LORRAINE B. ROBBINS

Professor
College of Nursing

Lorraine Robbins is an internationally recognized researcher who has collaborated with educators, health professionals, and community stakeholders to improve the health and well-being of underrepresented adolescents in Michigan.

A professor of nursing, Robbins came to Michigan State University in 2005. Over the past two decades, she has devoted her career to research, education, and community engagement. Her work focuses on the issue of declining physical activity and poor nutrition among adolescents ages 10-14, which places this population at risk for obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

Two notable National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-funded studies included the Girls on the Move Intervention ($3.76 million) and Guys/Girls Opt for Activities for Life or the GOAL Trial ($3.86 million). Together these studies involved over 2,000 adolescents.

Dr. Robbins has established longstanding partnerships with Michigan schools, particularly in underserved urban communities. She has actively contributed to community initiatives, including collaboration with the Coordinated School Health Team in the Lansing School District and with MSU Extension. More recently, she has expanded her efforts to include parents and guardians in interventions to support adolescents’ physical activity and nutrition.

In addition to publishing her research in over 80 peer-reviewed publications, she has presented at professional conferences in the United States, Colombia, Mexico, and China. Robbins also has been inducted into the prestigious American Academy of Nursing.

“Her achievements, particularly in the realm of adolescent health, reflect her deep commitment to translating research into meaningful, life-changing community-based interventions,” wrote Leigh Small, dean of the College of Nursing, in her nomination letter.