Meet Evan J. White, Ph.D.
Evan J. White, Ph.D.
Dr. Evan J. White is a Principal Investigator, Director of Native American Research, and Director of the Electroencephalography Core at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A Native Tulsan and an enrolled member of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe, Dr. White’s work is deeply informed by his cultural heritage and commitment to improving mental health outcomes within American Indian communities. Dr. White completed his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology at Oklahoma State University, where his research focused on psychophysiological approaches to mood and anxiety disorders. During his postdoctoral fellowship at LIBR, Dr. White received an NIH MOSAIC K99/R00 award for his project on cultural protective factors in American Indians. His recent NIDA funded project, "Kipiyecipakiciipe - Coming Home," explores how traditional cultural engagement can protect against substance misuse and related mental health challenges in partnership with the Shawnee Tribe. A dedicated mentor, Dr. White developed and directed training programs, including the LIBR Accelerated Summer Research internship and the DReaM-Neuro fellowship, to support the next generation of scientists in minority health and neuroscience research. Through his work, Dr. White aims to build culturally grounded, impactful research that addresses health disparities and fosters resilience among Indigenous populations.
Let’s focus on Tribal Health:
What inspired you to want to be a researcher, and what did that path look like for you?
My inspiration for becoming a researcher comes from a natural curiosity and desire to learn and solve problems. My current work is motivated by my roots as a Shawnee man from Northeastern Oklahoma. Growing up, I witnessed the impact of mental health challenges in my community but also saw the resilience, strength, and healing potential within traditional practices and cultural engagement. This personal connection drove me to find ways that my training in psychology, psychophysiology, and neuroscience, could serve Indigenous communities or, more specifically, find ways to give back to my community and help address mental health disparities. My academic journey began at Oklahoma State University, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology and continued through master’s and doctoral studies in clinical psychology. My graduate work centered on using psychophysiological techniques to study mood and anxiety disorders. After my clinical internship at the Charleston Consortium, where I deepened my understanding of emotion and behavior, I joined the Laureate Institute for Brain Research as a postdoctoral fellow. This experience broadened my skill set, allowing me to integrate translational neuroimaging methods with community-engaged research.
Tell us about your current work and projects.
My current work focuses on clinical cultural neuroscience with an emphasis on improving mental health outcomes among American Indian communities. A key aspect of this work is my NIDA-funded DP1 project "Kipiyecipakiciipe - Coming Home," a collaboration with the Shawnee Tribe, which explores how traditional cultural engagement can serve as a protective factor against substance misuse and related mental health challenges. This project represents a culmination of my training and intersection between deep community engagement with translational neuroscience. Broadly in my lab, "Neuroscience of American Indian Resilience and Risk," we employ a multi-modal approach, including electroencephalography and psychophysiology, to identify the neural markers associated with cultural protective factors. By integrating community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles, we ensure that our work remains culturally grounded and community-informed, fostering meaningful partnerships with Tribal communities.
What sparked your interest in working with American Indian, Alaska Native, and Indigenous populations, and why is this work important to you?
I am an enrolled member of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe and belong to the Shawnee Chapter of the Native American Church and Whiteoak Shawnee Ceremonial Grounds, my commitment to serving American Indian communities feels like a calling. The disproportionate mental health burden among Native populations is well documented, and these communities also possess powerful cultural practices that can foster healing and resilience. This work is important to me because in addition to health research; it’s a way to give back to my community and help support the well-being of Native people.
What are the main challenges that remain to be addressed in your area of research, and how will your research tackle these challenges?
A significant challenge in my field is the underrepresentation of Native populations in translational neuroscience research. Many existing studies fail to consider cultural and community contexts, which can lead to interventions that are ineffective or culturally misaligned. Additionally, there is a lack of understanding of how cultural practices influence mental health and how this can be informed at the neurobiological level. My research addresses these challenges by centering Native communities in our approach to research. Through partnerships with Tribes and the use of CBPR methods, we work collaboratively to design research that is culturally relevant and resonates with community values. This approach not only improves the scientific validity of our findings but also ensures that the research has a practical impact on the communities we aim to serve.
What are some of the challenges you have faced getting to this point, and how did you overcome them?
One of the primary challenges in my work has been the need for flexibility in timelines and funding to honor and sustain meaningful community partnerships. Community-engaged research requires a level of adaptability that doesn’t always align with traditional research schedules or funding structures. To overcome these challenges, I leaned heavily on the support of mentors, family, and colleagues who shared my vision for health equity research. Today, I strive to support my own trainees by fostering a research environment that values flexibility, cultural sensitivity, and reciprocal partnerships—elements I found crucial to my own success.
What has been the most impactful advice you received during your journey?
One piece of advice that has stayed with me is the importance of fostering community relationships and ensuring that research is not only about data collection but about meaningful partnership. This perspective has guided my approach to community-engaged research and reminds me to prioritize the needs and values of the communities I work with and recognize rigorous science as a toolkit that can be applied to create solutions. By building genuine, reciprocal relationships, I believe that research can be a force for positive change, with benefits that extend from academic circles into the communities themselves.
What words of advice would you give to the next generation of scientists?
For the next generation of scientists, I encourage you to remain rooted in your passions and values. Seek out mentors, programs, and communities that support your development and stay open to the experiences that challenge you toward growth. In health equity research, particularly, embracing cultural and community perspectives is essential. I hope that emerging researchers will continue to build on community-engaged approaches, centering the voices of those they aim to serve.