U of A Professor Jozkowski Named Kinsey Research Fellow

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Kristen Jozkowski

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Kristen Jozkowski, University of Arkansas assistant professor of community health promotion and affiliate faculty member of gender studies, has been named a Research Fellow at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction at Indiana University.

Researchers with the institute investigate and inform the public about critical issues in sexuality and sexual health. The institute was founded in 1947 by biologist Alfred Kinsey, who was considered to be a pioneering sex researcher, and it remains the oldest sexuality research institute in the United States. Kinsey was among the first scientists to conduct large-scale inquiries into human sexuality and has been credited with founding the contemporary discipline of sexual science.

“This is a prestigious honor in recognition of Dr. Jozkowski’s research,” said Bart Hammig, head of the department of health, human performance and recreation. “In only her third year as an assistant professor, Dr. Jozkowski has published extensively, secured external funding for her research, and continues to involve several of our graduate and undergraduate community health promotion students in her work. This makes for a very rich and rewarding experience for her students.”

The title of Research Fellow with the Kinsey Institute expresses appreciation for Jozkowski’s contributions to its research and teaching mission and recognizes her commitment and active involvement in the institute’s research program, said Julia Heiman, director of the Kinsey Institute. The title is valid for three years with a possibility of extension.

“Within the sex research field, the Kinsey name is highly respected given that it was the first sex research institute in the country, is responsible for some of the most cutting-edge advancements in sexual science, and has been extremely successful over the years in terms of producing valuable research and securing major funding for the study of sexuality,” Jozkowski said. “The rich history of the institute and having the name association for me as a sex researcher is a great honor.”

Jozkowski joined the faculty of the College of Education and Health Professions in 2011 after earning a doctorate in health behavior from Indiana University. Jozkowski also holds affiliate faculty status in the gender studies program in J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

Her research interests broadly include promoting positive sexuality and healthy sexual encounters for all. Specifically, Jozkowski focuses on women’s sexual health and sexual functioning including aspects of sexual pleasure, desire and satisfaction, sexual consent, and sexual violence prevention. She has published articles in leading research journals such as the Journal of Sex Research, Archives of Sexual Behavior, the International Journal of Sexual Health and the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Jozkowski has recently published articles on several topics, including how college students define consent and how they express and interpret consent in real-life sexual interactions, the impact of hormonal contraceptive methods on women’s sexual pleasure, and how in-home sex toy parties provide sexuality-related education opportunities for women. Jozkowski and her graduate students are interested in exploring topics such as the influence of social media on communication of consent and women’s experiences of their sexual function post-surgery and cancer treatment.