Kimberly B. Garza, PharmD, MBA, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Health Outcomes Research and Policy at the Harrison College of Pharmacy. She is also the Graduate Program Officer for her department and holds a position as a Faculty Fellow in the Biggio Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning at Auburn University. Dr. Garza’s primary research involves the application of behavioral theory to study preventive health behaviors and behaviors to minimize progression of disease, including medication adherence, diet, and physical activity. Specifically, she uses incentive systems and immersive technologies, such as virtual reality and haptic devices, to influence health behavior and perception of risk and severity of chronic disease. She also applies these technologies in the classroom to promote the development of empathy among student pharmacists for patients with chronic conditions. She collaborates with investigators from computer science, mechanical engineering, medicine, education, kinesiology, nursing, and psychology to study health behaviors related to heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, immunization, and prescription drug abuse. Her secondary research focuses on the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). She conducts educational research in the following areas: deliberate practice, empathy-building activities, curricular development, professional identity formation, peer coaching, and mentoring.

Dr. Garza's research collaborations also include community partners such as East Alabama Medical Center, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Yale Medicine, and Cedars-Sinai. Dr. Garza is active in several national and international professional organizations, serving as past chair of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Research and Graduate Affairs Committee and past chair of the AACP Graduate Education Special Interest Group.