Bridging Science and Policy: A Conversation with Dr. Christen Rexing

In the world of injury prevention, the bridge between rigorous data and life-saving policy is often built by dedicated advocates who understand both the laboratory and the legislative floor. In the latest Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium (RGVRC) Member Highlight, we sit down with Dr. Christen Rexing, a scholar whose career has been defined by this exact intersection.

Dr. Rexing, who serves as the Executive Director of the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research (SAVIR), didn’t start her journey in a traditional health setting. With a background in history and political science, she recognized early on that politics shapes policy, and policy ultimately determines health outcomes.

From International Trade to Domestic Safety Dr. Rexing’s interest in gun violence prevention was sparked during her undergraduate years, where she assisted research on the global small arms trade and the exportation of NRA ideology. This international perspective eventually turned inward, leading her to focus on how social and political characteristics influence the adoption of firearm laws in the United States.

A Mission to Educate and Advocate In her role at SAVIR, Dr. Rexing works tirelessly to ensure that gun violence research isn’t just conducted, but communicated. She focuses her efforts on four key groups:

• Lawmakers: Demonstrating that science-backed solutions like suicide prevention and community violence intervention create safer communities.

• Students: Building a welcoming, collaborative community for the next generation of researchers.

• The Public: Debunking myths and providing evidence-based facts about community and school safety.

• Researchers: Encouraging scientists to find their voices and actively educate the public on the impact of their work.

“We cannot stay silent on our work,” Dr. Rexing notes. Her leadership reminds us that while the data provides the “why,” it is the advocacy and education that provide the “how” for a safer future.

Read her full interview at https://rockinst.org/blog/rgvrc-member-highlight-christen-rexing/