Faculty and their Research Interests

John B. Bartholomew, Ph.D. (john.bart@mail.utexas.edu). Dr. Bartholomew is interested in the psychological factors that are associated with physical activity.  This has taken the form of both the psychology response to exercise (stress, mood, etc.) and the psychological factors that promote activity (motivation, self-efficacy, etc.).  He is particularly interested in applying these concepts to intervention design and evaluation.  He is presently working in both clinical and school settings to promote physical activity and a healthy diet.

Elizabeth W. Edmundson, Ph.D. (eedmundson@austin.utexas.edu). Areas of research focus upon measurement and evaluation in health promotion studies among children, adolescents and young adults.  Expertise in measurement emphasizes the creation/validation of self-report measures that are theory-based and evaluation skills encompass formative, process, and outcome aspects of health promotion programs. Currently, Dr. Edmundson's research includes antecedent attitudes and beliefs that contribute to behavioral choices - for example, dietary food choices, physical activity, and  sedentary behaviors such as watching television and other electronic media use.  She also investigates measurement and evaluation models of STI prevention and condom use among adolescents, and other health-risk behaviors commonly observed among this population (alcohol and drug use, sexual behaviors, etc).

Nell H. Gottlieb, Ph.D. (ngottlieb@mail.utexas.edu). The design, implementation, and diffusion of health education programs. Cancer prevention and control, including tobacco and clinical preventive services.

Carole Holahan, Ph.D. (c.holahan@mail.utexas.edu). Health and well-being across the life span, psychosocial predictors of health behavior, coping with illness, successful aging, and women’s health. 

Bill Kohl, Ph.D. (harold.w.kohl@uth.tmc.edu). Dr. Kohl's research interests include current focuses on physical activity, exercise, fitness and public health as well as and sports medicine surveillance for musculoskeletal injuries.  In his recent efforts, he has concentrated on national and international physical activity surveillance and epidemiology issues, as well as program development and evaluation studies for the promotion of school-based physical activity for children and adolescents.

Alexandra Loukas, Ph.D. (alexandra.loukas@mail.utexas.edu). Adolescent and young adult health, particularly adolescent aggression and tobacco use and cessation in disparate populations. Dr. Loukas has a special interest in examining how factors from multiple ecological levels (e.g., family, school, culture) interact to protect adolescents and young adults from negative health outcomes.

Keryn Pasch, Ph.D., M.P.H. (kpasch@mail.utexas.edu). Personal, behavioral, and environmental influences on adolescent health behavior; in particular, the influence of parenting and media on adolescent health behavior. 

Fred L. Peterson, Ph.D. (fpeterson@mail.utexas.edu). Dr. Peterson's primary areas of scholarship lie in child, adolescent, and school health, with a special emphasis in school health teacher education. He has developed an innovative paradigm for teacher training: the Child and Adolescent Health Logic Framework.  A special interest is the enhancement of teacher health literacy in students preparing for careers in education and health promotion.  Another area of interest is the bio-psycho-sociology of adolescent risk-taking behavior.  In his teaching, Dr. Peterson emphasizes the linking of the theoretical and conceptual foundations of youth risk-taking behavior to the design of evidence-based school health education programs.  In addition, Dr. Peterson has an interest in Global Warming Education and its relevance in child and adolescent health promotion.

Mary A. Steinhardt, Ed.D. (MarySteinhardt@mail.utexas.edu). Dr. Steinhardt has studied resilience, stress, and coping in corporate, school, and military settings for 20 years. Her research program explores the determinants and methods for building resilience and strength when challenged with change and chronic stressful situations. Her current research program focuses on resilient approaches to enhancing diabetes self-management and group support for African Americans.