Meet the team | Kalpulli Research Group

Meet the Principal Investigator

Dra. Dina Tamar Garcia (she/her/ella) is a public health scholar that was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the VCU School of Population Health and is a faculty affiliate with the VCU Office of the Provost's Health Equity Convergence Lab focused on oral health equity transdisciplinary research. She is formally trained in community-based participatory research, qualitative and quantitative methods as well as science communication. Her freelance work has appeared in popular publications such as CNN Español. Dra. García is the appointed Chair of the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion for the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research and serves as a Deputy Editor for the international journal Teaching and Learning in Medicine. At VCU, she serves as the advisor for the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) at VCU student chapter. As an advocate for racial and gender equity, she co-founded Cientificas de Milwaukee, which provides bilingual and bicultural STEAM education to Latina students 2nd to 8th grade. In her spare time, Dra. García enjoys printmaking and spending time with her fur babies Chaak and Koxita.

Follow her on X @DraKalpulli

Ph.D. Public & Community Health
M.P.H. Epidemiology
M.Ed. Educational Leadership
B.S. Bacteriology

Certificate in Adult Learning / Medical Education

CONTACT DRA. GARCIA

Kalpulli Research Group Trainees
2024-2025

Hi my name is Kashaf (she/her)! I am VCU student majoring in HPEX with a concentration in health sciences on the pre-dental track. I want to pursue dentistry and hope to specialize in prosthodontics. I love spending time with friends, doing outdoor activities, and learning about the oral health sciences. I'm looking forward to meeting new people and engaging in many different service, academic, and research opportunities this year.

Research Assistant

Kashaf Baig

Brittany Cazares Luna

Research Assistant

Hello! My name is Brittany (she/her/ella), and I am a third-year student at VCU, majoring in Chemistry with a concentration in biochemistry on the pre-dental track. One of my aspirations is to attend dental school so I can use my skills to give back to my community. As a first-generation student, I see my education as a privilege and strive to make the most of it to support my parents and grow personally and professionally. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music, solving puzzles, and spending quality time with my family and friends.

I am Marcello Coronado (he/him/el), a VCU graduate that majored in Health Sciences on a pre-dental track at VCU. While pursuing my dream of becoming a dentist, I'm equally committed to personal growth and aiding underserved communities. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, going to the gym, and having a laugh!

Marcelo Coronado

Research Assistant

Mariah (she/her/ella) is a third-year undergraduate student at VCU majoring in Health Science on a Pre-dental Track. She strives to become an orthodontist and serve minoritized communities. During her free time she can be found singing, cooking, and enjoying nature.

Mariah Cropp

McNair Scholars Program

Research Assistant

Hello! I’m Radhi (she/her/hers), a fourth-year Psychology student on the Pre-Dental Track at VCU, with plans to attend dental school after graduation. I am deeply committed to advancing dental public health and supporting the special needs community. Outside of academics, I enjoy spending time with family and friends and binge-watching shows and movies. I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute to the research group and engage in activities this year!

Radhi Desai

Clinical & Translational Research Undergraduate Research Fellow

I am a rising senior majoring in Biology with dual minors in Pre-Dentistry and Chemistry. My goal is to bring modernized dentistry to underserved areas and inspire others who, like me, dream of pushing their limits and achieving their goals if they just build the right connections and stay disciplined.

Bashar Hauter

Research Assistant

My name is Aashka (she/her)! I am a second-year student at VCU majoring in Biology on a pre-med track. I want to pursue a future career as a physician but am not sure about what specialty I am interested in yet. In my free time, love hanging out with my friends and family, being outdoors, and traveling!

Aashka Patel

Research Assistant

Nixon (he/him/el) is a passionate Garifuna scholar and leader who seeks to use his training to address percipient structural determinants responsible for disparities experienced by historically minoritized and marginalized populations. Nixon was born in Honduras and grew up in the South Bronx, New York. In his spare time Nixon loves to cook (cuando hay tiempo), run, and listen to music.