Dr. Carlos Rodriguez-Diaz is a community health scientist, and he conducts community-based participatory research in Puerto Rico, the United States of America, and the Caribbean Region. His work has focused on health equity through actions on the social determinants of health. He has led several programs and research projects addressing health inequities among populations made socially vulnerable, including people with HIV, Hispanic/Latinxs, incarcerated populations, and sexual and gender minority groups. He has several funded projects to develop interventions to enhance HIV prevention services, improve primary care for Latinx and transgender populations, and improve continuity of care for justice-involved people.
Dr. Rodriguez-Diaz is the first author of one of the most cited publications about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Latino communities. In addition, he is an academic advocate and committed mentor.
Dr. Carlos E. Rodriguez-Diaz is a native of Puerto Rico, a Spanish-speaker, and an experienced bilingual-bicultural researcher with a background in community health and expertise in HIV socio-behavioral research among Latino populations. He has nearly two decades of experience conducting research and implementing HIV interventions with socially vulnerable populations, particularly Latinx groups and Puerto Rico.
He has developed collaborations with community-based organizations (CBOs), primary health care services, and governmental agencies in Puerto Rico and the United States to implement at least 15 funded projects. He also has experience developing implementation science research for HIV prevention with sexual and gender minorities and developing prevention interventions with marginalized communities.
Dr. Rodriguez-Diaz is the first author of one of the most cited publications about the risk for COVID-19 infection and death among Latinos in the United States. In addition, he is an academic activist and committed mentor. His research and scholarship have led to coverage in well-known national and international media sources such as the Washington Post, The Hill, The Guardian, El Nuevo Día (Puerto Rico), El Mercurio (Chile), and Folha de S.Paulo (Brazil), as well as in research publications and conferences.
Rodriguez-Diaz completed post-doctoral training in HIV and Global Health Research, a Ph.D. in Public Health with a major in Community Health, and an MPH in Health Education. He has also completed post-graduate training in health policy, human rights, and health diplomacy.