Stephen Russell

I joined the faculty in Human Development in Family Sciences and the Population Research Center in the summer of 2015. I study adolescent development, with an emphasis on adolescent sexuality, LGBT youth, and parent-adolescent relationships. Much of my research is guided by a commitment to create social change to support healthy adolescent development. I am most proud of my research that has been used to shape local and state policies and laws for school safety, and my most rewarding work is with trainees: I work with an amazing group of postdoctoral scholars, graduate and undergraduate students, and I find supporting their development and learning from them to be the most satisfying part of my job.

I have been involved in community and professional organizations throughout my career, including as Human Relations Commissioner in several cities (Durham, NC; Davis, CA; Tucson, AZ), and currently as chair of the Board of Directors of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS). I have been an elected board member of the National Council on Family Relations (2005-2008), and am Past-President of the Society for Research on Adolescence.