FACULTY PROFILES

Maria O. Duarte-Gardea

Department Chair
Public Health Sciences

Professor
Public Health Sciences
Interdisciplinary Health Sciences

Office Building: Health Sciences and Nursing Building
Office Room: 403
Phone: (915) 747-7252
Email: moduarte@utep.edu

Expertise: See Research Profile in Expertise Connector

Bio

Dr. Maria Duarte-Gardea is a professor of nutrition with research interest in nutrition and chronic disease prevention. Has been the Chairperson in the Department of Public Health Sciences since 2009.

Awards and Honors

2025 Outstanding Researcher - Distinguished Career - The University of Texas at El Paso - Research and Innovation (04/23/2025)
ORSP New Grant Award Recognition - Paso Del Norte Community Foundation (05/01/2023-05/31/2023)
Fall 2022 UTEP University Faculty Marshal of Students Health Sciences - The University of Texas at El Paso (12/10/2022)
Fall 2021 UTEP University Faculty Marshal of Students Health Sciences - The University of Texas at El Paso (12/11/2021)
2021 Texas Distinguish Scientist Award - Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (04/08/2021)
Spring 2019 Grand Marshal - The University of Texas at El Paso (05/18/2019)
2019 - 2020 UTEP CHS Global Engagement Fellowship - College of Health Sciences Charles H. & Shirley T. Leavell Endowed Chair in Health Sciences (12/13/2018)
Texas Diabetes Council - Texas Government (04/05/2018)
Texas Diabetes Council Member - Texas Diabetes Council (01/01/2011-12/31/2011)

Education

Ph D in Nutrition/Toxicology, New Mexico State University (1994)
MS in Nutrition/Toxicology, New Mexico State University (1991)
MS in Food Science, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua (1985)
BS in Food Chemical Engineering, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua (1980)

Publications

Hispanic-Serving Institutions Contribution to the Training and Diversity of Public Health and Health Care Workforce. American Journal of Public Health 114 (2024), Jeannie B. Concha, Emre Umucu, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Azuri L. Gonzalez, Guillermina Solis, Amanda Loya, Laura E. O'Dell, Roy Mathew.
Hispanic-Serving Institutions Contribution to the Training and Diversity of Public Health and Health Care Workforce. American Journal of Public Health 114 (2024), Jeannie B. Concha, Emre Umucu, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Azuri L. Gonzalez, Guillermina Solis, Amanda Loya, Laura E. O'Dell, Roy Mathew.
Differences in Inflammatory and Nutritional Biomarkers in Community Dwelling Older Adults With and Without Sarcopenia Current Developments in Nutrition Volume 8 Supplement 2 (2024), Marni Shoemaker, Suzette Pereira , Zachary Gillen, Cory Smith , Maria O. Duarte-Gardea.
A Socio-Ecological Approach to A Community-Based Health Promotion Intervention on the US-Mexico Border: Insights and Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic Journal of Applied Social Science (2023), Yok-Fong Paat, Elizabeth Camacho, Sarah Ruiz, Diego Garcia Tovar, Gina Núñez-Mchiri, Duarte Maria, Guadalupe Corral, Sandra Oviedo Ramire, Christine Markham, Torres-Hostos Luis, Karim C. Singh, Hector Zamora, Nathan W. Myers.
Influences of Vitamin D and Iron Status on Skeletal Muscle Health: A Narrative Review Nutrients 14 13 (2022), Marni Shoemaker, Owen Salmon, Cory Smith, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Joel Cramer.
Case Study 1. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and the Plate Concept Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics First (2021), Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Alyce Thomas.
Case Study 3. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Pregnancy Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics First (2021), Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Alyce Thomas.
Case Study 4. Preconception Care for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics First (2021), Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Alyce Thomas .
Influence of Sociocultural Background and Health Literacy on Nutrition Care of Pregnant Women with Diabetes Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics First (2021), Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Alyce Thomas.
Diabetes Assessment in the County of El Paso, Texas: Report for Phase 2-Focus Group discussions with Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and People with Diabetes (2021), Jeannie B. Concha, Maria Duarte, Eva Moya, Denise N. Portillo.

