Ismatara Reena

"Dr. Ismatara Reena is an Assistant Professor and Graduate Coordinator at UL Lafayette’s School of Kinesiology. With a background in medicine, nutrition, public health, and educational leadership, she brings an interdisciplinary lens to health education, graduate advising, and student development.

Since joining UL Lafayette in 2020, she has taught undergraduate and graduate courses and integrates evidence-based teaching in hybrid and online formats. As a thesis mentor and advisor, she encourages students to present and publish. Her research interests are mental health, substance use, eHealth literacy, and breastfeeding, published in multiple journals and presented at conferences. Dr. Reena is a CHES Certified member of APHA, LPHA, ACHA, SWCHA, CUR, and Secretary of the Zonta Club of Lafayette.
As Graduate Coordinator, she promotes academic rigor, inclusivity, and student-centered leadership. Her work is grounded in preparing the next generation of scholars and public health professionals."

EdD- Doctorate in Educational Leadership
Lamar University, 2018

MS in Health Promotion
Lamar University, 2012

MS in Food and Nutrition
Lamar University, 2010

MBBS
Rajshahi University,  Bangladesh, 1999

Public health issues affecting marginalized populations (women, international students, etc), 
Mental health, 
Mental health literacy
eHealth literacy,
Physical activity
Breastfeeding, 
Substance use, 
and 
Social determinants of health. 

Mumu, S. H., & Reena, I. (2025). Physical Literacy and Perceived Benefit of Quarantine Physical Activity among University Students. Dialog in Health (Submitted: Submission ID#DIALOG-D-25-00337)

Mumu, S. H., Foloruns. T., Badu, J. P. Hassa, N. F., & Reena. I. (2025). Post-reform cannabis use and major depressive episode: A naturalistic investigation. Journal of Contemporary Studies in Epidemiology and Public Health, 6(1), ep25001. https://doi.org/10.29333/jconseph/16127

Reena, I. & Mumu, S. H. (2024). Trajectories of Marijuana Use, and Co-Occurring Depression and Alcohol Use Disorder among Adolescents in the United States. Global Research Journal, 7, 70-84. DOI: 10.57259/GRJN4514

Hebert, E., Jeon, K., Wood, R., Reena, I., Hey, W., Hickey, S., Noll, K., Peevy, A., Reynolds, J., & Thomas, P. (2024). Studying U.S. College Faculty during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perceptions of Severity, Concerns, Sources of Information, Preventive Behaviors, Barriers to Work Performance, and Impact on Work Productivity. Pedagogical Research, 9(1), Article No: em0175.  https://doi.org/10.29333/pr/13885

Reena, I., Hebert, E., Das, K. P., Dipti, S. M., Gope, N. C., & Doe, R. (2023). Anxiety and depression among U.S. international students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Education, 143(3), 89-99.

Hebert, E., Wood, R., Jeon, K., & Reena, I. (2022). Faculty making the emergency online transition during the COVID-19 pandemic: Effects of prior online teaching experience and strategies used to learn to teach online. Higher Learning Research Communications 12, 4. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef].

Hernandez, B. L., Reena, I., Strickland, G., & Ruiz, C. (2015). The impact of infant feeding methods on childhood obesity/overweight levels of children at age 2, 3, and 4 years. Global Journal of Health Education and Promotion, 16(2), 1 – 17.

Reena, I., Ruiz, C. S., Shows, A. R., & Wallet-Chalambaga, K. A. (2014). Breastfeeding Promotion in an Ethnically Diverse Adolescent Sample. International Journal of Nursing.

KNES Outstanding Faculty of the Year 2023-2024
Rising Star Award Winner 2022-2023
Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award Nomination 2020-2021
Appointment to Graduate Faculty, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Fall 2020"