Research and Teaching Interests

Dr. Kaczynski's research focuses on healthy community design and important health outcomes such as physical activity, obesity, and mental health. He is a Co-Investigator with the USC Prevention Research Center and Director of the Built Environment and Community Health (BEACH) Laboratory. In the BEACH Lab, he and his students study how the communities in which we live, work, learn, pray, and play affect the health and well-being of residents of all ages. In addition, Dr. Kaczynski's research adopts an environmental justice approach to examine whether different population segments or geographic areas have equal access to positive resources (e.g., parks) or protection from negative amenities (e.g., fast food restaurants). Overall, research in the BEACH Lab aims to develop tools, systems, and environmental and policy interventions that engage community members and other diverse stakeholders in building neighborhoods and communities that promote physical activity, healthy eating, and obesity and chronic disease prevention.