of the ASPPH’s recently convened National Gun Prevention Task Force. 

The group, which consists of academic experts, is tasked with three objectives:

• Recommend policies that the ASPPH and its members can consider to be priorities in gun violence prevention.
• Articulate best practices.
• Create a repository of knowledge for the public to access.

The task force is set to meet five times—beginning in July—until the end of the year, with the goal of making deliverables available by year’s end.

“This is a true honor. I hope that gun violence prevention strategies will be carefully developed along with efficacious resources that are accessible to the public,” Liller said.

Story by Donna Campisano for USF College of Public Health