Gera Nagelhout

Prof. Dr. Gera Nagelhout serves as Professor and Lecturer in Involved Science at Avans University of Applied Sciences' Centre of Expertise Perspective in Health, while holding a special appointment as Professor in the Department of Health Promotion at Maastricht University. Her career integrates research, teaching, policy advice, and knowledge translation in public health with emphasis on marginalized communities.

She earned her PhD cum laude in Health Sciences from Maastricht University in 2012 following communication science training. Her doctoral research focused on smoking cessation and tobacco policy.

Nagelhout's research centers on socioeconomic health disparities through participatory methodologies with vulnerable populations including those experiencing poverty, homelessness, and health literacy challenges. She pioneers citizen science approaches where experiential knowledge shapes all research phases, advocating for inclusive health studies that reject researcher neutrality in favor of actionable societal impact. Her work transforms traditional research hierarchies by establishing equitable partnerships with underrepresented communities.

Her scientific excellence is recognized through prestigious awards:

• Public Health Award (2013)
• ECL ECToH Young Professional Award (2017)
• Societal Impact Award for research teams (2019)

Nagelhout actively supervises PhD candidates investigating precarious living conditions, neighborhood-based end-of-life care for migrants, sustainable homelessness solutions, and inclusive research with low-income populations. She leads the Involved Science lectorate which drives knowledge exchange and methodological innovation in citizen participation across health research.

The Involved Science research group executes high-impact projects including 'Power of Citizen Science', 'Citizen survey 'In a heartbeat'', 'MANTRA Pandemic Preparedness', and 'Breaking intergenerational transmission' – all designed to embed community voices in health research design, implementation, and dissemination.