Rupa Valdez, PhD, MS

Charlottesville, Virginia

Associate Professor, University of Virginia 
Representing: Researchers
Term Ends August 2024

Rupa Valdez is an associate professor at the University of Virginia with joint appointments in the School of Medicine and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Valdez is also a core faculty member of Global Studies and the Disability Studies Initiative.

Valdez merges the disciplines of human factors engineering, health informatics, and cultural anthropology to understand and support the ways in which people manage health at home and in the community. Valdez’s research and teaching focuses on underserved populations, including populations that are racial/ethnic minorities, are of low socioeconomic status, or are living with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. Her work draws heavily on community engagement and has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Kellogg Foundation, among others.

Valdez serves as an Associate Editor for Journal of American Medical Informatics Association Open and on the Board of Directors for the American Association of People with Disabilities. She previously served as the Division Chair of Internal Affairs for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Valdez is the founder and president of Blue Trunk Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to making it easier for people with chronic health conditions, disabilities, and age-related conditions to travel. Valdez lives with multiple chronic health conditions and disabilities, which have influenced and continue to influence her work and advocacy.