Principal Investigators Dr. James F. Sallis, Ph.D. Dr. Sallis is a Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University. He is an internationally recognized authority on health psychology and health behavior, especially physical activity. Dr. Sallis has authored over 300 scientific publications. website Dr. Brian E. Saelens, Ph.D. Dr. Saelens is Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio. His research helps to gain a better understanding of the factors that influence an individual’s choice to be physically active or sedentary and to the treatment of childhood obesity. website Dr. Lawrence D. Frank, Ph.D. Dr. Frank is Associate Professor, Bombardier Chair at University of British Columbia and President of Lawrence Frank and Co., Inc. He has published extensive research on the relation of urban land use to air pollution and transportation choices. He has a unique understanding of the public health implications of land use decisions through his work with the Centers for Disease Control. website Other faculty investigators Terry L. Conway, Ph.D. Dr. Conway is a Research Professor in the Graduate School of Public Health and Lecturer in the Psychology Department at San Diego State University. She has substantial research experience with various health behaviors including tobacco use (prevention, cessation, secondhand exposure), physical activity, and dietary practices and has authored or coauthored over 60 publications. C. Richard Hofstetter, Ph.D. Dr. Hofstetter is a professor of political science and adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Public Health at SDSU. He has founded and directed several behavioral science laboratories and specializes in survey research, research design, statistical applications and has strong substantive interests in communication and modification of health behaviors. website Melbourne Hovell, Ph.D. Dr. Hovell is a Professor in Public Health at San Diego State University. He is an internationally recognized authority on behavioral epidemiology and health behavior Dr. Hovell has authored over 150 scientific publications. website Donald Slymen, Ph.D. Dr. Slymen is a Professor of Public Health at San Diego State University. He is Co-investigator and Biostatistician on numerous behavioral intervention studies on physical activity, nutrition, and smoking and alcohol prevention. His specialty areas in biostatistics include the design and analysis of cluster randomization trials, longitudinal data analysis and statistical applications to health services research. Project Managers Kelli Cain, M.A. Kelli Cain is the Project Manager at the research center site in San Diego, CA and coordinates recruitment efforts between the Cincinnati, Atlanta, and San Deigo study locations. She received her Masters degree in Psychology from San Diego State University. Her interests include psychological and environmental correlates of health behaviors. Some of her previous work has examined psychological correlates of smoking and alternative treatments for mental illness. Her current efforts are focused on environmental correlates of health behaviors Research Assistants Nick Burchfield Research Assistant Nick Burchfield is the one of the newest additions to the NQLS staff. He is a graduate of Trinity College in Hartford, CT, where he majored in sociology and played on the baseball team. Having grown up in Boston, MA, Nick is new to San Diego, but says he is enjoying the west coast and "doesn't see himself going anywhere anytime soon". Carrie Franklin Carrie Franklin is a graduate of the University of California at San Diego. She works for the Neighborhood Quality of Life Study as the study's project assistant. Erin Merz Erin Merz is a graduate of Miami University (Ohio) with a bachelor's in Psychology. She recently joined the NQLS team upon relocating to San Diego from the Chicago area. When she is not at the office she enjoys horseback riding, running and living near the ocean. Chikarlo Leak Chikarlo Leak is one of our newest research assistants in San Diego. He is a native of Pittsburgh and graduated from Slippery Rock University with a bachelor’s degree in Health Services Administration. Currently he is enrolled in the Masters of Public Health program at San Diego State University. When not at work he enjoys taking in the nice weather the west coast has to offer and spending time with his dog.