PhD

Associate Professor

Educational background

• Post Doc – University of Texas at Medical Branch, Center for behavioral Health and Research, 2013-2015
• Ph.D. – Pennsylvania State University, Communication Arts and Sciences, 2013
• M.A. – Michigan State University, Public Relations & Retailing, 2008
• B.A. – Ewha Womans University, Advertising and Public Relations, 2004

Courses taught

• Introduction to the Research Process and Evidence Base
• Public Health Principles and Practice

Research summary

My overarching research goal is to identify underlying mechanisms that influence future risky behaviors (e.g., substance abuse, violence), identify specific sub-populations and/or characteristics to frequently engage in these behaviors, and scientifically evaluate prevention programs targeting such mechanisms with adolescent populations.

Research interests

• Adolescent risky behaviors (mainly dating violence, substance abuse, sexting)
• Egocentric social network and health outcomes
• Prevention programs for adolescent risky behaviors

My program of research is centered on prevention sciences with two main focus: 1) adolescent risky behaviors and 2) use of new technology in prevention programs.  Adolescence can be a time of exploration of romantic relationships and development of risky behaviors. Yet the complexity of the development of risky behaviors has not been fully unpacked. Besides, due to advances in technology, current teens have encountered new risky situations including sexting. The ways in which new technology may contribute to adolescent risky behaviors, as well as how new technologies can be employed as prevention tools, have been relatively less studied. My overarching research goal is to identify underlying mechanisms that influence future risky behaviors (e.g., substance abuse, violence), identify specific sub-populations and/or characteristics to frequently engage in these behaviors, and scientifically evaluate prevention programs targeting such mechanisms with adolescent populations.

Grants

• Co-PI, “Reducing High School Athletes’ Prescription Opioid Misuse through the Student Athlete Wellness Portal” National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institute of Health (Michael Hecht & Hye Jeong Choi, Co-PIs, 06/01/2020-02/28/2023) (Total: $1,724,277 funded)
• Multi-Principal Investigator, “The New Norms of Adolescence: Examining Predictors and Consequences of Sexting,” Children and Screens: Institute of Digital Media and Child Development (Jennifer Aubrey, Hye Jeong Choi, Elizabeth Daniels, & Ashton Speno, Multi-PIs, 05/01/2018 – 04/30/2020) (Total: $90,091 funded).
• Co-Investigator, “Interactive technology for media literacy drug prevention in community groups”, National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institute of Health (Michael Hecht & Kathryn L Greene Co-PIs, 2R42DA039595-02A1, 05/01/2017 – 04/30/2019). ($873,000 funded).

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