Laura Poms, PhD

Laura Wheeler Poms is the Director of Mason Core, George Mason University’s general education program and a Professor in Global and Community Health in Mason’s College of Public Health. In addition to overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Mason Core program, she collaborates with faculty across the university to develop, revise, and assesses courses in the Mason Core portfolio.

Her research interests include the scholarship of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on student self-efficacy, active learning, and STEM education. She is the co-author of Understanding Epidemiology, now in its third edition, which is one of the only textbooks specifically designed to teach epidemiology to undergraduate students. She was a George Mason University Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning faculty fellow, working with colleagues to implement active learning strategies in STEM courses. She also served as an Office of Scholarship, Creative Activities and Research (OSCAR) faculty fellow, working on curriculum development and assessment at the University level.

Honors and Awards

• Shirley B. Travis Habit of Excellence Award, 2021, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University
• Teaching Excellence Award, 2018, George Mason University
• Master Teacher Award, 2016, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University
• Graduate Public Health Award, 2011, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University

Degrees

• PhD, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, George Mason University
• MPH, Epidemiology, George Mason University
• MA, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, George Mason University
• MA, Public Communication, The American University
• BA, Psychology, The College of William and Mary