João Batista Ferreira–Pinto, PhD, is Asssitant Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs at the College of Health Sciences, and Director for the Center for Interdisciplinary Health Research and Evaluation (CIHRE). Dr. Ferreira-Pinto's research interests center on HIV/AIDS/STD prevention and treatment, community and organizational development, and qualitative evaluation methodologies. Most of his work in based in fostering the collaboration between academics and community based organizations to improve community based participatory research. Paulo Freire’s and other critical thinkers’ methodologies and pedagogies have influenced his research and teaching approaches