Övgü Kaynak , Ph.D.

Biography

Dr. Övgü Kaynak earned a Ph.D. in Public Health from Temple University, a M.S.Ed. in Human Development from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A. in Psychology from Penn State University. Dr. Kaynak’s research lies in the intersection of psychology and public health and focuses on how to build motivation, resiliency, and coping skills to provide people with expanded opportunity towards living safe and productive lives. Throughout her career, Dr. Kaynak has worked to serve vulnerable and underserved communities in collaboration with law enforcement, schools, non-profits, treatment facilities, advocacy groups, and government agencies. Her current research focuses on risk (e.g., stigma, violence) and protective factors (e.g., social support, community engagement) for substance misuse and addiction. At present, Dr. Kaynak is a co-investigator on a state-funded grant aimed to reduce stigma related to the opioid epidemic.