Gary W. Harper

Gary W. Harper, PhD, MPH is a Professor at the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health, affiliated with the Department of Health Behavior and Health Equity and Global Public Health. He focuses on mental health, sexual health, and HIV prevention for marginalized populations including Black gay/bisexual youth, transgender/non-binary individuals, and people living with HIV.

Education:

• PhD in Psychology, Purdue University (1993)
• MPH in Epidemiology, University of California, Berkeley (1994)
• MS in Psychology, Purdue University (1989)
• BA in Psychology and Biology, Washington University (1985)

His research uses mixed-methods and qualitative approaches to address social justice needs of adolescents and young adults, with 25+ years of experience in domestic (Atlanta, Detroit) and international (Kenya, Zambia, Botswana) settings. Recent work explores stigma, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, integrated health services, and community-led interventions.

Professor Harper teaches undergraduate courses in LGBTQ+ health promotion, community health, and HIV policy translation. He leads the Health Behavior and Health Education/Global Public Health Sex Lab and has collaborated with community organizations across five countries to develop culturally relevant health programs.