Katherine Kuvalanka
Interim Chair and Professor
McGuffey 101F
513-529-8058
kuvalaka@MiamiOH.edu
Degrees:
PhD in Family Science
M.S., Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy
Professional Experience
Member, Board of Directors, Oxford Area PFLAG (2018-present)
Honors, Awards & Grants
Most recent honors and awards:
Grand Marshal, Oxford Pride Parade, Spectrum, Miami University (2018)
Faculty Commendation, Center for Teaching Excellence, Miami University, (every year from 2011 to 2020)
Most recent external grant:
2018 Grant-in-Aid, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. Trans*Kids Project (Wave 3): A
Longitudinal Study of Families with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Children. P.I.: Katherine A. Kuvalanka, Ph.D.; Co-Investigator: Abbie E. Goldberg, Ph.D. (Funded: $1,400)
Biography
Katherine (Kate) Kuvalanka (she/her/hers pronouns) earned her PhD in family studies from the University of Maryland and joined the Miami University faculty in 2007. Her research focuses on families with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) family members and factors ranging from the proximal (e.g., individual, family, school) to the distal (e.g., legal climate) that pose challenges to, and foster resilience among, families with LGBTQ members. She has received funding from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, and the American Psychological Foundation. She is on the editorial board for the Journal of GLBT Family Studies and the Journal of Youth & Adolescence and is the principal investigator of the Trans*Kids Project (http://transkids.info/), a longitudinal study of 50 families with transgender and gender-diverse children. Kate has taught several FSW courses and enjoys teaching and learning with the many curious and brilliant Miami students that enter her classrooms. She also LOVES summer, when she, Thor (her partner), Sam (their child), and Izzy (their pooch) head back to Kate's parents' house in Rhode Island, where she spends the mornings writing and the afternoons riding waves at the beach.
Courses
FSW 206, 261
In the News
Custody Battles over Transgender Children - with Katherine Kuvalanka
In this podcast episode, we learn about a serious issue facing transgender children and their families, who are involved in custody battles across the family court system. And why this is an issue that stresses the need for more awareness and understanding today.
How to Help Transgender Children Thrive
Today, many transgender issues are gaining more attention, but this awareness has not yet resolved many of the complexities and challenges that so many of these individuals face. But in this podcast episode, we’ll learn about how new research is starting to help parents, families, and community members better understand how to help children who identify as being trans and gender non-conforming live emotionally healthier and happier lives.