Department: Community and Behavioral Health

Year intended to graduate: 2024

Previous Education: B.A. Biology with an Emphasis in Research, B.A. Music, B.A. Spanish (University of Northern Iowa, 2015); M.P.H. Community and Behavioral Health (University of Iowa, 2020)

Research Interest: Abby investigates the influence of stigma related to sex and reproduction on our health and well-being. Specifically, she studies how stigma is expressed and experienced, what core beliefs influence systems of stigma and how those beliefs are formed, and how we can accurately measure various attributes of stigma. Ultimately, she aims to illuminate the impact that sexual behavior stigmas have on our mental health and quality of life throughout our lives. Please find more about Abby’s research interests here: https://dare.research.uiowa.edu/lee-abigail/

Current Activities: Abby serves as the graduate research assistant on two projects co-led by Dr. William Story (UI CPH) and Dr. Nema Aluku (ACLAD and Tangaza University College): Stepping Up! Building Stronger Relationships among Youth and Parents to Increase Family Planning Use in Western Kenya (John Templeton Foundation) and Building Capacity to Reduce HIV-Related Stigma among Adolescents in Western Kenya (NIH).

In the College of Public Health, she serves as a departmental representative for the International Student Advisory Board, and as a mentor in the International Student Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program. Abby regularly guest lectures for public health, global health, and research methods courses in the College of Public Health and the Department of Global Health Studies (CLAS).

Currently, Abby is developing her dissertation proposal based on her research interests in health stigma as a determinant of health and quality of life.

Please find Abby’s CV here and feel free to reach out!