Laura Schwab Reese

Laura Schwab Reese serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health at Purdue University, with courtesy appointments at UCONN (Department of Public Health Sciences), University of Colorado School of Medicine (Department of Pediatrics), and Purdue University (Department of Health and Kinesiology). Her expertise centers on reducing violence through community partnerships, specializing in child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, mental health consequences, and community-based participatory research methodologies.

Education:

• PhD, University of Iowa, 2015
• MA, University of Iowa, 2010
• BS, University of Iowa, 2008

Research Focus: Dr. Reese leverages mental health counseling and public health intervention expertise to develop violence prevention programs. Her work emphasizes qualitative analysis and community engagement to address structural determinants of violence. Current projects explore social media's role in child maltreatment disclosure, firearm suicide disparities, and digital health equity. She employs mixed-methods approaches to translate research into actionable public health interventions targeting vulnerable populations.

Publication Trends: Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal three dominant themes: (1) Digital platforms (TikTok/social media) as disclosure channels for violence victims, (2) Disparities in violence outcomes by race, gender, and sexual orientation, and (3) Innovative methodologies including LLM risk taxonomies and community paramedicine. Her work consistently bridges academic research with community implementation, focusing on rural-urban divides and marginalized populations.

Scientific Recognition:

• 50th Anniversary Kempe Lecturer, International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse (2022)
• Poster of Distinction, American Academy of Health Behavior (2022)
• Early Career Award, APHA Injury Control Section (2021)
• Article of the Year, Journal of Public Child Welfare (2020)

Professional Leadership: As 2022 SAVIR President-Elect and former APHA Section Chair, Dr. Reese influences national violence prevention agendas. She serves on editorial boards for American Journal of Public Health, Child Abuse & Neglect, and Journal of Child and Family Studies. Her NIH-funded research demonstrates sustained impact through community partnerships focused on implementation science and health equity.

Community Integration: Dr. Reese partners with Indiana communities to develop violence prevention programs, including training salon professionals to identify trafficking victims and designing rural vaccination equity initiatives. Her community-based participatory research model ensures stakeholder input throughout project development, implementation, and evaluation phases, creating sustainable interventions responsive to local needs.