Presentations

Training the Next Generation of Diabetes Advocates While Bringing Awareness in Far West Texas. (2025), Volume Phoenix, AZ, Denise Portillo, Sarah Ruiz, Ximena Burgos Monzon, Cynthia Wittenburg, Joao B. Ferreira-Pinto, Michael Kelly, Audrey Garcia, William H. Robertson, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea.
New Directions for Advancing Latino Health Research Towards Equitable Systems Change : Hispanic-Serving Institutions Contribution to the Training and Diversity of Public Health and Health Care Workforce. American Public Health (2024), Volume Minneapolis, Jeannie B. Concha, Emre Umucu, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Azuri L. Gonzalez, Guillermina Solis, Amanda Loya, Laura E. O'Dell, Roy Mathew.
Differences in inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers in community dwelling older adults with and withour sarcopenia (2024), Marni Shoemaker, Suzzette Prereira, Zachary Gillen, Cory Smith, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Ricardo Rueda, Joel Cramer.
Building effective community partnerships: Insights from Healthy Families Healthy Kids Initiative (2024), Volume San Antonio, Yok-Fong Paat, Sarah L. Ruiz, David A. Perez, Diego E. Garcia Tovar, Angela Dorado, Brenda Ramirez Vara, Nathan W. Myers, Elizabeth Camacho, Polanco Rosa, Karim C. Singh, Gina G. Nunez-Mchiri, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Sandra Oviendo Ramirez, Guadalupe Corral, Hector Zamora.
The Use of Person-First Language in Diabetes Care and Research: How Far Have We Come Since ADA & ADCES Recommendations? A Systematic Review. (2022), Volume Boston MA, Denise N. Portillo, Maria Duarte-Gardea, Eva Moya, Jeannie B. Concha.
The Use of Person-First Language in Diabetes Care & Research. How Far Have We Come Since ADA & ADCES Recommendations?: A Systematic Review (2022), Volume Boston, MA, Denise Portillo, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Eva Moya, Jeannie Concha.
Diabetes Assessment in El Paso, Texas using ADA Chronic Care Model. (2022), Volume New Orleans LA, Sudip Bajpeyi, Jeannie B. Concha, Maria Duarte-Cardea, Eva Moya, Denise N. Portillo.
Diabetes Assessment in the El Paso, Texas using ADA Chronic Care Model (2022), Sudip Bajpeyi, J B. Concha, M O. Duarte, E M. Moya.

Grants

U54: Border Biomedical Research Center (BBRC) (09/11/2025 - 03/31/2030) - NIMHD/NIH
UTEP Diabetes Awareness Training for Community Outreach (09/01/2023 - 08/31/2024) - Paso Del Norte Health Foundation
COVID-19 Multimodal Education Program (02/11/2022 - 12/31/2023) - Texas Department of State Health Services

Current/Future Courses

Term	Course	Section	Syllabus
Spring 2026	CHSC 6390 - Directed Study	22081
Spring 2026	CHSC 6398 - Dissertation	22092
Spring 2026	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	22100
Spring 2026	PUBH 5395 - Graduate Project I	22883
Spring 2026	PUBH 5396 - Graduate Project II	22888
Spring 2026	PUBH 5397 - Graduate Research Project	21395
Spring 2026	CHSC 6385 - Independent Study	22065
Spring 2026	PUBH 5358 - Independent Study	21392
Spring 2026	HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health	20224
Spring 2026	HSCI 4313 - Practicum I	23725	Syllabus
Spring 2026	CHSC 6388 - Research Applications	22074
Spring 2026	PUBH 5398 - Thesis I	22322
Spring 2026	PUBH 5399 - Thesis II	20995

Past Courses

Select Term:

