Chuka Nestor Emezue 

Ph.D., MPH, MPA, CHES®

/RESEARCHER, EDUCATOR, AUTHOR/

Chuka Nestor Emezue (Choo-Kah • A-May-Zu-Way) is an assistant professor, nursing researcher, and educator at Rush University College of Nursing. He holds a Ph.D. in Nursing Science, as well as master’s degrees in Public Health and Public Affairs, and a B.Sc. in Biochemistry. 

His work advances community- and technology-based interventions to improve mental health, reduce violence and substance use, and promote upward mobility, particularly among boys and young men impacted by various forms of interpersonal violence. Dr. Emezue’s research investigates the factors that influence program engagement, service avoidance, coping strategies, and gendered norms around masculinity across the lifespan.

He leads two culturally grounded interventions:

1. BrotherlyACT™, a digital tool offering life skills coaching, safety planning, and chatbot support for Black boys at risk of violence and substance use;

2. FatherlyACT, a trauma-informed, nurse-led family program focused on breaking intergenerational cycles of domestic violence and strengthening father–child relationships.

Dr. Emezue’s research is funded by the NIH/NIMHD, ITM/CTSA, the Cohn Family Foundation, and the Rush-BMO Health Equity Institute. He also collaborates with global organizations, including UNICEF, the UN Sustainable Development Goals Initiative, and the Brady and Anne Deaton Institute.

A 2023 Public Voices Fellow, Dr. Emezue has authored over 40 academic and public-facing publications. His op-eds on youth violence, fatherhood, and masculinities have appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Ms. Magazine, NewThinking, The Trace, The Messenger, and other outlets.