Camille Kordas, Research Coordinator in the Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences, says the most rewarding part of her job is helping lead programs and research that are focused on the prevention of sexual violence.
When did you join the School of Public Health, and what do you enjoy about working here?
I joined the School of Public Health in July 2023 shortly after completing my Master of Public Health degree here at GSU. I am the Research Coordinator for research projects that focus on the intersection of alcohol and sexual violence. I truly enjoy being a part of two collaborative research teams led by exceptional Principal Investigators, Laura Salazar and Dominic Parrott. In this role, you have the opportunity to directly contribute to public health research. This is the most rewarding part of the job; helping lead programs and research that are focused on prevention.
What’s a typical workday for you like?
I usually arrive at the office at 8 a.m. First thing, I respond to any emails and correspondence that may have come in while away. As coordinator for the lab, I check in with staff and student research assistants from both research teams and discuss tasks for the day. Our lab focuses on human subjects research, and several times a week we have participants coming in for their lab session. On these days, I set up and run these sessions alongside our student research assistants. In addition, I am responsible for participant recruitment, and I often focus on finding community events where we can send students to recruit.
What about your work are you most proud of?
While I’ve only been at SPH for a few months, I'm proud of the skills that I’ve developed during this time. In addition to maintaining momentum in our projects, I’ve learned how to be more flexible and adaptable to situations that arise with our research participants and staff. Over the past few months, I have worked on participant recruitment efforts for one of our projects, and with a focused team effort, we are projected to complete enrollment ahead of schedule. I am proud of all the hard work that our teams have put in towards these projects.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work?
I am an avid fan of nature. On the weekends you’ll often find me hiking around the Chattahoochee River or camping and backpacking in north Georgia. I also like to travel with family and friends, and we take an annual trip outside of the U.S. each year. Outside of nature and travel, I have started to pick up drawing and watercolor painting.