معرفی
Ruzka Taruc is a Researcher in Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at Alfred Hospital, affiliated with Monash University. Her work focuses on public health challenges in urban informal settlements across Southeast Asia and the Pacific through the RISE (Research Initiative for Sustainable Environments) consortium.
Her research spans public health, epidemiology, and environmental health with emphasis on urban sanitation, social determinants of health, and participatory approaches. She investigates how water/sanitation infrastructure, food insecurity, and community engagement impact mental health and social capital in vulnerable populations, particularly women in informal settlements during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recent publications reveal strong interdisciplinary trends addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals through transnational collaborations. Her work combines environmental monitoring, gender analysis, and community-led design to develop sustainable solutions for informal settlements, with significant focus on Indonesia and Fiji.
Taruc actively contributes to the RISE consortium, a transdisciplinary program co-designing sanitation infrastructure and environmental health interventions through north-south research partnerships that prioritize local community leadership and social inclusion.
