Health Sciences Prof. Megan Benka-Coker ’09 is a faculty member on the International and Global Studies Committee.
Benka-Coker received a dual Bachelor of Arts in health sciences and globalization studies (now International and Global Studies [IGS]) at Gettysburg College. She later earned her Master of Public Health in global health from Emory University and a Ph.D. from Colorado State University.
Her research focus on global issues and health effects of household air pollution from the use of biomass (firewood and charcoal) for cooking. In her epidemiological studies, she has conducted research with U.S.-based and local partners in locations such as Ethiopia, Honduras, and, most recently, Ghana.
In addition to her field research, she collaborates with policymakers to promote the use of cleaner fuels and cleaner-burning cookstoves in low- and middle-income countries. In one of her most exciting policy efforts, she served as the health expert advocating for alternative clean energy sources (bioethanol for transportation and cooking fuel) at a high-level governmental policy meeting in Mozambique in September 2023.
In her teaching at Gettysburg College, Benka-Coker teaches several courses related to public health, including epidemiological methods and global health. In the fall of 2023, she also taught a new course on air pollution and health that included a community-based collaboration with an Adams County, Pennsylvania, elementary school. As an alum, Gettysburg College feels like her second home, and her students often see her at campus events with her family and two young children.
“What I enjoy most about teaching at Gettysburg College is the opportunity to introduce public health and its many facets to students,” she said. “Public health is a multidisciplinary field that focuses on the health of populations, including programmatic interventions and research of environmental, social, behavioral, and political factors. It is a very hands-on field, and it’s rewarding to see students gain real-life experiences and connections and pursue careers that will build upon their Gettysburg experience.”
Photos by Abbey Frisco, Casey Martin Photography
Posted: 06/16/25