Vita (pdf)

Dr. Gast received her PhD from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.  Dr. Gast currently serves as the curriculum chair for the health education major and the graduate coordinator for the Masters of Science in HPER. Dr. Gast is the director for USU's Women and Gender Research Institute.  Her research interests include the influence of gender and culture on health behavior.  Research publications and grants have focused on the use of church based health education for women in Utah, Latino men's health beliefs and behaviors, and the influence of masculinity on health practices.She is completing a project funded by the Utah Department of Labor to develop DVD educational materials for Utah nurses to prevent back injury at work entitled, "Back to Basics." She enjoys working with students to prepare them to become health professions.