Assistant Professors Melissa DeJonckheere, Ph.D., and Justine Wu, MD, MPH, both from the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan, have been appointed co-directors of the Michigan Mixed Methods Program. Assistant Professor Tim Guetterman, Ph.D. of Family Medicine will continue in his role as associate director of the program.
“I am delighted to welcome Drs. Melissa DeJonckheere and Justine Wu to the Mixed Methods directorship,” said James E. Aikens, Ph.D., Dr. Max and Buena Lichter Research Professor and associate chair for research programs in Family Medicine. “The program delivers gold-standard training in mixed methods research techniques. Both Melissa and Justine bring a wealth of expertise in mixed methods research and program leadership. They will be valuable colleagues in driving the program forward.”
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DeJonckheere is an NIH-funded researcher who focuses on participatory, qualitative and mixed methods approaches to adolescent health and chronic disease self-management research. She first joined the Mixed Methods Program as a postdoctoral research fellow in 2016 and has been a member of the executive committee since 2019. She was appointed assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine in 2019.
“The Mixed Methods Program is a dynamic group that leads in promoting mixed methodology within the U-M research community and worldwide,” said DeJonckheere. “I am excited to take on this new opportunity as co-director of the Mixed Methods Program.”
Wu is a family physician who applies qualitative, mixed methods and social justice frameworks to reproductive health and contraceptive research. She is an NIH-funded researcher and a former 2016 Scholar in the NIH R25 Mixed Methods Research Training Program. Wu has been a Mixed Methods Program core faculty member since 2016. She was appointed assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine in 2015.
“I firmly believe in the value of combining both quantitative and qualitative methods in research to provide a richer and more nuanced picture of the research questions that affect the health and well-being of people, families, and communities,” Wu said. “I am eager to follow in the footsteps of my colleagues who established this program and continue teaching other researchers this method of scientific inquiry.”
Department staff also acknowledge Professor Michael Fetters, MD, MPH, MA, who co-founded the Mixed Methods Program in 2015 with Adjunct Professor John W. Creswell, PhD, and recently stepped down from his position as director.
Over the last seven years, the Mixed Methods Program has become an international think tank in mixed methods through scholarship, research and training. Fetters has traveled across the globe to disseminate best practices and innovations in mixed methods. Fetters will remain closely involved in the Mixed Methods Program as a core faculty member.
“Anyone who has met Mike knows that his passion for mixed methods cannot be contained,” Wu said. “Melissa and I will have big shoes to fill but we know we’ve learned from a fierce advocate of the research methodology.”
“Mike is an exceptional advocate, mentor and sponsor for dozens of mentees, including myself,” said DeJonckheere. “We will all benefit from Mike continuing with the program as a core member. He will help us to continue generating momentum for the field of mixed methods.”
