Mallory Sagehorn Researching Neighborhoods, Health, and the Life Course
Mallory Sagehorn is a second-year PhD student in the Department of Geography at the ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ. As a mixed methods researcher, she brings a diverse set of skills to her studies, having received training in GIS and geospatial methods from her master's degree at CU Denver. Mallory is also developing expertise in qualitative research under the mentorship of Dr. Jessica Finlay at CU ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ, where she is honing her skills in qualitative methods. She is further expanding her knowledge by taking courses in spatial programming and analytics, complementing her interdisciplinary approach.
At CU Geography, Mallory has contributed to several high-impact research projects. As a research assistant in Dr. Jessica Finlay’s Life Course Cognability lab, Mallory focuses on the intersection of neighborhood environments and cognitive health across the life course. She is actively involved in analyzing data from the COVID-19 Coping Study, with year 3 analysis nearing completion and year 4 in progress. Mallory also contributes to the Neighborhoods and Health at All Ages study, where she explores topics including COVID-19 impacts, mental health, young adults, and the built environment. Additionally, Mallory collaborates with postdoctoral researcher Yue Sun on a project examining the impact of third-place closures on community engagement. Outside of her research, Mallory serves as a graduate representative for the Geography Department, advocating for her peers and contributing to department initiatives.
In Fall 2024, Mallory was awarded research assistant funding by the CU Population Center at the Institute for Behavioral Science. Under the guidance of Drs. Jason Boardman and Jessica Finlay, she is conducting data analysis and manuscript preparation for a study on emerging adults (ages 18-29) and their neighborhood experiences. This research investigates how early-life neighborhood exposures can influence health and wellbeing later in life, aiming to encourage urban planners to consider the developmental needs of emerging adults in neighborhood design. Mallory will present her work at AAG Detroit in 2025.