Research Scientist
Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences
Yale University School of Public Health
Affiliate Faculty
Maternal & Child Health Center of Excellence
Boston University School of Public Health
Founder & CEO
Thrive Institute for Professional Development
As an international behavioral research scientist, Dr. Abrams' work is conducted with the goal of utilizing culture as an avenue to better understand and reduce health disparities among women of African ancestry via health promotion. As the Director of the Global Community Health Promotion Network, Dr. Abrams conducts domestic and international research in collaboration with community based organizations.
Importantly, Dr. Abrams is fiercely dedicated to sexual health promotion among women of African ancestry. She has been involved in a host of culturally relevant research and programmatic efforts related to chronic disease prevention, namely prevention of HIV/AIDS. Dr. Abrams also has expertise in translational community-based and engaged research, prevention science, quantitative and qualitative research, and intervention program development, adaptation, and evaluation.
She has managed large-scale grant funded projects and secured university and federal funding to support HIV prevention research and programming with women of African ancestry, including funding from the National Institutes of Mental Health to investigate the role of sexual satisfaction in sexual risk behaviors with the ultimate goal of developing a novel pleasure focused HIV prevention intervention. She has also received funding to investigate women's recommendations for sexual health programming and to execute HIV prevention programming for Black women and girls.
Dr. Abrams is also founder of the Thrive Institute for Professional Development and co-founder of Research Unlimited.
Check out Dr. Abrams' online course focused on improving productivity and success for early career faculty at research intensive institutions.
Entrepreneurial Ventures
Professional Development Services
At the Thrive Institute for Professional Development, the mission is to offer transformative educational and training experiences for early career researchers focused on self-awareness, leadership, professional community building, and skills that support goal achievement, context shifting impact, and well-being.
Research Unlimited
Research Assistance Agency
Dr. Abrams co-founded Research Unlimited, a full service research assistance agency that specializes in participant recruitment and retention for research studies. The company also provides assistance with community engagement, study design, grant writing, and program evaluation.
Copyright 2017