Zuckerman College of Public Health’s Purnima Madhivanan named a top mentor at U of A

Purnima Madhivanan, PhD, MBBS, MPH, an associate professor of health promotion at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, received a Mentoring Future Scholars Award for 2025.

The annual award honors faculty for their achievements mentoring graduate students. Madhivanan will be recognized Oct. 16 at the Luminaries Outstanding Faculty Awards event.

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“This award is one of the highest honors I could receive because it comes directly from my students and faculty, whose careers I have had the privilege of supporting,” said Madhivanan, a member of the BIO5 Institute. “It’s an affirmation of the work I value most — investing in my peers and the next generation. While I’m proud of my research portfolio, I genuinely believe that my most enduring contribution is the pipeline of bright, ethical and talented scholars I’ve had the opportunity to work with and helped launch.”

It's a fitting honor for Madhivanan, said Iman Hakim, MD, PhD, MPH, dean of the Zuckerman College of Public Health.

“We are so fortunate to have Dr. Madhivanan teaching and mentoring our students,” Hakim said. “The breadth of her knowledge and experience and her passion to change the world inspire our students. Purnima not only supports her students, but she also personifies how determination combined with the application of public health tools can make a profound difference in the health of entire communities. I’m so proud that she has received this Mentoring Future Scholars Award.”

Madhivanan is an advisor to state departments of public health, nonprofits and governmental research organizations. Her work focuses on underserved populations, bringing to light the dynamics of poverty, gender and the environmental determinants of health, particularly their impact on women and children living in rural communities. She established a clinic in Mysore, India, in 2005 while completing her PhD dissertation.

As a mentor, Madhivanan, who has been at the U of A since 2019, is an inspirational leader. She is both an advocate and an ally, her mentees told the nominating committee.

Madhivanan said she was deeply moved by their comments.

“As a faculty member, one often wonders if our efforts truly resonate or if we're making the right impact,” she said. “To have my mentees, the people I respect and advocate for, use the term ‘inspirational leader’ is a powerful validation. If my mentees find inspiration in my leadership, I hope it’s because they see my investment in them and a genuine belief in their potential. It simply reinforces my commitment to always show up and be there for them.”

Madhivanan said she relied heavily on her own mentors, from whom she still seeks guidance. She sees her role as paying it forward for future generations.

“Mentoring is vital because it provides the scaffolding and the compass for navigating our complex world,” Madhivanan said. “It’s not enough to teach research skills. We must teach resilience, how to find our voice in a crowded field and how to communicate in this fragile digital environment. Having a mentor provides the only safe space sometimes for an emerging scholar to admit they are struggling.”