Term	Course	Section	Syllabus
Summer 2025	PUBH 5358 - Independent Study	32386
Summer 2025	HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health	32409
Summer 2024	PUBH 5358 - Independent Study	32641
Summer 2024	HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health: Border and Global Community Engaged Experiential Learning	32666	Syllabus
Fall 2023	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	12410
Fall 2023	PUBH 5399 - Thesis II	11657
Summer 2023	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	32901
Summer 2023	HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health: Border and Global Community Engaged Experiential Learning	35505	Syllabus
Spring 2023	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	22808
Fall 2022	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	14711
Fall 2022	PUBH 5398 - Thesis I	12997
Summer 2022	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	33108
Spring 2022	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	24146
Spring 2022	CHSC 6385 - Independent Study	24066
Fall 2021	CHSC 6390 - Directed Study	14688
Fall 2021	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	14690
Fall 2021	HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health	12980
Summer 2021	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	33100
Summer 2021	PUBH 5358 - Independent Study	31696
Spring 2021	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	24487
Spring 2021	HSCI 2302 - Fundamentals of Nutrition	28724	Syllabus
Spring 2021	PUBH 5358 - Independent Study	22726
Fall 2020	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	14912
Fall 2020	PUBH 5396 - Graduate Project II	16823
Summer 2020	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	33257
Summer 2020	PUBH 5399 - Thesis II	31854
Spring 2020	ADVS 0004 - Advs for Hlth Promotion Mjrs	22435
Spring 2020	CHSC 6398 - Dissertation	24980
Spring 2020	CHSC 6399 - Dissertation	25002
Spring 2020	HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health	20623
Spring 2020	PUBH 5399 - Thesis II	22012
Fall 2019	ADVS 0004 - Advs for Hlth Promotion Mjrs	13652
Fall 2019	CHSC 6398 - Dissertation	15244
Fall 2019	CHSC 6388 - Research Applications	15242
Fall 2019	PUBH 5398 - Thesis I	13400
Fall 2019	PUBH 5399 - Thesis II	13405
Summer 2019	CHSC 3615 - Independent Study	36337
Summer 2019	CHSC 5694 - Independent Study	36338
Summer 2019	HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health	31994
Summer 2019	PUBH 5399 - Thesis II	32009
Spring 2019	ADVS 0004 - Advs for Hlth Promotion Mjrs	22588
Spring 2019	PUBH 5397 - Graduate Research Project	23343
Spring 2019	HSCI 3323 - Nutrition Thru the Life Cycle	28878	Syllabus
Spring 2019	PUBH 5399 - Thesis II	22135

Course Evaluations

Term	Course	Section	Evaluation
Spring 2021	HSCI 2302 - Fundamentals of Nutrition	28724	Evaluation

Bio

Awards and Honors

2025 Outstanding Researcher - Distinguished Career - The University of Texas at El Paso - Research and Innovation (04/23/2025)
ORSP New Grant Award Recognition - Paso Del Norte Community Foundation (05/01/2023-05/31/2023)
Fall 2022 UTEP University Faculty Marshal of Students Health Sciences - The University of Texas at El Paso (12/10/2022)
Fall 2021 UTEP University Faculty Marshal of Students Health Sciences - The University of Texas at El Paso (12/11/2021)
2021 Texas Distinguish Scientist Award - Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (04/08/2021)
Spring 2019 Grand Marshal - The University of Texas at El Paso (05/18/2019)
2019 - 2020 UTEP CHS Global Engagement Fellowship - College of Health Sciences Charles H. & Shirley T. Leavell Endowed Chair in Health Sciences (12/13/2018)
Texas Diabetes Council - Texas Government (04/05/2018)
Texas Diabetes Council Member - Texas Diabetes Council (01/01/2011-12/31/2011)

Ph D in Nutrition/Toxicology, New Mexico State University (1994)
MS in Nutrition/Toxicology, New Mexico State University (1991)
MS in Food Science, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua (1985)
BS in Food Chemical Engineering, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua (1980)

