UK College of Education's Mark Selected as TEDMED Research Scholar

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 2, 2015) — Kristen Mark, University of Kentucky College of Education assistant professor of health promotion and director of the Sexual Health Promotion Lab, has been selected as a 2015 TEDMED Research Scholar.

Mark is one of 32 scholars selected from hundreds of applications based on her experience and expertise. TEDMED is the independently owned and operated health and medicine edition of the world-famous TED conference, convening and curating people and ideas from across the biomedical spectrum.

TEDMED Research Scholars assist TEDMED with reviewing and researching the deep science behind potential topics, themes and speakers.  

"It is an honor to be part of such a significant movement in the translation of science to large audiences," Mark said. "I have a very multidisciplinary background, so I particularly enjoyed reviewing scientists pursuing innovative lines of research in intersecting fields."

A behavioral health scientist with an academic background in psychology and public health, Mark's research interests include sexuality and romantic relationships. She has conducted studies on desire discrepancy, infidelity, predictors of sexual and relationship satisfaction, and women’s sexual health. Joining the UK faculty in 2012, she also teaches classes in sexuality education, foundations of health promotion, women’s health, sexual health promotion, research methods, and statistics.

Mark is a member of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, the Canadian Sex Research Forum, the International Association for Relationships Research, and an elected member of the International Academy of Sex Research. She has published her research in several academic journals, such as the Journal of Sexual Medicine, Journal of Sex Research, and Archives of Sexual Behavior, and presented at more than 50 academic conferences.

Mark also regularly translates scientific findings from the sexual health world into digestible language for the public on websites such as Huffington Post, Psychology Today and Kinsey Confidential. She is also called upon to give her expert opinion about sexuality and relationships from mainstream media outlets like Cosmopolitan, Men’s Health Magazine, Women’s Health Magazine and more.

"I use TED Talks in my undergraduate and graduate courses for educational purposes regularly, and I know what a reach they have in disseminating and translating scientific findings to the broader public," she said. "I am most looking forward to seeing the ideas I put forth in the review process come to life on the TEDMED stage."

To view the full list of TEDMED Research Scholars, visit www.tedmed.com/about-tedmed/about#tab-ourStageProgram#PartnerBlock. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Harder, 859-323-2396, whitney.harder@uky.edu