Allison J Huff

Interests

Teaching

I have taught technical communication at the graduate level for engineering studentsI have developed two courses for the Bachelor of Science in Medicine program: FCM 304 Pain and Society and FCM 308: High Touch Competencies for Health Care Workers.

Research

My research interests focus on substance use and mental health disorders through the lens of personalized treatment options.

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Chapters

• Huff, A. J., & Lutrick, K. (2023).

  Impact of COVID-19 on Drug Use and Treatment-Seeking in Females With Substance Use Disorder in Southern Arizona: An Exploratory Study in a Female-Only Outpatient Drug Treatment Program. 

  . In Real-World Solutions for Diversity, Strategic Change, and Organizational Development: Perspectives in Healthcare, Education, Business, and Technology(pp 26-41). IGI Global. doi:ttps://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-8691-7.ch002
• Huff, A. J., Burrell, D. N., Richardson, K., Springs, D., Aridi, A. S., Crowe, M. M., & Lewis, E. (2023).

  Illegal Pregnancy Discrimination Is a Severe Business, Legal, and Public Health Issue. 

  . In Real-World Solutions for Diversity, Strategic Change, and Organizational Development: Perspectives in Healthcare, Education, Business, and Technology(pp 119-129). IGI Global. doi:https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-8691-7.ch008

Journals/Publications

• Armin, J. S., Huff, A. J., Mallahan, S., Bueno, Y. M., & Allen, A. M. (2023). Opportunities to expand postpartum support for those in recovery from opioid use disorder: Results from a qualitative study. Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, 7(100170). doi:10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100170
• Huff, A. J., Burrell, B. N., Lewis, E. J., Ingle, A. M., Vestal, K. E., & Richardson, K. (2023). Ethical, Cultural, and Historical Leadership Implications of Conducting Public Health Research on Minority Populations. International Journal of Public and Private Perspectives on Healthcare, Culture, and the Environment, 7(1), 1-18.
• Huff, A. J., Burrell, D. N., Aridi, A. S., & McGrath, G. E. (2023). Domestic Violence Is a Significant Public Health and a Health Administration Issue in the U.S.. International Journal of Health Systems and Translational Medicine, 3(1), 1-21. doi:10.4018/ijhstm.315298
• Huff, A. J., Luzingu, J. K., Salnerno-Valdez, E., Brady, B., & Bell, M. (2023). Does high family support protect against substance use in adolescents who perceive high disordered neighborhood stress, border community and immigration stress or normalization of drug trafficking at the US-Mexico border? Analysis of the BASUS survey. Journal of Migration and Health, 7(100164). doi:doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmh.2023.100164
• Mallahan, S., Armin, J. S., Bueno, Y., Huff, A. J., & Allen, A. M. (2023). A Qualitative Exploration of the Eight Dimensions of Wellness in Opioid Use Disorder Recovery during the Postpartum Period. Drug and Alcohol Reports, 7(100160). doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100160
• Huff, A. J., Burrell, D. N., Lewis, E. J., & Burton, S. L. (2022). Transformational vs. Transactional Attitudes Towards Gun Violence as a Public Health Concern in America. International Journal of Public and Private Perspectives on Healthcare, Culture, and the Environment, 6(1), 1-16. doi:http://doi.org/10.4018/IJPPPHCE.314154
• Salerno-Valdez, E., Obeng-Kusi, M., Brady, B., Huff, A. J., Bell, M., & Derose, K. (2022). Perceived normalization of drug trafficking and adolescent substance use on the U.S.- Mexico border. Journal of Drug Issues, 52(3), 421-433. doi:10.1177/00220426211046593
• Brady, B., Caldwell, D., Valdez, E. S., Huff, A. J., & Bell, M. (2023). US-Mexico Border Stress and Daily Substance Use among Latino Youth: a Cross-Sectional Study. . International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 21(4), 2442-2449. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00730-9
• Shipman, K., Burrell, D. N., & Huff, A. J. (2021). An organizational analysis of how managers must understand the mental health impact of teleworking during COVID-19 on employees. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 31(4), 1081-1104. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-03-2021-2685
• Huff, A., Gomez, J., Calhoun, E., Hsu, C., Chalasani, P., Fitzpatrick, K., Borders, M., Lang, L., & Prado, Y. (2019). Abstract P5-13-19: Addressing non-adherence for breast cancer screening across ethnicity in southern Arizona. Cancer Research.
• Macpherson, A. J., & Hennig, A. (2015). The Fibre Optic Cable Class. astroEDU, 1411. doi:doi: 10.14586/astroedu.1411
  More info

  Published lesson plan: Students will learn the basics of how fibre optics work, the speed of light and total internal reflection. Students will also make the connection between fibre optics and astronomy and research technology.
• Burrell, D. N., Abdul-Malik, O., Rahim, E., Huff, A. J., & Finklea, K. (2010). An Analysis of the Application of Situational Leadership in the Post 9/11 Evolving Public Health Managerial Environments.. John Ben Shepperd Journal of Practical Leadership, 5(1), 45-59.

Presentations

• Huff, A. J., & Romero, R. (2024, January). Project FUTRE: Thinking Ahead”. Pregnancy, Addiction, and Parenting Newborns (PAPN). Tucson, AZ.
• Huff, A. J. (2023, April 15).

  Exploring the application of basic science research results to the development of new understandings of disease mechanisms, diagnoses, and therapeutics, Panelist

  . Translational Medicine Workshop. Lodge on the Desert, Tucson, Arizona: College of Medicine-Tucson, The University of Arizona.
• Huff, A. J. (2023, April 15). Toward Personalized Treatment of Chronic Pain Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Paired With Deep Learning
  . Translational Medicine Workshop. Tucson, AZ: College of Medicine-Tucson, The University of Arizona.
• Huff, A. J. (2023, November 13).

  Collaborative Research: HSI Implementation and Evaluation Project: ¿Quantum Qué?: Institutional Support for Transfer Students’ Success in Quantum, Information Science and Engineering

  . 3rd annual HSI Grants Development Institute.. The University of Arizona: Executive Office of the President, The University of Arizona.
• Allen, A. M., Armin, J. S., Bueno, Y., Mallahan, S., & Macpherson, A. J. (2020, December). Nonpharmacological Interventions for Postpartum Opioid Use Disorder. Polysubstance Abuse in Pregnancy and Newborns. Remote: Polysubstance Abuse in Pregnancy and Newborns.
• Macpherson, A. J. (2020, Spring 2021). Engineering Workforce for Quantum Information Sciences. National Science Foundation Blue Ribbon Panel. Alexandria, VA: National Science Foundation.
• Macpherson, A. J., & Montano, I. (2020, September). Engineering Workforce Development. Engineering Research Center for Quantum Networks Kick-Off. Virtual: National Science Foundation.
• Huff-Lohmeier, A. J., Hennig, A., & Lamoreaux, D. (2017, November). Integrated Optics for Undergraduate Native Americans. 124th Annual conference American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE).. Columbus, OH: University of Arizona/National Science Foundation.
  More info

  The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program, entitled Integrated Optics for Undergraduate Native Americans (IOU-NA) (#EEC-1359163), is a multidisciplinary REU in the Center for Integrated Access Networks (CIAN), an NSF funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) at the University of Arizona. The IOU-NA supported up to 8 students in a 10-week summer research experience for three summers in labs across the College of Optical Sciences and the College of Science. This program was developed based on theories of student departure and persistence in college, as well as American Indian identity theories and serves as a catalyst for persistence in STEM undergraduate programs and as a recruitment pathway toward graduate studies in STEM. This program provided opportunities for students to incorporate themselves academically and socially into an engaging research project and to make informed decisions about their occupational goals through a series of presentations and workshops with the focus on Native American cultures. This IOU-NA provided Native American undergraduates (n=23), mostly from non-research institutions, an opportunity to engage in meaningful research and build positive academic experiences with peers and student and faculty mentors. Participants were from 10 different tribes: Navajo, Caddo, Comanche, Colorado River, Tohono O’odham, Port Gamble S’Klallam, San Carlos Apache, Blackfoot, and Assiniboine. Fifty two percent were freshmen or sophomores; 35% were female; 48% from community colleges or tribal colleges; 74% were from colleges with limited research/STEM research opportunities; and 48% were first generation college students. The IOU-NA occurred in concert with the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Consortium (UROC) at the University of Arizona, which provided graduate school information, application guidance, and GRE training. Further, participants engaged in professional skills workshops, such as, technical writing, oral communication skills, and presentations about industry options in optical sciences. Participant deliverables included presentation of a research poster, oral presentation of REU research, and an extended research abstract. Since the conclusion of the program, 61% of participants have presented at or attended professional conferences and one student was awarded a patent with his faculty mentor based on his REU research. Ten participants have thus far successfully graduated with their A.S. (3) or B.S. (7) degrees. Of the seven B.S. graduates, five were accepted to graduate school, one is in the process of applying to graduate school, and one is working in a STEM field. Each A.S. graduate is currently pursuing BS STEM degrees at research universities. Outcomes of this REU program support the importance of positive and meaningful academic experiences and relationship-building within the context of culture and identity on persistence in four-year STEM degrees and into STEM graduate programs.
• Macpherson, A. J., Hennig, A., & Lamoreaux, D. (2017, November). Thinking Circles reveal insights into non-American Indian STEM teachers and American Indian youth in primary and secondary schools on Native nations. 124th Annual conference - American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Columbus, OH: National Science Foundation.
  More info

