I am a PhD candidate specializing in the study of aging populations in low-resource settings, with a particular focus on Cambodia and Southeast Asia. My dissertation, funded by both the Open Society Foundations and the National Institute of Health’s National Institute on Aging, involves the analysis of primary data collected from 220 older Cambodians. The research examines the influence of household wealth and economic fulfillment on well-being outcomes, contributing to a deeper understanding of how socioeconomic factors shape aging in post-conflict, low-income communities.
Born and raised in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, I completed a Bachelor of Social Work in 2014 and a Bachelor of Education in 2015 from the Royal University of Phnom Penh. During my undergraduate years, I interned with several Cambodian nonprofits and participated in social science and community-based research projects, gaining early exposure to the practical aspects of research and advocacy. In 2015, I received a full scholarship from the Open Society Foundations to pursue a Master of Social Work at the Brown School, where I focused on aging societies and older adults.
My research agenda is driven by the life course perspective, which emphasizes how the contexts in which individuals are born and raised affect their life outcomes in later years. I explore how past experiences, including exposure to violence and ongoing socioeconomic challenges, shape the well-being of older adults living in resource-constrained environments. Additionally, I am interested in testing the validity of construct measures developed for Western populations in culturally and historically distinct low- and middle-income countries.
Currently, my research projects focus on healthy aging among rural-dwelling older adults and the social determinants of health in later life. My goal is to contribute knowledge that informs policies and interventions aimed at improving the quality of life for aging populations in Southeast Asia.
Learn more about me and my work at my personal website: KakadaKuy.com. Thank you for dropping by!
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Preferred Contact: KakadaKuy@wustl.edu