Publications

Hispanic-Serving Institutions Contribution to the Training and Diversity of Public Health and Health Care Workforce. American Journal of Public Health 114 (2024), Jeannie B. Concha, Emre Umucu, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Azuri L. Gonzalez, Guillermina Solis, Amanda Loya, Laura E. O'Dell, Roy Mathew.
Hispanic-Serving Institutions Contribution to the Training and Diversity of Public Health and Health Care Workforce. American Journal of Public Health 114 (2024), Jeannie B. Concha, Emre Umucu, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Azuri L. Gonzalez, Guillermina Solis, Amanda Loya, Laura E. O'Dell, Roy Mathew.
Differences in Inflammatory and Nutritional Biomarkers in Community Dwelling Older Adults With and Without Sarcopenia Current Developments in Nutrition Volume 8 Supplement 2 (2024), Marni Shoemaker, Suzette Pereira , Zachary Gillen, Cory Smith , Maria O. Duarte-Gardea.
A Socio-Ecological Approach to A Community-Based Health Promotion Intervention on the US-Mexico Border: Insights and Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic Journal of Applied Social Science (2023), Yok-Fong Paat, Elizabeth Camacho, Sarah Ruiz, Diego Garcia Tovar, Gina Núñez-Mchiri, Duarte Maria, Guadalupe Corral, Sandra Oviedo Ramire, Christine Markham, Torres-Hostos Luis, Karim C. Singh, Hector Zamora, Nathan W. Myers.
Influences of Vitamin D and Iron Status on Skeletal Muscle Health: A Narrative Review Nutrients 14 13 (2022), Marni Shoemaker, Owen Salmon, Cory Smith, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Joel Cramer.

Presentations

Training the Next Generation of Diabetes Advocates While Bringing Awareness in Far West Texas. (2025), Volume Phoenix, AZ, Denise Portillo, Sarah Ruiz, Ximena Burgos Monzon, Cynthia Wittenburg, Joao B. Ferreira-Pinto, Michael Kelly, Audrey Garcia, William H. Robertson, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea.
New Directions for Advancing Latino Health Research Towards Equitable Systems Change : Hispanic-Serving Institutions Contribution to the Training and Diversity of Public Health and Health Care Workforce. American Public Health (2024), Volume Minneapolis, Jeannie B. Concha, Emre Umucu, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Azuri L. Gonzalez, Guillermina Solis, Amanda Loya, Laura E. O'Dell, Roy Mathew.
Differences in inflammatory and nutritional biomarkers in community dwelling older adults with and withour sarcopenia (2024), Marni Shoemaker, Suzzette Prereira, Zachary Gillen, Cory Smith, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Ricardo Rueda, Joel Cramer.
Building effective community partnerships: Insights from Healthy Families Healthy Kids Initiative (2024), Volume San Antonio, Yok-Fong Paat, Sarah L. Ruiz, David A. Perez, Diego E. Garcia Tovar, Angela Dorado, Brenda Ramirez Vara, Nathan W. Myers, Elizabeth Camacho, Polanco Rosa, Karim C. Singh, Gina G. Nunez-Mchiri, Maria O. Duarte-Gardea, Sandra Oviendo Ramirez, Guadalupe Corral, Hector Zamora.
The Use of Person-First Language in Diabetes Care and Research: How Far Have We Come Since ADA & ADCES Recommendations? A Systematic Review. (2022), Volume Boston MA, Denise N. Portillo, Maria Duarte-Gardea, Eva Moya, Jeannie B. Concha.

