Faculty Fellow Dr. Steven Owlett Explores Life Expectancy Disparities
What if your lifespan was influenced by where you live? Dr. Steven Owlett, an esteemed faculty member in Westcliff University’s College of Business, is on a mission to uncover the factors behind life expectancy disparities — and thanks to Westcliff’s Faculty Fellows Program, his research is making an impact.
The Faculty Fellows Program, presented by Westcliff’s LITE Center, empowers faculty to publish and advance research by collaborating with peers, presenting at conferences, and accessing valuable resources — all while receiving a stipend to support their work. Dr. Owlett credits the program for giving him both the structure and motivation he needed to get his research to new heights.
“I was having trouble with procrastination, and the fellowship research program was the impetus for what I needed to focus on,” he explains. “The structure of the program also helped ensure that my findings were reliable and reproducible.”
Unraveling Life Expectancy Disparities
Dr. Owlett’s research focuses on Collier and Marion counties in Florida, contrasting their Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) — including income, education, and environment. By analyzing these factors, he discovered that Collier’s higher income and diversity correlated with better health outcomes and increased life expectancy, while Marion’s lower income and less diverse population faced a higher risk of chronic diseases.
The work done by Dr. Owlett isn’t just a snapshot of two Florida counties; it’s a stepping stone toward new inquiries and deeper exploration: “Genetics and social determinants of health do not act in isolation. They interact with each other and with individual behaviors to influence health outcomes.”
This research underscores the urgency of refining predictive models and exploring additional influences — such as lifestyle choices and hereditary factors — that drive disparities in life expectancy.
AI: The Next Frontier in Public Health Analysis
Building on these findings, Dr. Owlett sees technology as a powerful lens to examine and predict public health trends.
As technology evolves, Dr. Owlett believes artificial intelligence (AI) will play an increasingly pivotal role in revealing patterns and predicting outcomes in public health: “AI holds immense potential to revolutionize how we analyze and address social determinants of health. It can process vast amounts of data from various sources, such as electronic health records, social media, and government databases, to identify patterns and trends.”
He plans to continue his research through investigating how environmental factors and epigenetics intersect, potentially revealing even more about how lifestyle, income, and community infrastructure can shape our genetic expression and overall longevity.
Advice for Aspiring Researchers
For those at Westcliff University — or anywhere else — considering a similar journey, Dr. Owlett stresses the importance of unwavering curiosity and practical diligence.
“Do something meaningful that you’re passionate about,” he expresses. “Find a verifiable gap that supports your research — do not cut corners! Be bold and persistent. Research takes work, and there will be challenges. Be curious, question everything, and don’t be afraid to network and ask for advice.”
Ongoing Support for Faculty Innovation
Dr. Owlett’s transformative study embodies Westcliff University’s commitment to advancing research and championing scholarly achievements. Through initiatives like the Faculty Fellows Program, the university provides academics with the support, community, and resources they need to make a lasting impact in their fields.
This is an ongoing initiative, stay tuned for the next cohort of Faculty Fellows who will continue pushing boundaries and shaping future scholarship at Westcliff and beyond.