معرفی
Angela M. Coppola, Ph.D., serves as Associate Professor of Allied Health Sciences in Indiana University's School of Sciences, holding dual appointments at the Bloomington and Kokomo campuses. As Director of the Community Health and Activity Promotion Lab (CHAPL), she leads community-based participatory research while teaching Health Promotion and Exercise and Sport Science courses since joining in 2015.
Her educational foundation includes:
- Ph.D. in Physical Education and Recreation (Behavioural Medicine and Health Psychology) with Community-Based Research specialization from University of Alberta (2016)
- M.S. in Sport Studies, Kinesiology and Health (Sport Psychology) from Miami University (2011)
- B.A. in Psychology (Cum Laude) with Marketing minor from Hofstra University (2009)
Dr. Coppola's research pioneers community-engaged approaches to body image, physical activity, and eating behaviors among women and children. Her methodology emphasizes co-creation with community partners, producing tangible outcomes like self-compassion interventions for women and physical activity programs for early learning settings. This work bridges public health, psychology, and education through participatory frameworks that prioritize cultural relevance—particularly in Indigenous communities.
Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals dominant themes in community-campus partnership dynamics, children's health programming, and body pride across diverse populations. Her scholarship increasingly integrates decolonizing methodologies while maintaining focus on practical implementation of healthy eating and physical activity initiatives in real-world settings.
Her scientific recognition includes:
- FACET Academy Award in Community Engagement (2018) for service-learning with Howard County Health Department
Dr. Coppola secures internal and external grants supporting CHAPL's community-driven projects, mentoring undergraduate researchers in partnerships with state/county health departments. Her teaching philosophy operationalizes civic engagement through service-learning, transforming Health Program Planning and related courses into applied community laboratories.
The Community Health and Activity Promotion Lab (CHAPL) functions as her research engine, conducting community-based participatory projects that address healthy body image, eating practices, and physical activity for women and children through sustained collaborations with public health agencies and community coalitions.