U54: Border Biomedical Research Center (BBRC) (09/11/2025 - 03/31/2030) NIMHD/NIH
UTEP Diabetes Awareness Training for Community Outreach (09/01/2023 - 08/31/2024) Paso Del Norte Health Foundation
COVID-19 Multimodal Education Program (02/11/2022 - 12/31/2023) Texas Department of State Health Services

Current/Future Courses

Term

Spring 2026

Course

CHSC 6390 - Directed Study

Section

22081

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

CHSC 6398 - Dissertation

Section

22092

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

22100

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

PUBH 5395 - Graduate Project I

Section

22883

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

PUBH 5396 - Graduate Project II

Section

22888

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

PUBH 5397 - Graduate Research Project

Section

21395

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

CHSC 6385 - Independent Study

Section

22065

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

PUBH 5358 - Independent Study

Section

21392

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health

Section

20224

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

HSCI 4313 - Practicum I

Section

23725

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

CHSC 6388 - Research Applications

Section

22074

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

PUBH 5398 - Thesis I

Section

22322

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2026

Course

PUBH 5399 - Thesis II

Section

20995

Syllabus

Past Courses

Select Term:

Term

Summer 2025

Course

PUBH 5358 - Independent Study

Section

32386

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2025

Course

HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health

Section

32409

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2024

Course

PUBH 5358 - Independent Study

Section

32641

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2024

Course

HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health: Border and Global Community Engaged Experiential Learning

Section

32666

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2023

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

12410

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2023

Course

PUBH 5399 - Thesis II

Section

11657

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2023

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

32901

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2023

Course

HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health: Border and Global Community Engaged Experiential Learning

Section

35505

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2023

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

22808

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2022

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

14711

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2022

Course

PUBH 5398 - Thesis I

Section

12997

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2022

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

33108

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2022

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

24146

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2022

Course

CHSC 6385 - Independent Study

Section

24066

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2021

Course

CHSC 6390 - Directed Study

Section

14688

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2021

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

14690

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2021

Course

HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health

Section

12980

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2021

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

33100

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2021

Course

PUBH 5358 - Independent Study

Section

31696

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2021

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

24487

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2021

Course

HSCI 2302 - Fundamentals of Nutrition

Section

28724

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2021

Course

PUBH 5358 - Independent Study

Section

22726

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2020

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

14912

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2020

Course

PUBH 5396 - Graduate Project II

Section

16823

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2020

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

33257

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2020

Course

PUBH 5399 - Thesis II

Section

31854

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2020

Course

ADVS 0004 - Advs for Hlth Promotion Mjrs

Section

22435

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2020

Course

CHSC 6398 - Dissertation

Section

24980

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2020

Course

CHSC 6399 - Dissertation

Section

25002

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2020

Course

HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health

Section

20623

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2020

Course

PUBH 5399 - Thesis II

Section

22012

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2019

Course

ADVS 0004 - Advs for Hlth Promotion Mjrs

Section

13652

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2019

Course

CHSC 6398 - Dissertation

Section

15244

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2019

Course

CHSC 6388 - Research Applications

Section

15242

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2019

Course

PUBH 5398 - Thesis I

Section

13400

Syllabus

Term

Fall 2019

Course

PUBH 5399 - Thesis II

Section

13405

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2019

Course

CHSC 3615 - Independent Study

Section

36337

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2019

Course

CHSC 5694 - Independent Study

Section

36338

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2019

Course

HSCI 4308 - Independent Study in Health

Section

31994

Syllabus

Term

Summer 2019

Course

PUBH 5399 - Thesis II

Section

32009

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2019

Course

ADVS 0004 - Advs for Hlth Promotion Mjrs

Section

22588

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2019

Course

PUBH 5397 - Graduate Research Project

Section

23343

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2019

Course

HSCI 3323 - Nutrition Thru the Life Cycle

Section

28878

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2019

Course

PUBH 5399 - Thesis II

Section

22135

Syllabus

Term

Spring 2021

Course

HSCI 2302 - Fundamentals of Nutrition

Section

28724

Evaluation

Maria O. Duarte-Gardea

Bio

Education

Scholarly and Creative Activity

Grants

Courses

Course Evaluations