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is pleased to announce the appointment of Amber Sophus, PhD, as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society.

Sophus is a social and behavioral research scientist with over 10 years of experience in community engagement and translational research. Her work is dedicated to advancing Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) prevention and sexual health, with a particular emphasis on reducing HIV-related disparities among vulnerable communities in the Southern US. She earned her PhD in Public Health from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health and her Master of Public Health from the University of Miami. Before joining UT School of Public Health San Antonio, Sophus was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Florida International University within the Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.

Sophus's research portfolio employs qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodologies, applying theoretical frameworks to identify multilevel factors influencing sexual health behaviors, especially among Black women. Her current research interests focus on improving awareness, knowledge and uptake of biomedical strategies for HIV prevention, specifically pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Most recently, Sophus completed a National Institute of Health-funded, web-based pilot study that enrolled 398 adult cis-Black women across the Southern U.S. This cross-sectional study successfully identified motivational factors and modifiable barriers associated with Black women’s potential PrEP uptake and described their preferences for PrEP programs. Her research contributes significantly to the scientific understanding of HIV prevention among an HIV-vulnerable population and holds the potential to inform tailored interventions and policies.

In addition to her role at UT School of Public Health San Antonio, Sophus serves as Visiting Research Faculty within the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) Research Education Institute for Diverse Scholars (REIDS) at Yale School of Public Health.

Sophus brings valuable teaching experience to her new role, having led courses in public health research, cultural competency, program planning and evaluation and health promotion and health behaviors. She is dedicated to training the next generation of public health professionals committed to community-centered solutions.