Dr. Övgü Kaynak is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Penn State Harrisburg. Dr. Kaynak has an interdisciplinary educational background, she earned her Ph.D. in public health from Temple University, an M.S.Ed. in human development from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A. in psychology from Penn State University. Her research lies in the intersection of psychology and public health and focuses on building motivation, resiliency, and coping skills to provide people with expanded opportunities for living safe and productive lives. Dr. Kaynak’s first line of research addresses risk (e.g., stigma and violence) and protective factors (e.g., social support and community support) related to substance misuse and substance use disorder (e.g., opioids, stimulants, and vaping) and psychological health (e.g., depression, anxiety, and stress) in individuals and families. Her second line of research focuses on engaging the community by developing evidence-based tools, resources, and training. Dr. Kaynak is currently a co-investigator on a state-funded grant aimed at reducing stigma related to the opioid epidemic.
Dr. Weston S. Kensinger is the Director of the Douglas W.Pollock Center for Addiction Outreach and Research, an Associate Teaching Professor of Biobehavioral Health, and Program Coordinator of Biobehavioral Health at Penn State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance at Oklahoma State University in 2010, his M.Ed. in Health Education at Penn State Harrisburg in 2006, and his B.S. in Allied Health Science at Bridgewater College in 2004. His interests include community engagement to prevent opioid abuse, motivations of high-risk health behaviors in college students, drug and alcohol use/abuse, implementation of wellness programs, and therapeutic recreation activities in an elderly population. His current outreach and research efforts are primarily focused on motivations of high-risk health behaviors and stigma reduction, specifically as they apply to the opioid epidemic.
