Suzanne Swan

Suzanne Swan is a Professor in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies and Psychology at the University of South Carolina, College of Arts and Sciences. Her research bridges theoretical psychology with practical solutions to address societal issues.

• Education: PhD in Social and Personality Psychology with a Minor in Women's Studies from the University of Illinois.

Dr. Swan’s research focuses on health disparities, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and drugging incidents. She pioneered empirical studies on drugging, revealing that 1 in 13 college students reported being drugged and 1.4% admitted to or knew someone who drugged others. Her ongoing work applies the Theory of Coercive Actions to analyze motives such as excitement, compliance, and social identity.

Dr. Swan teaches Graduate and Undergraduate courses in Social Psychology and Women's Health. Her research aims to illuminate actionable solutions for health disparities and gender-based violence. She has published foundational studies on drugging prevalence and is advancing novel theoretical frameworks to address these issues.

Dr. Swan is affiliated with the University of South Carolina, with an office in Barnwell College, 525A, and can be reached at swansc@mailbox.sc.edu or (803) 777-2558.