Susan Tortolero Emery
Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Research Affairs and Guy S. Parcel Chair in Public Health
Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
713/500-9091
Reuel Stallones Building
1200 Pressler Street, Houston, TX 77030
About
I am Senior Associate Dean of Academic and Research Affairs, as well as Professor of Epidemiology and of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health. I have devoted my professional career to public health (I am Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners), and I strive to remain at the forefront of this evolving field as it relates to primary prevention and health promotion in the area of sexual health. I have extensive experience and broad expertise in administrative leadership of research centers, as well as in research on innovative, effective interventions targeting diverse populations. For close to 10 years, I was director of the Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research whose mission is to conduct research to develop, evaluate, and disseminate health promotion and disease prevention programs in diverse settings and populations. For over 10 years, I was also director of the CDC-funded University of Texas Prevention Research Center, which united academic researchers, community members, and public health agencies to collaborate on developing effective strategies to promote health and prevent disease among adolescents in Harris County and across Texas. In addition to administrative leadership experience, I have over 20 years’ experience conducting research on risk and protective behaviors related to physical, mental, and sexual health, with the goal of understanding their determinants, developing and testing interventions to reduce associated risk factors, and disseminating effective interventions broadly. My numerous research, leadership, and teaching contributions have garnered many prestigious awards, including the UTHealth President’s Award for Leadership, the UT System Board of Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award, the R. Palmer Beasley, MD, Faculty Award for Innovation, and the Douglas B. Kirby Adolescent Research Award.
Center Affiliation
Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research
Research Interests
- Adolescent Health
- Epidemiology
- Health Equity
- Injury and Violence
- Maternal and Child Health
- Program Evaluation
- Sexual Health
- Women's Health