Education

• Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, Central Michigan University
• Master of Arts in Anthropology, University of Cincinnati
• PhD in Anthropology, University of Kentucky

Biography

Dr. Howell teaches service-learning, community-engaged, and interprofessional health courses and is the founder & director of the Healthy Aging Research Laboratory at UAA. She recently published "Anthropological Perspectives on Aging" with University Press of Florida and also serves as the Associate Editor for the Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology.

Teaching Responsibilities

• HS A305: Public Health for an Aging Society
• HS A320: Death, Dying & End-of-Life Care
• HS A345: Planning & Management of Health Programs
• HS A433: Health Education Theory & Practice
• COHI A420: Physical Activity & Aging
• PSY A658: Qualitative Methods

Professional & Department Service

• BSHS Assessment Coordinator
• Affiliate faculty in Department of Anthropology & Geography
• Alaska Dementia Action Collaborative
• Coordinator for the Occupational Endorsement Certificate (OEC) in Gerontology
• UAA Healthy Aging Research Lab

Research Interests

Dr. Howell's research focuses on involving older adults (aged 65+ years) in community-engaged projects with students to enhance healthy and positive aging. Her research involves undergraduate and graduate student research assistants from her UAA Healthy Aging Research Lab to investigate the barriers and facilitators to healthy aging, and develop interventions to improve health outcomes in the Circumpolar North.

Publications

• Worthington, A.K., Howell, B.M., Mahanna, A.M., and Musa, N.A. (2024). Designing health messages for older adults: Factors that influence older adults’ perceptions of hope for making health behavior changes. Journal of Language and Aging Research, 2(2):6-25. doi: 10.15460/JLAR.2024.2.2.1377.6.
• Howell, B.M., Worthington, A.K., Redmond, L.C., and Hiratsuka, V.Y. (2024). Student experiences with an interprofessional hope-based healthy aging research project. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1080/02701960.2024.2362766.
• Mahanna, A.M., Howell, B.M., Worthington, A.K., Redmond, L.C., and Hiratsuka, V.Y. (2024). Fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, and functional fitness among community-dwelling older adults in urban Alaska. International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 83(1). Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1080/22423982.2024.2359164.
• Howell, B.M., Trammell, S., Livingston, M., and Royer, R. (2024). Effectiveness and acceptability of an automatic toothbrush among residents in a long-term care home. Special Care in Dentistry. Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1111/scd.12996
• Howell, B.M., and Guest, M.A. (2024). Why gerontology needs anthropology: Toward an applied anthropological gerontology. Social Sciences, 13(1): 4, doi: 10.3390/socsci13010004
• Howell, B.M. and Peterson, J.R. (2024). Starting a university gerontology research laboratory: Experiences from researchers in public health and psychology. Geriatrics & Gerontology Education, 45(2): 166-179. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36573691/.
• Howell, B.M., Harvey, H., and Aguiniga. D. (2023). Creating and improving a faculty learning community for community-engaged research at a mid-sized, open-enrollment university. Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education, 27(3): 157-169. https://openjournals.libs.uga.edu/jheoe/article/view/2739/2986
• Howell, B.M., Buckingham, S.L., King, C., and Kelly, T. (2023). “A little bit fun, A little bit frustrating:” Utilizing Photovoice to document student responsibility during a global pandemic. Educational Action Research, 32(5): 848–866. doi: 10.1080/09650792.2023.2244536
• Howell, B.M., Peterson, J.R, and Corbett, S. (2023). Where are all the men? A qualitative review of the barriers, facilitators, and recommendations to older male participation in health promotion interventions. American Journal of Health Promotion, 37(3): 386-400. doi: 10.1177/08901171221123053.
• Howell, B.M., Dahl, E.S., Piech, A., and Farris, A. (2022). A community education curriculum using improvisational theatre techniques for informal dementia caregivers. Journal of Arts & Humanities, 11(9): 51-62, https://doi.org/10.18533/jah.v11i09.2293
• Howell, B.M., Piech, A., and Wolfe, C. (2022). Pilot of a communication program for dementia caregivers using improvisational techniques. Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine, 8: 1-3. doi: 10.1177/23337214221123733
• Howell, B.M., Hanson, B.L., and Wanner. S. (2022). Friendships forged in fitness: An ethnography of older women’s social experiences at a community fitness center. Alaska. Journal of Anthropology, 20(1): 67-81.
• Howell, B.M., Seater, M., Davis, K.E., & McLinden, D. (2022). Determining the
• importance and feasibility of various aspects of healthy aging among older adults using concept mapping. Ageing & Society, 42(6): 1403-1421. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X20001580.
• Peterson, J.R., Howell, B.M., and Hahn, M. (2022). Utilizing the “One Health” model to study aging in urban environments. Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine, 8: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/23337214221116946.
• Howell, B.M., Seater, M. and McLinden, D. (2021). Using concept mapping methods to define “healthy aging” in Anchorage, Alaska. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 40(4): 404-413. https://doi.org/10.1177/0733464819898643.
• Howell, B.M., Redmond, L.C., and Wanner, S. (2021). “I learned that I am loved:” Older adults and undergraduate students mutually benefit from an interprofessional service-learning health promotion program. Gerontology and Geriatrics Education, 42(2): 252-267. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701960.2020.1791104.
• Verbruggen, C., Howell, B.M., and Simmons, K. (2020). How we talk about aging during a global pandemic matters: On ageist othering and aging ‘others’ talking back. Anthropology & Aging, 41(2):230-245. https://doi.org/10.5195/aa.2020.277
• Howell, B.M. and Peterson, J.R. (2020). “With age comes wisdom:” A qualitative review of elder perspectives on healthy aging in the Circumpolar North. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology , 35(2):113-131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-020-09399-4.
• Howell, B.M. (2019). Interactions between diet, physical activity, and the sociocultural environment for older adult health in the Urban Subarctic. Journal of Community Health, 45(2), 252-263.
• Howell, B.M. and Bardach, S. (2018). “It’s a social thing:” Sociocultural experiences with nutrition and exercise in Anchorage, Alaska. Arctic Anthropology, 55(2):1-16. https://doi.org/10.3368/aa.55.2.1

Career History/Work Experience

• 2023 – 2025: Co-Director, National Resource Center for Alaska Native Elders, University of Alaska Anchorage
• July 2016-Sep 2018: Research & Development Coordinator, Hope Community Resources, Anchorage, AK
• 2007-2018: Adjunct Anthropology Instructor, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY
• 2009-2016: Adjunct Anthropology Instructor, Gateway Community and Technical College, Florence, KY
• July 2014-2016: Policy & Research Analyst III, State of Alaska, Division of Senior and Disabilities Services, Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education, Anchorage, AK
• 2014: Adjunct Anthropology Instructor, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY
• 2013: Teaching Assistant, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY