Susan Veldheer

Susan Veldheer is an Associate Professor at The Pennsylvania State University, holding dual appointments in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and the Department of Public Health Sciences. She is affiliated with the Penn State Cancer Institute and Cancer Control programs. Dr. Veldheer earned a BA in Communications from Marquette University, a BS in Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a DEd in Adult Education from The Pennsylvania State University. Her research focuses on behavioral health interventions for cardiovascular disease prevention, including dietary interventions, smoking cessation, and tobacco product studies. She has led community-engaged projects like the Hershey Community Garden initiative to improve fruit and vegetable intake among at-risk patients. Dr. Veldheer is a Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute KL2 Scholar (2022–2024).

Her work explores barriers to healthcare access, perceptions of public health interventions, and social determinants of health. Notable projects include randomized trials on tobacco cessation and studies on electronic cigarette risks. She has secured grants from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the National Institute on Aging.

• Education:
  • Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Marquette University
  • Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • Doctor of Education in Adult Education, The Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Veldheer’s research spans interdisciplinary approaches, including qualitative methods and community partnerships. She received the Outstanding Collaborative Research Team award in 2021. Current projects include a fruit-and-vegetable prescription program for diabetes patients and studies on gardening’s impact on cognitive health.