Ray Thron

Dr. Thron has been involved in higher education for the past 30 years, including serving as an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota and the University of St. Thomas; and as a full time faculty member at Walden University since 1990. At Walden University, Dr. Thron has served as the Director of the Health Service Program; as the Director of the Academic Residencies Program; as a member of the Institutional Review Board. Dr. Thron was instrumental in establishing the Masters of Public Health, and the Ph.D. program in public health. Currently, Dr. Thron serves Walden University on a part-time basis. Dr. Thron served as the Director of the Environmental and Occupational Health program for the State of Minnesota for over ten years. His primary research interests include environmental public health, public health workforce development; and research methods and design. As a volunteer, Dr. Thron, mentors graduate students at the School of Public Health, University of Minnesota. He also oversees a sustaining scholarship fund (established by family) in the Humphrey School, and the School of Nursing; both at the University of Minnesota. He also serves as a judge reviewing scholarship application for the Hmong American Education Fund. Teaching activities at Walden University currently are focused on research design and methodology, although he has also taught courses in public health, including environmental health, among others.

Courses Taught

HLTH 8003 - Building a Multidisciplinary Approach to Health

RSCH 8110 - Research Theory, Design, and Methods

RSCH 8210 - Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis

HLTH 8551 - Preparing for Dissertation

HLTH 9001 - Health Services Dissertation

PUBH 9001 - Public Health Dissertation

PUBH 9000 - Public Health Dissertation

PUBH 8034 - Environmental Health: Local to Global

Education

BS, University of Minnesota

MS, University of Minnesota

PhD, University of Minnesota

Public Service

University of Minnesota School of Public Health graduate student mentoring, Volunteer - Minneapolis

Hmong American Education Fund, Judge - Saint Paul

Humphrey School; School of Nursing; both at the University of Minnesota, Other - Minneapolis

St. Paul Independent Public School District, Committee Member - St. Paul

Publications

Rick, R., Hoye, R. E., Thron, R. W., Kumar, V. (2017). Marketplace Clinics Complementing Diabetes Care for Urban Residing American Indians. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health

Presentations

Thron, R. W. (2018). Marketplace Clinics Complementing Community-Based Diabetes Care for Urban Residing American Indians. Unite for Sight