Dr. Kristina R. Anderson is an assistant research scientist at the Eppley Center for Parks and Public Lands, one of seven centers at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. Anderson also serves as adjunct faculty in the School of Public Health, Department of Health and Wellness Design.
Anderson joined Eppley as a project manager summer 2021. She is an experienced data analyst and strategist, with 10 years of experience in research and evaluation within public and nonprofit sectors. She also has several years of experience in outdoor education programming and interpretation. At Eppley, Anderson’s project work spans these areas of strategic planning, research, evaluation, and interpretation. Her academic research centers inquiries at the intersections of human health and natural environments, outdoor play and recreation, anthropogenic environmental change, and equity and justice.
Anderson holds a bachelor of arts in Economics and a bachelor of science in Business from Indiana University, a master’s of science in Natural Resources from the University of Idaho, and a PhD in Leisure Behavior from Indiana University.
Personal Statement
Anderson’s scholarship is based on a core belief that all people should have equitable access to health-promoting outdoor recreation experiences. This line of research is built upon her personal “mission statement,” which outlines a belief in each and every person's right to an excellent education, a pristine part of this planet we all call home, and the peace that can come from a walk in the woods.
Research Interests
- Anthropogenic Environmental Change
- Equity and Justice
- Human Health and Natural Environments
- Outdoor Play and Recreation
Publications
- Anderson, K. R., Blekking, J., & Omodior, O. (2021). Tick trails: The role of online recreational trail reviews in identifying risk factors and behavioral recommendations associated with tick encounters in Indiana. BMC Public Health, 21(908), 1-10. doi:10.1186/s12889-021-10940-4
- Anderson, K. R., Ramos, W. D., & Schuman, J. T. (2021). The role of permission, supervision, and precipitating events in childhood pool/spa submersion incidents, United States, 2000–2017. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 8776. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18168776
- Anderson, K. R. (2020). “Do not play” outdoor advisories: Examining the effects of soil lead contamination on urban communities [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Indiana University-Bloomington.
- Anderson, K. R., & Omodior, O. (2020). A BDI public health logic model approach to leisure programming. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 38(2), 116-134. doi:10.18666/JPRA-2020-10180
- Anderson, K. R., Zwart, R., & Ewert A. (2020). A comparison of transferable skill development in both experiential and traditional leadership curriculums. Published abstract in the Journal of Outdoor Recreation, Education, and Leadership. 12(2), 217-221. doi:JOREL-2020-V12-I2-9873
Awards and Honors
- Ostrom Fellow
- Education Pioneers Analyst Fellow