Sara L McLafferty

Sara L McLafferty is a Research Professor in the Department of Geography and Geographic Information Science at the University of Illinois. Her work focuses on the intersection of geography, health, and urban systems, with a particular emphasis on spatial inequality and health disparities. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Iowa and a B.A. from Barnard College, Columbia University.

Her research investigates how geographic contexts influence health outcomes, including studies on access to healthcare, maternal and infant health, and the spatial dimensions of economic inequality. She has authored/co-authored books such as GIS and Public Health and A Companion to Health and Medical Geography, and serves as an editorial board member for Health and Place and Spatial and Spatiotemporal Epidemiology.

Key research interests include:

• GIS and spatial analysis methodologies
• Urban health inequities
• Racial/ethnic minorities' healthcare access
• Gendered commuting patterns
• Environmental health risks

Her recent work explores topics such as crime exposure at food stores, telehealth innovations in rural healthcare, and the spatial dynamics of frontline workers in New York City. She has received prestigious awards including the AAG Fellowship (2020) and the Melinda S. Meade Award (2015).

Teaching includes courses like GEOG 371 (Spatial Analysis) and GEOG 439 (Health Applications of GIS), emphasizing quantitative methods and real-world geospatial problem-solving.