About

Susan Barcinas is an Associate Professor in the Leadership, Policy, Adult and Higher Education Department and the Adult and Lifelong Education Program area at NC State University. She has over 30 years of experience in higher education, holding various roles throughout her career. Her research encompasses qualitative, mixed-method, and history/theory of the adult education field, focusing on the adult learner experience in postsecondary, health professions, and community contexts, as well as self-directed and experiential learning. Recently, she has incorporated futures theory and forecasting into her research and teaching endeavors. Dr. Barcinas serves as the current Executive Chair of the Commission for Professors of Adult Education (CPAE) with the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE). Her past service at NC State includes roles such as Adult & Lifelong Education Program Coordinator, Director of the DCI, AAI and ELP Professional Development Institutes, and Chair of the NC State University Committee for Extension, Engagement and Economic Development. Her professional background prior to her faculty career includes academic advising, university libraries, developing and assessing success programs for college learners, workplace learning programs, faculty professional development, and work with continuing education, distance education, extension, and public broadcasting. She has taught courses on assessment and evaluation, adult learning, online teaching, program planning, experiential learning, and more, with expertise spanning adult education, higher education, community college, digital learning, and workforce development.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Business
• Public relations
• Engineering
• Computer Science
• Medicine
• Engineering ethics
• Sociology
• Endocrinology
• Medical education
• Psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Pedagogy
• Psychiatry

Selected publications

• Early‐career genetic counselors' professional identity formation through experiences with continuing education at a professional conference

  Journal of Genetic Counseling · 2025-10-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  This research aimed to describe professional identity (PI) and professional identity formation (PIF) of early-career genetic counselors (GCs) attending a professional conference. PI is a sense of self within a professional community and includes interpersonal and intrapersonal characteristics that reflect shared values of the field. PI can be learned through modeling in settings like conferences where professionals assemble and are engaged in continuing education (CE). Using a particularistic case study methodology and a social learning theory frame, this study explored how PI is modeled and the experiences that contribute to feelings of belonging in the profession. Participants were newly certified GCs who attended the 2022 National Society of Genetic Counselors Annual Conference. Sixteen participants completed a reflective writing prompt and two semi-structured interviews. Inductive open coding and refinement of codes resulted in four primary collective themes. (1) Awareness of PI and PIF: All participants described elements of the collective identity of GCs, though most were unaware of the term "professional identity." (2) Modeling of PI and PIF: Elements of identity were modeled in CE sessions and social settings. Participants noted concordance and discordance with other GCs, including perceived discrepancies between early-career and experienced GCs on the value of diversity and inclusivity. (3) Conference experience: In-person and virtual conference formats differed in community-building, inclusion, accessibility, and socialization. (4) Factors/experiences influencing belonging: Sense of community, CE session content, affirmation from others, and personal identity or characteristics like appearance impacted feelings of belonging. Findings indicate early-career GCs have emerging awareness of PI, suggesting opportunities to integrate strategies that promote PIF and strengthen PI, including equitable social opportunities for in-person and virtual attendees. Early-career GCs described how others influence feelings of belonging, highlighting a role for all GCs in supporting PIF.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Paramedic professional identity: A qualitative case study using a role theory lens

  Paramedicine · 2025-09-29

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Background Health professional roles, organisations and workplace experiences are often studied in conjunction with professional identity (PI) and role theory. This study focused on paramedic PI and role perceptions within the United States context. Methods The exploratory qualitative case study data included 15 semi-structured interviews with practising paramedics in EMS contexts. Results The data is presented in five categories and 23 subthemes. Data categories included exploration of why paramedics were drawn to the profession, envisioning eventual exit from paramedicine, discussion of paramedic PI perceptions in relation to professional insiders, to first responders and to hospital-based healthcare professionals. Findings The study findings drew upon data categories to theorise four overall findings about participant PI and roles: (1) ‘I know that what I do is important!’ reflecting paramedic expressions of an inner reservoir of strength surrounding the importance of their work, even if the personal motivations for working in EMS are varied, (2) ‘My primary role is care of the patient’ indicating strong identification with a primary role as patient caregiver that serves as both an enduring positive foundation for identity and a constant role dissonance stressor, (3) ‘The respect I receive is variable and conditional’ suggesting a capacity to not only cope with, but to leverage a shared sense of being unevenly respected by other professionals into patient advocacy and a quest for excellence; and (4) ‘In my role, I have to function well with a fluctuating locus of control’ signalling that PI partially rests in an ability to shift identities in a fluid way because the locus of control and roles paramedics occupy throughout their environments vary constantly. Conclusions The findings contribute valuable information that may be used to address paramedic workplace stressors, enhance professional capacity building and to adapt paramedic environment structures and policies.

