معرفی
Dr. Sofia Jawed-Wessel is a Professor in the School of Health & Kinesiology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). She also serves as Co-Director of the Midlands Sexual Health Research Collaborative and holds a joint appointment in UNO’s Women and Gender Studies program, as well as a courtesy appointment in the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Her work integrates sex-positive, pleasure-inclusive education with rigorous research on sexual health during parenthood and LGBTQ+ family dynamics.
Her research focuses on understanding sexual behaviors and relationship adjustment during pregnancy, postpartum periods, and parenthood transitions. Key themes include maternal objectification, cultural competence in healthcare, and the sexual well-being of marginalized groups. She has developed scales such as the Maternal and Partner Sex During Pregnancy Scales to measure sexual health outcomes.
Dr. Jawed-Wessel’s articles highlight trends in maternal healthcare gaps, LGBTQ+ parenting challenges, and methodological contributions like scale validation. Her work addresses disparities in healthcare access, particularly for sexual minority populations and Muslim women.
- Awards: 2017 Outstanding Achievement Award, TOYO!, Tribute to Woman Honoree; 2015 Mary Ann Lamanna Award for Excellence in Teaching.
- Community Impact: Partnerships with Omaha-based organizations to advance sexual health advocacy and policy reform, including testimony before educational boards.
- Labs/Teams: Leads the Midlands Sexual Health Research Collaborative, fostering interdisciplinary partnerships to address maternal and LGBTQ+ health inequities.
