Let’s work together to move science forward.
We’re dedicated to advancing the literature and creating the programmatic resources to directly support rural and military-connected communities. We are not admitting traditional graduate students at this time, but are able to offer both hourly and volunteer opportunities to graduate students actively enrolled at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. We are looking for team members with a passion for these communities and a drive to make a difference. We believe that your unique perspective and skills will be a valuable addition to our team. In return, we offer a supportive environment that fosters personal and professional growth, as well as the opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects.
Academic Professionals
Michael Lotspeich-Yadao, Ph.D.
mlots2@illinois.edu
Dr. Lotspeich-Yadao is Coordinator of the Lotspeich-Yadao Lab and the Assistant Director of Research and Educational Programming at the Chez Veterans Center. With a Ph.D. in Applied Sociology from Baylor University, they are particularly interested in how the spatial demography, rural sociology, and public health literatures can inform a changing understanding of rural life both within the State of Illinois and at the national level. They are interested in translational research, directly supporting public decision-makers, practitioners, and Land Grant Institutions like the University of Illinois in program and service delivery.
Collaborating Faculty
Chungyi Chiu, Ph.D., CRC, LPC
Kinesiology and Community Health
College of Applied Health Sciences
Dr. Chung-Yi Chiu’s overarching research goals are to understand how people with disability and chronic illness (PwDC) live healthy, meaningful, and productive lives.
Craig Carpenter, Ph.D.
Ag., Food, and Resource Economics
Michigan State University
Dr. Carpenter’s research efforts focus on the use of federal administrative data to examine questions related to the interaction of race, ethnicity, veteran status, entrepreneurship, and economic growth.
Graduate Students
Kortney Wilcher
Kinesiology and Community Health
College of Applied Health Sciences
Susie Lopez
Kinesiology and Community Health
College of Applied Health Sciences
Moin Vahora, MPH
Kinesiology and Community Health
College of Applied Health Sciences
Aisha Tepede, MPH
Kinesiology and Community Health
College of Applied Health Sciences
Undergraduate Students
Yasmen Pugh
Psychology, Sociology
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Jonathan Blatchford
Kinesiology and Community Health
College of Applied Health Sciences
Behavioral Health Team
