Ashley Spencer

• Member Spotlight

Ashley Spencer, BSPH and Node Coordinator for the Southwest region, was awarded a Best Poster Presentation at the 13th Annual Frontiers of Translational Science Research Day, hosted by the Institute for Integration of Medicine & Science (IIMS) at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UTHSCSA), in partnership with the University of Texas at San Antonio’s (UTSA) Research Centers in Minority Institutions and Department of Biomedical Engineering. Ashley presented in an engaging and eloquent manner the poster “Informatics Approach to Monitoring Participant Recruitment through the National Dental PBRN”, which highlighted the ongoing Post Operative Pain Study (POPS).

“The Institute for Integration of Medicine & Science (IIMS) at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UTHSCSA), in partnership with the University of Texas at San Antonio’s (UTSA) Research Centers in Minority Institutions and Department of Biomedical Engineering, hosted the 13th Annual Frontiers of Translational Science Research Day – April 26, 2023. This showcases highlighted posters that illustrate either completed or ongoing research projects in the Translational Science. This year’s winner, Ashley Spencer, BSPH., recipient of the Research Day ‘Other Category’ Award. She was recognized on April 26, 2023, during a reception hosted by IIMS and UTHSCSA, for her outstanding poster presentation of the National Dental PBRN’s Post-Operative Pain Study. Ashley presented the poster on the study’s informatics in an engaging and eloquent manner.”

WHEN DID YOU BECOME A COORDINATOR AT THE NETWORK? WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THIS POSITION?

I became a coordinator at the Network in January 2023. I began as a University of Texas at San Antonio student intern to complete my senior year bachelor’s degree in public health and was then recently hired as an university employee for this role.

WHAT WAS YOUR POSTER ABOUT AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS TOPIC?

My poster highlighted the ongoing longitudinal cohort study of the National Dental PBRN’s Post-Operative Pain Study. I presented this topic because I am the Southwest Node Coordinator for this study, and I have been training the practitioners. I enjoyed sharing our informatics, data, and the desired goal of our study at the 13th Frontiers of Translational Science Research Day with an audience of people that showed interest and curiosity.

DO YOU HAVE PLANS FOR OTHER PRESENTATIONS OR ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE NETWORK? WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?

Next, I am focusing on completing my application for Texas Dental Schools, and I will continue to work with the National Dental PBRN on any upcoming studies, grants, and manuscripts. Within the Southwest node, we plan to present a poster about the Dental Implant Restoration Registry Study at the Community Engagement Science Symposium in San Antonio, TX.