  This study used focus groups called Thinking Circles to gather valuable experiential data on perceived protective and risk factors for STEM non-Native teachers that potentially impact American Indian student and non-American Indian educator persistence in American Indian reservation schools. Participants in this study were teachers (N=29) in a National Science Foundation funded Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program from 17 different tribes across the United States. All participants taught science or math on American Indian reservations. Some participants were citizens of the reservations they taught on (n=9), while other teachers were non-American Indians contracted by the reservations to teach (n=20) on native lands. Three separate Thinking Circles were conducted over three summers and participants were prompted to brainstorm protective and risk factors for: 1) STEM non-American Indian teachers’ relatability to American Indian students; 2) American Indian student persistence; and 3) retention of STEM non-American Indian educators on the reservation. Once data were transcribed and reviewed, several patterns of insights emerged across prompts. Common protective factors for all three prompts emphasized the need for STEM non-American Indian teachers to: 1) gain the trust of students; 2) build relationships with students’ families, 3) learn about and participate in the local culture and language; and 4) engage with community members to build rapport. Identified risk factors across prompts included: 1) student absences; 2) STEM non-American Indian teachers’ lack of understanding of tribal community hierarchy and culture; 3) STEM non-American Indian teachers not feeling welcome or comfortable to participate in community ceremonies, and 4) STEM non-American Indian teachers not understanding how to apply STEM concepts within their students’ cultural context and existing STEM knowledge. That these patterns of identified protective factors and risk factors appeared across prompts and across different tribal regions and grade levels suggests the potential benefit of a future study to further investigate the correlation between non-American Indian teacher training and improved American Indian student persistence in STEM. These results have the potential to transform precollege STEM classrooms in reservation schools, university recruitment programs, and university teacher preparation curriculum.

Poster Presentations

• Huff, A. J., Brady, B. R., De La Rosa, J. S., Padilla, A. R., Romero, R., Phillips, K., Cheryl, G., Kutob, R. M., Lopez, V., Valencia, S., Cameron, E., Wallace, J., Molina, V., Silva, V., & Vanderah, T. W. (2024, October 23). Project FUTRE: Families Uplifted Through Recovery Education. Opioids in Pain & Addiction Symposium. Tucson, AZ: Comprehensive Center for Pain and Addiction.
• Krieger, L. B., Meyerson, B. E., Huff, A. J., Carter, G. A., & Brady, B. R. (2024, June 15-19). Trauma Histories, Symptoms, and Vicarious Trauma among Opioid Treatment Program Staff: Implications for Provider Functioning and Treatment Delivery. College on Problems of Drug Dependence 86th Annual Scientific meeting. Montreal, Canada: College on Problems of Drug Dependence.
• Meyerson, B. E., Krieger, L. B., Carter, G. A., Huff, A. J., & Brady, B. R. (2024). Making Connections to Improve Methadone Treatment: Are OTP Staff Work Characteristics, Lived SUD Experience and Trauma Associated with Beliefs about Trauma-Informed and Patient-Centered Care? . HEAL Scientific MeetingNational Institutes of Health.
• Park, J., Montero-Hernandez, S., Huff, A. J., Park, L., Lin, L., & Ahn, H. B. (2024, 2024, April). Subjective and Objective Pain Assessment in Persons With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: Comparisons Among Self-Report of Pain, Observer-Rated Pain Assessment, and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. 2024 fNIRS Conference: Society for near Infrared Spectroscopy. Birmingham, UK.
• Park, J., Montero-Hernandez, S., Huff, A. J., Park, L., Lin, L., & Ahn, H. B. (2024, April 14-17). Subjective and Objective Pain Assessment in Persons With Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: Comparisons Among Self-Report of Pain, Observer-Rated Pain Assessment, and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy. . 2024 USASP Annual Scientific Meeting. Seattle, WA.
• Huff, A. J., & Lutrick, K. (2021, October). Impact of COVID-19 on treatment seeking and relapse prevention for females in substance use disorder treatment in a female-only. Global Conference on Addiction Medicine, Behavioral health and Psychiatry. Virtual.
• Huff, A. J., Vanderah, T., Brady, B., De La Rosa, J. S., Romero, R., Glass, C., Ejezie, F., Padilla, A., Kutob, R., Lopez, V., & Cameron, E. (2021, October). Development of a Parent and Family Support Specialist Program: Project FUTRE: Families Uplifted Through Recovery Education. NAADAC Annual Conference: The Association for Addiction Professionals. Virtual.
• Macpherson, A. J. (2020, Spring). Indigenous Mentoring Program. American Chemical Society/NSF Annual Meeting. Alexandria, VA: National Science Foundation.
• Macpherson, A. J., Allen, A. M., Bueno, Y. M., Armin, J. S., Walden, C., & Mallahan, S. (2020, March). Development of an Adjunctive Behavioral Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder during the Postpartum Period. Public Health Poster Forum. University of Arizona - virtual: Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.
• Macpherson, A. J., Hsu, C., Calhoun, E., Gomez, J., Prado, Y., & Bezies-Lopez, D. (2019, December). Identification of Barriers to Breast Cancer Screening That Affect Compliance. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. San Antonio, TX: Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
• Macpherson, A. J., Prado, Y., Bezies-Lopez, D., Hsu, C., Calhoun, E., & Gomez, J. (2019, November). Identification of Barriers to Breast Cancer Screening That Affect Compliance. Arizona Community Health Outreach Workers (AZCHOW) 16th Annual Conference. Tucson, AZ: Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
• Macpherson, A. J., Chalasani, P., Calhoun, E., Gomez, J., Hsu, C., Lang, L., & Yessenia, P. (2018, January). Breast Cancer Screening Strategies for Latin American Women. Arizona Community Healthcare Outreach Workers (AzCHOW) 15th Annual Conference. Tucson, AZ: Breast Cancer Research Association.
• Macpherson, A. J., Fitzpatrick, K. A., Borders, M. H., Calhoun, E., Gomez, J., Hsu, C., Prado, Y., & Bezies-Lopez, D. (2018, December). Identification of Barriers to Breast Cancer Screening That Affect Compliance. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. San Antonio: Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
• Macpherson, A. J., Hennig, A., & Lamoreaux, D. (2017, October). Integrated Optics for Undergraduate Native Americans (REU: IOU-NA). 2017 NSF EEC Grantees Conference. Alexandria, VA: National Science Foundation.
  More info

