Dr. Luma Masarweh-Zawahri is a Research Associate at the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education, where she applies her expertise in public health, epidemiology, and sociology to a range of research and evaluation projects focused on substance use disorders (SUD), behavioral health, health disparities, and social determinants of health. She works across multiple federally and state-funded initiatives, including the Ohio Substance Use Disorders Center of Excellence (SUD COE), Cuyahoga County Overdose Data to Action (OD2A), the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP), and the Woodruff Foundation Project. Through these projects, she specializes in qualitative and mixed-methods research, implementation science, and program evaluation, helping to translate research findings into policy and practice while improving access to care for vulnerable populations.
Dr. Masarweh-Zawahri has extensive experience conducting research on marginalized communities, including Native Americans, Arab Americans, women veterans, and immigrant populations. Her work highlights the importance of integrating the voices of those most impacted by health inequities into research, policy, and intervention efforts. Before joining the Begun Center, she worked at the RAND Corporation, where she contributed to studies on patient- centered medical home transformation, healthcare access, and community-based interventions. She also worked with USAID on women’s health initiatives where she was involved in community-based outreach, health education, and program evaluation.
In addition to her research, Dr. Masarweh-Zawahri has over six years of teaching experience as an Adjunct Instructor where she taught courses on prejudice and discrimination, social and cultural diversity, and race and ethnicity. She also serves as the Co-Chair of the Committee on the Status of Ethnicity, Race, and Racism and the chairs the Charles Willie Minority Graduate Aware for the Eastern Sociological Society (ESS), where she works on initiatives to address racial and ethnic disparities within academia and research.
She was awarded her Ph.D. in Sociology from Case Western Reserve University, specializing in Medical Sociology and Aging & the Life Course. Her doctoral research examined the transnational experiences of second-generation Arab Americans, investigating how discrimination, cultural ties, and institutional affiliations shape their identities and connections to their ancestral homelands. She also holds a master’s degree in Sociology and a B.S. in Public Health-Epidemiology from Brigham Young University.
Dr. Masarweh-Zawahri has authored and co-authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and has several manuscripts in progress, including research on barriers to opioid use disorder treatment, social determinants of substance use in Cuyahoga County, discrimination and transnational identity among Arab Americans. She is also a mentor for undergraduate and graduate students at Case Western Reserve University and other Ohio institutions.
Q: Why is your work at the Begun Center important to you, to our community, and to the world?
I believe in using research to bridge gaps in health and social equity. At the Begun Center, I have the opportunity to translate data into actionable policy recommendations and community interventions that improve outcomes for individuals with substance use disorders and co- occurring conditions.
Q: What is a cause about which you are particularly passionate?
I am committed to addressing health disparities by improving access to care and resources for marginalized populations. My work centers on ensuring that racial, ethnic, and religious minorities, and individuals with SUD and co-occurring mental health disorders, receive the support and services they need to thrive.