  PublisherDOI

• “Have to Fight the Demon”: Veteran Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Behavioral Self-Management and Diabetes Specific Risk-Taking Behaviors

  Journal of Primary Care & Community Health · 2025-12-01

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVES: Diabetes mellitus Type 2 (T2DM) requires a set of life-long, complex self-management strategies that affect both physical and psychosocial aspects of daily life. This study aimed to assess how Veterans with T2DM describe self-management behaviors and to explore whether a framework of diabetes-specificrisk-taking behaviors (originally applied to adolescents with T1DM) is applicable to Veterans with T2DM. METHODS: This study employed a secondary qualitative analysis of Veteran interviews (n = 36) using a priori codes based on the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) and the Diabetes-Specific Risk-Taking Inventory (DSRI) to explore self-management behaviors and to assess the applicability of diabetes-specific risk-taking behaviors among Veterans. RESULTS: We identified themes aligned with each of the SDSCA a priori codes, along with an added code relating to medication, reflecting both self-management behaviors and diabetes-specific risk-taking behaviors: (1) diet: constant negotiation can involve purposeful risk-taking; (2) physical activity: intentional, but also avoided despite consequences; (3) blood-glucose monitoring: personal effort of monitoring can override risk-reduction; (4) foot care: preventing complications; (5) smoking: struggles and successes with quitting; and (6) medication: intent to adhere can be undercut by risk taking and lack of resources. CONCLUSION: Veterans described self-management behaviors that align with diabetes-specific risk-taking, suggesting that the DSRI framework has potential applicability to this population. Future work exploring diabetes-specific risk-taking behaviors will be critical to helping Veterans successfully manage their T2DM.

  PublisherDOI

• Diabetes distress in Veterans with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Qualitative descriptive study

  Journal of Health Psychology · 2024-02-21 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  Diabetes distress (DD) is a negative psychosocial response to living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We sought insight into Veterans’ experiences with DD in the context of T2DM self-management. The four domains in the Diabetes Distress Scale (i.e. regimen, emotional, interpersonal, healthcare provider) informed the interview guide and analysis (structural coding using thematic analysis). The mean age of the cohort ( n = 36) was 59.1 years (SD 10.4); 8.3% of patients were female and 63.9% were Black or Mixed Race; mean A1C was 8.8% (SD 2.0); and mean DDS score was 2.4 (SD 1.1), indicating moderate distress. Veterans described DD and challenges to T2DM self-management across the four domains in the Diabetes Distress Scale. We found that (1) Veterans’ challenges with their T2DM self-management routines influenced DD and (2) Veterans experienced DD across a wide range of domains, indicating that clinical interventions should take a “whole-person” approach. Trial Registration: NCT04587336

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Virtual Program Delivery: Learning Through Extension Nutrition Educators’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior · 2024-05-22 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyze how Extension nutrition educators in one state system transitioned from primarily face-to-face to virtual nutrition education programming. DESIGN: This exploratory case study gathered data through nutrition educator interviews, virtual program delivery guides, and nutrition educators' program impact statements. SETTING: Southeastern State Extension system in late 2022. PARTICIPANTS: The sample included 15 participant interviews, multiple virtual program delivery guides, and 43 program impact summaries. PHENOMENON OF INTEREST: The use of Cultural Historical Activity Theory as a framework to explore educators' learning process with virtual program delivery and how this learning influenced community nutrition program delivery choices. ANALYSIS: Qualitative data was analyzed with ATLAS.ti using a priori coding. RESULTS: Two key findings emerged from the data: educators were more likely to deliver programs in a virtual setting when the programs aligned with their values and skills, and educators preferred flexible program curricula and delivery guides because it allowed them to address their community's specific needs. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Educators plan to continue to deliver certain community nutrition programs virtually. Future research is needed to explore additional perspectives on virtual delivery, such as program participants and state program managers.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Adult Education, Futures Literacy, and Deep Democracy: Engaging Democratic Visioning and Anticipatory Futures For More Sustainable Futures

  Adult Learning · 2023-08-01 · 3 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Adult education has historically played a role in modern democracies in support of civic participation and democratic engagement. In the context of a relatively stable and unchanging society, learning “about” and participating “in” the democratic process allow for tweaking the mechanisms of democracy. In present times, taken for granted democratic practices inadequately address the spirit of democracy as social and environmental changes undergo rapid and unanticipated changes. In the context of a past, present, and futures, democracy’s future/s is a vast, complex system that offers practical and inspirational hope to communal living. Anticipatory futures perspectives explore our relationships with the future beyond that of prediction to understand and develop human capacities to enact necessary and important changes for unknown and unanticipated futures. This paper explores the role of adult education in supporting a deep democracy approach for creating more sustainable, ecological, and just futures by developing our relationship with the broad spectrum of anticipatory futures.