  The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Research Experience for Teachers (RET) entitled Research in Optics for K-14 Teachers (ROKET) (#EEC-1300370 and #EEC-1009496) was a multidisciplinary RET in the Center for Integrated Access Networks (CIAN), an NSF funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) at the University of Arizona (UA). ROKET supported 50 teachers from Native American schools in a 6-week summer research experience over a 7 year period in labs in the College of Optical Sciences and the College of Science. Applying theories of American Indian identity development to teacher development, the goal of this program was to increase cultural awareness in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) classroom curriculum and build professional mentoring relationships to transform Native American classrooms and pique the interests of Native American youth toward STEM careers. The ROKET program collaborated with the American Indian Language Development Institute (AILDI) at the UA. For over thirty years, AILDI has lead efforts to document, revitalize, and promote indigenous languages, which improves articulation of mainstream science terms to the indigenous population. The collaboration between CIAN and AILDI represented a unique program for science educators working in Native American communities to apply STEM concepts through the lens of native language and culture and develop culturally competent STEM curriculum. In total, 289 applications were received for the ROKET program, with 50 participants selected from 42 different Native American schools across 12 different states. Some teachers were from the same school and a few participated in the program twice. Forty percent of the participants were Native Americans and 56% were females. Since the program, teachers have attended approximately 25 conferences, several with their students. Program deliverables included a research poster and two STEM lesson plans for their classroom – one with indigenous culture embedded into STEM concepts, and the other based their university research. Additionally, participants received $1500 toward classroom supplies to support the RET lesson plans. Outcomes include increased teacher confidence in performing research, improved laboratory skills, and greater understanding of STEM pedagogical development specifically geared toward Native American culture. Broader impacts of this program on Native American youth involve precollege partnerships developed between teachers and research mentors post-RET, such as student and faculty mentor visits to local participant classrooms at least once a year to support teachers with their RET research lesson plan; a nanophotonics afterschool club for 3rd graders; an afterschool STEM program bringing together precollege teachers, students, parents, and university students, an on-campus UA optics summer camp with an RET partner school; Frontiers for Young Minds project with CIAN and an RET participant’s students; STEM comic book development collaboration with an RET participant as illustrator; and RET STEM education contributions for dissemination on CIAN’s Photonics Hub, an online education clearinghouse. Lasting impacts such as these provide engaging academic experiences in STEM for Native American youth; improve teacher-student relationships; and bridge reservation schools, tribal communities, and the universities in the hopes of motivating Native American youth toward STEM careers.

Creative Productions

• Macpherson, A. J., & Hennig, A. (2015. Optics Adventures: The Road to Discovery. copyrighted publicationUniversity of Arizona/National Science Foundation.

Other Teaching Materials

• Huff, A. J., & De La Rosa, J. S. (2024. FCM 304 Pain and Society: Addressing the unmet needs of people living with pain as part of a comprehensive approach to pain management. Comprehensive Center for Pain and Addiction and Family and Community Medicine.