Asari Offiong

Asari Offiong, PhD, MPH is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Equity. Prior to her appointment at Michigan, she was a Senior Research Scientist within the Sexual and Reproductive Health area at Child Trends, a national research institute focused on the health and well-being of children, youth and families. As an adolescent health researcher and public health practitioner, she has over a decade of experience leading youth development programs and conducting mixed methods, community based participatory research in urban settings. Dr. Offiong applies a strengths-based and youth-centered approach to research. Specifically, her research focuses on exploring the threats to adolescent sexual and reproductive health and well-being – integrating reproductive justice and youth-centered perspectives to understand more broadly the factors that influence how adolescents perceive sex, form their intentions and make sexual and reproductive health decisions. These findings are then used to inform and develop quality, culturally relevant programs and initiative and policies focused on youth. She choose to think about, study and discuss adolescents as at-promise, instead of at-risk – seeking to make lasting, authentic relationships with youth, community members, and local organizations.