2025 Empowering Excellence Alumni Award: Dr. Henry Xiang, MD (EMBA '21)

Dr. Henry Xiang’s ground-breaking research using virtual reality in pediatric care has changed the way health care providers worldwide help children manage pain and recover from injury and trauma.

In addition, he has mentored dozens of emerging researchers, served as President of the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research, and helped shape national and international health policy through his contributions to the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. 

Xiang is a professor of medicine and epidemiology in The Ohio State University College of Medicine, co-director of the Pilot Translational and Clinical Studies Program at Ohio State’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), and the founding director of the Center for Pediatric Trauma Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. 

For his contributions to pediatric medicine, transformational leadership and deep commitment to educating the next generation of medical and public health leaders and researchers, Xiang has been named the recipient of Fisher’s 2025 Alumni Award for Empowering Excellence.

We asked him to share his thoughts about the impact of his Executive MBA, mentoring future leaders in medicine and the significance of this award.

Q. You are a researcher and professor in the College of Medicine, the founding director of the Pediatric Trauma Research Center and author of 285 journal articles. How has your EMBA from Fisher informed that work?

My Executive MBA totally changed my perspectives about scientific research. There are many things I learned at Fisher that our traditional training in medicine and medical research does not teach.

To a certain degree, medical research has become a business enterprise. Running a lab and managing a collaborative research team is like running a small business. I wished I could have received my MBA much earlier in my career.

Q. This award honors those who continue to empower and create opportunities for others. You have shared your time and knowledge by mentoring numerous researchers over the years. Why is this important to you and the work that you do?

Mentoring and growing future generations of scientists, physicians and business leaders is not only our responsibility, but is also fun. The world needs professionals with integrity to advance. It’s important to my professional society and our medical research.

Q. Do you have a teaching philosophy?

The top priority in my teaching and mentoring focuses on active participatory learning. One of my ultimate objectives in teaching and mentoring is to facilitate learning and skill building in such a way that students and mentees become active participants in their own learning and research projects. 

I truly believe that knowledge and skills gained through active participation and creative thinking stay with and benefit individuals for a lifetime, regardless of their field or job. These basic skills include problem-solving and critical thinking, conceptualizing study ideas, planning and implementing studies, writing and publishing research papers, effective communication, and leadership and management skills. 

Q. Did you have a mentor at Fisher or in your career who left a lasting impact on you?

I have several mentors who profoundly impacted my career and life journey. My parents are role models for me. They are kind, hardworking people. They value education and they did their best to send me to the top medical school in China. After I immigrated to the United States, my PhD advisor, Dr. Lorann Stallones, at Colorado State University, did her best to create many opportunities for me to grow professionally. She was very patient with me and taught me how to learn from our life struggles.

Among many other great mentors are Dr. Frederick Rivara at the University of Seattle and Dr. Kelly Kelleher at The Ohio State University. They have mentored me for more than 20 years, and I learned a lot from them. My close interaction with them and their families taught me to be humble and hardworking. Most importantly, they taught me how to become an outstanding scientist. 

Q. What’s a favorite memory you carry from your time at Fisher and Ohio State?

The interaction with outstanding professionals from diverse backgrounds. We not only did class projects together, but we also had fun outside of the classroom.

Q. What significance does the Empowering Excellence Award from Fisher hold for you —personally and professionally?

Personally, I am humbled, privileged and very excited to receive this award, and I appreciate those people who nominated me. I view this award as one of those achievements that I never imagined. I immigrated to this country 30 years ago, and when my family started our life journey in Fort Collins, Colo., we never dreamed of these kinds of achievements in this country. We feel so grateful to this country and the people here.

Professionally, this award is a testimony of what we can achieve together. There are so many extraordinary individuals whom I have interacted with during my career. Without them, each and all my achievements could not have happened. Furthermore, the Empowering Excellence Award makes me think about what more I can do to contribute to the growth of young people, particularly Ohio State students and young professionals. I am excited about the endless opportunities available to them, and I will do my best to help them whenever possible.