Sophia Allen

Sophia Allen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at Pennsylvania State University, affiliated with the Penn State Cancer Institute and the Penn State Center for Research on Tobacco and Health. Her research focuses on nicotine addiction among African American smokers, mobile health (mHealth) interventions for smoking cessation, and reducing health disparities. She mentors master's and doctoral students in health disparities research.

Her 2022 NIH-funded grant investigated improving engagement in Quitline text messaging services for African American smokers. Recent publications (2024–2025) explore vaping behaviors, mental health correlations with substance use, barriers in cancer care, and policy implications of cigarette bans.

Key contributions include analyzing smoking cessation strategies for marginalized populations and evaluating mHealth technologies. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals addressing health equity.