Sara Osawlt

Sara Osawlt, Ph.D., is a Professor of Public Health at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), affiliated with the College for Health, Community and Policy (HCAP). Her research focuses on the interplay between college students' health behaviors and academic success, mental health, and sexual/reproductive health.

• Education: Ph.D. in Health Promotion and Behavior (University of Georgia), M.P.H. in Public Health Education (Indiana University Bloomington), B.S. in General and Life Science (Pennsylvania State University)

Her work examines health-related behaviors such as dietary habits, physical activity, substance use, mental health, and sexual practices, linking these to academic outcomes like GPA. Recent studies include scoping reviews on U.S. postsecondary students' health, analyses of condom use patterns, and explorations of sexual diversity frameworks for consent education.

Key trends in her research include the impact of mental health on academic success, structural interventions like condom distribution programs, and ethical decision-making models for sexuality educators. She has presented findings at major conferences such as the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and American College Health Association Annual Meeting.

Dr. Osawlt has secured grants for projects including the evaluation of the Teens Project ($45,450, 2017), research on mother-students' work-life balance ($5,000, 2017-2018), and SOMOS FUERTES health initiatives ($333,966, 2008-2010). Her collaborations emphasize improving faculty engagement in campus health initiatives and national sexual health campaigns like 'Get Yourself Tested'.