  PublisherDOI

• 55-OR: Veterans with Type 2 Diabetes: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding Diabetes Distress

  Diabetes · 2022-05-31

  article

  Diabetes Distress (DD, i.e., regimen, emotional, interpersonal, clinician) in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is associated with poor glycemic control, poorer diet and exercise, and more T2DM complications. We describe a multi-phased study to develop and test a tailored intervention to reduce DD to improve health outcomes. Phases 1-3 identified factors related to DD in Veterans with T2DM to inform intervention development. We used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to identify how Veterans with T2DM experienced DD. Veterans (n=210) completed measures (DD, depression, empowerment, stigma) . A subset of Veterans (n=36) also completed in-depth qualitative interviews. We fit a multivariable linear regression to examine associations with DD score. We completed thematic analysis on interview transcripts. We integrated measurement and interview data using matrices and analyzed results by medication type, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) , and severity of DD (low, moderate, high) . Mean age was 63 years (SD 10.2) ; 15% female; 69% non-white; 56% on insulin; mean A1c 8.9% (SD 2.0) ; mean DD score was 2.0 (SD 0.9) , indicating moderate distress. In the regression model, female gender (β= -0.31; 95% CI: -0.57, -0.04) , diagnosis of multiple mental health comorbidities vs. one condition (β=-0.29; 95% CI: -0.55, -0.03) , higher depression symptom (β=0.15; severity (95% CI: 0.08, 0.23) and stigma (β=0.02; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.04) were associated with higher DD. Higher T2DM self-efficacy (β=-0.34; 95% CI: -0.51, -0.18) was associated with lower DD. Interviews elaborated on themes including the impact of pain and comorbidities on DD. Integrating the measurement and interview data indicated that experiences of DD varies by many characteristics based on medication type, HbA1c, and severity of DD. Elucidating contributors to DD in Veterans using mixed methods will improve our ability to develop a tailored intervention addressing DD in a manner relevant to Veteran populations. Disclosure A.Lewinski: Other Relationship; Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., PhRMA Foundation. S.J.Barcinas: None. H.B.Bosworth: Advisory Panel; Sanofi, Board Member; preventics diagnostics, Consultant; VIDYA, webmed, Research Support; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, improved Patient Outcomes, Merck & Co., Inc., Novo Nordisk, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. M.J.Crowley: None. A.S.Jeffreys: None. C.Coffman: None. C.Whitfield: None. T.Howard: None. A.Shapiro: None. E.S.Mcconnell: None. P.Tanabe: None. Funding Durham Center of Innovation to Accelerate Discovery and Practice Transformation (CIN 13-4) and VA HSR&D grants #18-234 (to AAL) and #08-027 (to HBB) .

  PublisherDOI

• Democracy’s Relationship With the Future: Transforming Society’s Promise

  Journal of Transformative Education · 2022-06-03 · 2 citations

  articleSenior author

  This essay introduces a juxtaposition of adult education, futures perspectives, transformative learning theory, and democratic engagement. Within adult education, the promise of education, and the possibilities of transformative learning (TL) are often linked to democracy and human freedoms, yet that democratic promise is often left unfulfilled or incomplete. At the same time, futures perspectives coalesce around the strengthening of capacity for adults to change their conceptualizations of and relationships to the future and facilitate skills in navigating discontinuity, complexity, and ambiguity. The inclusion of futures work potentially shifts the TL discourse and may change the ways that we study and support how adults learn, change, and grow through shared human experiences. Futures literacy may become a new dimension for democracies.

  PublisherDOI

• Experienced paramedics’ navigation of and learning about ethical dilemmas in the field

  Studies in Continuing Education · 2022-03-21 · 5 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  This case study investigated how experienced paramedics learn to navigate ethical decision-making in the field. This research is aligned with workplace experiential learning and with evolving international discussions of the changing roles, professional identity, and educational and policy needs of paramedics. Twenty-five experienced paramedics were interviewed, and the data analysis applied situational mapping and thematic and guided framework coding techniques. The findings indicate that during emergent situations, paramedics do not rely on formal educational knowledge to develop judgment in navigating ethical dilemmas beyond applying and honing technical skills. Instead, they rely on a combination of workplace experience, self-directed learning including personal reflection, and their immediate environmental context. Participants conveyed the importance of supervisors and trusted partners in maintaining an alternative to consult or debrief during emergent situations or shortly after ethical dilemmas occur. Participants discussed the use of integrated principles of empathy, beneficence, and accountability. Those participants who maintained an open awareness related to stress and trauma and toward integrating reflection and intentional practice into their work exhibited more nuanced expertise in handling ethical dilemmas and in their commitment to the professional growth.

  PublisherDOI

• Improving Continuing Professional Education: A Study of Paramedic Ethical Decision-Making Dilemmas and Supports.

  2021 · 6 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Political Science
  • Engineering ethics
  • Public relations
  Publisher

Frequent coauthors

• M. Jayne Fleener

  10 shared

• Eleanor S. McConnell

  Durham VA Health Care System

  5 shared

• Cynthia J. Coffman

  Duke University

  4 shared

• Allison A. Lewinski

  Durham VA Health Care System

  4 shared

• Hayden B. Bosworth

  4 shared

• Matthew J. Crowley

  Duke Medical Center

  4 shared

• Susan S. Braithwaite

  Western Carolina University

  3 shared

• Heather A. King

  Durham VA Health Care System

  2 shared

Awards & honors

• Imogene Oakes Award for Outstanding Research 2023
• AERC Phyllis Cunningham Research Award 2008
• Commission for Professors of Adult Education (CPAE) Early Ca…
• Opal Mann Green Engagement and Scholarship Award, North Caro…