PULLMAN, Wash. — Elizabeth Weybright, associate professor and adolescent Extension specialist in Washington State University’s Department of Human Development, was recognized nationally this fall for her collaboration with Cooperative Extension to promote adolescent health.
An expert on adolescent health behaviors, Weybright is one of two public university scholars to be honored with the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities‘ (APLU) 2024 Board on Health and Human Sciences Award. She was recognized Nov. 10, 2024, at a ceremony in Orlando, Florida, that also showcased teaching, research, and Extension awardees from APLU’s Food Systems Leadership Institute and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The award is given to faculty members who exhibit exceptional creativity and scholarship in their outreach, Extension, and public service work. Singled out for her research on youth substance use and firearm injury prevention, Weybright led an interdisciplinary team in adapting a youth substance use prevention program to better meet family needs in a state with legalized cannabis. That project was noted by the board.
“It’s an honor to be recognized,” Weybright said. “I feel really fortunate to work alongside amazing colleagues in Extension and to see our research impacting communities.”
Also a 2022 winner of the CAHNRS Faculty Excellence in Extension Award, Weybright has made a positive impact on WSU, Extension, and health efforts throughout the state. Envisioning an expanded WSU Extension role in the delivery of health services, she contributes to the organization’s visibility across WSU, Washington state, and nationally, most recently through her co-authored book, “Health Extension: Community-Based Healthcare and the Future of Cooperative Extension.”
“Elizabeth’s collaborative, innovative, and forward-looking approaches have not only advanced Extension but also made a profound impact within Washington state and beyond,” commented Vicki McCracken, associate dean and director of WSU Extension.
Part of APLU, the Board on Health and Human Sciences is a national advocacy organization of public research universities and land-grant institutions and an association of higher education administrators leading public research, outreach, and teaching programs across the country.
The annual Board on Health and Human Sciences awards support academic excellence, help leverage resources, and educate leaders on the discipline’s capacity to solve human problems. The awards are part of the board’s broader mission to promote the intellectual integrity and stature of the human sciences at APLU member institutions.