Barbara Rochen Renner, PhD

Meet Your Allied Health Sciences Library Liaison

Bio

Barbara's professional interests and areas of expertise include health professions education; distance learning; program evaluation; resources in support of research using qualitative and mixed methods, including for implementation science, and single subject designs; mentoring; integration of librarians on research teams. Barbara has completed UNC's Green Zone Training, Safe Zone Training for LGBTQIA+ Awareness & Inclusivity through the Medical Library Association, and UNC Center for Faculty Excellence's Equity in Teaching Institute.

Barbara has worked in a variety of positions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC).

Health Sciences Library: In her position as Library Liaison to the Department of Allied Health Sciences, Barbara teaches course and curriculum integrated class sessions in support of the many degree and certificate programs in the department. She also works with administrators, staff, faculty, and researchers in the department; preceptors/field work supervisors who supervise student clinicians in the community; rehabilitation specialists at the UNC Medical Center; and others. Barbara serves on the department’s Research Advisory and Wellness Committees and provides support to and participates in activities of the department's Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Team. Barbara has worked with graduate library science students and graduate allied health sciences students to help uncover the history of Allied Health Sciences education at UNC. She worked with several Allied Health Sciences divisions to produce a series of in-library and online exhibitions in honor of the new Physician Assistant program and the anniversaries of the founding of the Divisions of Physical Therapy (50th), Speech and Hearing Sciences (40th), and Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy (30th).  Ongoing online versions of some of these exhibits include the UNC Physician Assistant Program Exhibit, the Voices online exhibit, and Occupation Matters. Barbara also serves as Library Services Evaluation Specialist at the Health Sciences Library. 

For her work creating and directing the Health Sciences Library's YOUR HEALTH® Radio partnership with the Family Medicine Department at UNC-Chapel Hill, Barbara was awarded the University's 2013 Robert E. Bryan Public Service Award, recognizing, "extraordinary public service and engagement." 

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries: Barbara previously served as Distance Learning Specialist for UNC-Chapel Hill's libraries and was a member of the campus-wide Distance Education Policy Steering Committee.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine: During her years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Barbara has also worked with the state-wide autism program, TEACCH, and in the School of Medicine's Rehabilitation Program Office (precursor to the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation). She was a faculty member in the School of Medicine's Department of Medicine, participating in research at the NIH-funded Thurston Arthritis Research Center (then, the Multipurpose Arthritis Center). She also served as Director, Division of Student Affairs, in the Office of the Dean of the Medical School and in the Office of Community Medical Education, where she co-directed the Medical Practice and the Community course and served as course faculty for the Ambulatory Care Selective and for a 4th year medical student elective.

Education

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA

  • BSEd, MEd, Speech Pathology and Audiology
  • PhD, Educational Research and Evaluation Methodology