Kayla Gurganus is a Public Health Fellow with the Academic Community Partnerships (ACP) Team, a member of the VISTA team and PhD candidate in Political Science & Ecological Sciences & Engineering at Purdue University. Learn more about her work and contributions to the VISTA team in this interview.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your educational background?
I graduated with my B.S. in Anthropology from Ball State in 2015, and then completed my M.A. in Political Science at Purdue in 2022. I have nearly completed by PhD in Political Science (also at Purdue) and expect to defend in Fall 2025.
My research interests span the intersection of policy and the environment, and my doctoral project has focused on understanding why cities include equity in their climate action plans.
How did you become involved with the VISTA research lab?
I initially worked in the VISTA lab under Dr. Schwab Reese as a graduate research assistant in Summer 2023. I assisted with lab documentation for the lab’s manual and a workflow for IRB processes, and also helped investigate different digital work management tools. I’m very excited to be returning to work with Dr. Schwab Reese now as the Public Health Fellow through the Academic Community Partnership (ACP).
What specific area of public health research are you interested in?
My areas of interest within public health research are environmental health and health policy. As part of the data and evaluation team within ACP, I’m also interested in evaluating projects and programs to better understand the effectiveness of ACP interventions. Because the span of existing and potential ACP projects is so wide, I’m excited to learn more generally about the areas of public health that are far outside of my current expertise.
Can you describe the current project or projects you’re working on in the lab?
I’m currently working with Sara Brandspigel on developing and conducting a needs assessment across eight Indiana counties to understand their needs and assets related to data infrastructure, management, and analysis.
What are your future career goals in public health research or beyond?
In the future, I’d like to continue focusing on community-engaged research initiatives related to climate impacts, environmental health, and environmental justice.
Are there any particular public health issues or topics you hope to explore further?
I’m most excited to work with local communities to perform community-engaged research! I’d like to explore environmental health topics, such as air, water, and soil quality, emergency preparedness and response, and mitigating climate-related health impacts related to high heat and flood events. I also see opportunities to connect my research to Purdue’s One Health initiative, “improving health outcomes for all living things and driving economic growth regionally and globally.”
What do you find most rewarding about working in public health research?
I am new to the public health research space, but I envision what will be most rewarding will be similar to my climate equity research: the opportunity to learn new things and improve my understanding of the world; the ability to interact with local communities and share in the research process; and ultimately to use that knowledge to reduce disparities.
What keeps you motivated and passionate about your work?
I’ve always been motivated by the idea that small groups of concerned citizens are the drivers of change in the world, and I am passionate about working collectively and collaboratively to improve the health of people, animals, and the environment. My mindset is that understanding and operating with overlapping systems in mind contributes to addressing issues more holistically. I am also inspired and challenged by seemingly intractable problems (i.e., climate change) and finding ways to empower people and make change at the local level. Every action can build upon the others in a cascading effect, whether that’s working on environmental impacts or improving public health outcomes.
Want to connect with Kayla Gurganus? Visit her LinkedIn Page to reach out.
lauraschwabreese.com 
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