Elizabeth Sully

Elizabeth Sully is a Senior Research Scientist at the Guttmacher Institute specializing in sexual and reproductive health research. Her work focuses on abortion measurement, adolescent health, the impact and cost of sexual and reproductive health services, and the sociobehavioral dynamics of HIV transmission across multiple countries including Ethiopia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and the United States.

Dr. Sully earned her PhD in public affairs and demography from Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and the Office of Population Research, along with an MA in public affairs from the same institution. She completed her undergraduate studies with a BA with Joint Honors in political science and international development studies from McGill University.

Her research demonstrates methodological innovation in measuring sensitive reproductive health topics. She has developed and refined approaches like the network scale-up method and game of contacts to estimate abortion incidence where direct measurement is challenging. Dr. Sully's work often examines policy impacts, particularly the Global Gag Rule's effects on reproductive health services in Ethiopia.

Key research areas include:

• Abortion Measurement: Developing innovative methods to estimate abortion incidence in settings where abortion is restricted
• Policy Analysis: Rigorous evaluation of how policies affect reproductive health service provision and outcomes
• Global Health: Conducting research across multiple African countries to understand regional reproductive health dynamics
• Person-Centered Care: Advancing measurement approaches for family planning need and use

Dr. Sully's recent publications (through 2025) show an increasing focus on strengthening research capacity in low-resource settings and developing person-centered approaches to reproductive health measurement. Her work bridges academic research with practical implications for reproductive health policy and programming worldwide.