Megan L. Smith

Megan L. Smith, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the School of Public and Population Health at Boise State University. She holds a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from West Virginia University (2015), a teaching degree from California State University Chico (2008), and a BA in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz (2006). Her research focuses on contextual factors influencing youth health outcomes, including substance use, mental health, and sexual risk behaviors, with a particular emphasis on school environments and community-level interventions.

Dr. Smith previously served as Director of Child & Adolescent Health initiatives at WVU’s Prevention Research Center and currently contributes to SAMSHA/WVDE’s Project AWARE, promoting school-based mental health. She is a core member of the Planet Youth initiative, advocating community-driven prevention strategies. Her work emphasizes equity and health advocacy, particularly in rural and marginalized populations.

Her research interests span public health policy, youth resilience, and culturally adapted interventions. Recent work explores disparities in electric vehicle adoption, faith-based mental health programs, and the Icelandic Prevention Model’s rural implementation. She also investigates adolescent caffeine use impacts and parental engagement in education.

Dr. Smith’s scholarly contributions include studies on healthcare access, antenatal education, and global health diagnostics. She actively collaborates on projects addressing diaper insecurity, gender-diverse youth support, and heat resilience strategies. Her work bridges academic research with actionable public health solutions.