Sunny Sun, MPH, is a senior research analyst in the child welfare research area at Child Trends. Her areas of focus include environmental health (e.g., the built environment, housing, neighborhoods, green spaces, access to outdoor recreation, climate change); racial, social, and environmental justice; and health equity, primarily for communities of color and immigrants. Her master’s thesis was a scoping review on climate change and the built environment for Asian Americans.  

Sunny firmly believes communities have the power to create change and that research and work for communities should wholly partner with and include the communities involved. This includes ensuring research is accessible and effectively communicated for a variety of audiences and purposes. Sunny is passionate about equitable and intersectional action to support communities affected by injustice.  

At Child Trends, she has more than 5 years of experience working on studies with government agencies, service-providing organizations, and foundations to support and evaluate programs. Project topic areas include kinship care, transition age youth, preventing homelessness, criminal/juvenile justice, and maternal and child health. Sunny is a qualitative researcher with strengths in project management/coordination.