CVIP Doctoral Affiliate Annah Bender Selected as PhD Scholar 

​CVIP doctoral affiliate Annah Bender has been selected as its new PhD Scholar. A third year doctoral student in the Brown School, Annah’s primary research interest includes intimate partner violence and women’s health, mental health, and rural populations. Her dissertation proposes examining the perspectives on and practices for intimate partner violence among rural primary health care providers, as well as the perception of the physician-patient encounter among survivors of intimate partner violence. Annah brings to her research a plethora of direct practice experience, having served as a case manager, counselor and advocate for survivors of intimate partner violence for multiple domestic violence agencies over the last decade. Additionally, her research background includes several research assistantships, including one as part of a CVIP-affiliated project at Saint Louis University, in which she worked on a team that designed trainings about the prevention of sexual violence for social workers and public health professionals in Missouri.     

The CVIP PhD Scholar program is a one-year competitively awarded, paid, transdisciplinary predoctoral training program. It is open to PhD students from Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University, or University of Missouri-St. Louis with research agendas that align with our focus. The program seeks to prepare promising new scholars to continue to pursue cutting edge, real-world research in the area of violence prevention and harm reduction associated with exposure to violence. 

Annah states that “I am looking forward to working with CVIP scholars, faculty, and community partners. One of the reasons I am proud to be affiliated with the CVIP…is the commitment to transdisciplinary and community collaboration. As a former practitioner, I especially appreciate the CVIP’s focus on solid research that is tied to real-world applications aimed at affecting peoples’ lives. My year as a Ph.D. scholar will provide me with training to become the kind of researcher I want to be.” Congratulations Annah.