Directors’ Message
Stephanie T. Lanza
PRC Director
Greg M. Fosco
PRC Associate Director
The Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Center (PRC) is a vibrant, interdisciplinary research center devoted to improving the health and well-being of children, youth, and families. Founded in 1998 by Mark Greenberg, a pioneer of prevention research, the center continues to thrive today and impact the lives of individuals and the fabric of communities around the nation and beyond.
We envision prevention research as a critical part of the solution to many of the pressing, complex health problems facing the world today. Rather than focusing on the treatment of diseases such as diabetes and substance use disorder, or on the consequences of academic failure or criminal activity, we conduct and leverage research to create programs designed to prevent these and other devastating outcomes before they occur. Prevention programs hold enormous potential to benefit society and improve the world in which we live. We work to identify societal problems and apply cutting-edge strategies to solving those problems. Additionally, we are committed to a focus on reducing health disparities evidenced in all vulnerable populations, including socio-economically disadvantaged, racial-ethnic minority, and sexual minority populations.
The PRC is devoted not only to preventing problems, but also to promoting wellness.”
Today, the PRC is an active intellectual community comprising more than 100 research scientists and faculty affiliates spanning many departments and colleges throughout Penn State and involves close collaborators across the nation and world. Our diversity of expertise is matched by a shared culture of excellence and appreciation of interdisciplinary research conducted with a common purpose. Training the next generation of prevention scientists continues to be a focus, as these individuals can ensure society’s long-term benefits of prevention research.
We invite you to spend time on our website to learn more about the latest discoveries, achievements, and evidence of our impact on health. We hope that you will join us at upcoming events, and we look forward to opportunities for you to connect with us here at Penn State or at national scientific meetings. Please join us in our shared vision of improving health and promoting wellness through prevention research!
