Asari Offiong

Senior Research Scientist I

Asari Offiong headshot

Research Focus

Education & certification

PhD, Johns Hopkins University, MPH, Boston University , BS, Brain, Behavior and Cognitive Science, University of Michigan

Asari Offiong

Senior Research Scientist I

Asari Offiong, PhD, MPH is a research scientist II within the reproductive health and family formation research area. As an adolescent health researcher, she takes an assets-based, youth-centered approach to addressing issues pertinent to young people. She has nearly a decade of experience in leading youth development programs and conducting mixed methods, community-based research in various metropolitan areas across the U.S. with non-profits, school districts and government agencies. Furthermore, she has experience designing, implementing, and managing culturally relevant programs related to substance use prevention and reproductive health for youth in inner-city settings. 

At the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH), she worked closely with the Center for Adolescent Health on community-engaged research projects focused on reengaging opportunity youth, preventing early substance use and promoting positive sexual and reproductive health. She recently completed her PhD and postdoctoral fellowship at JHSPH. Her dissertation focused on using a reproductive justice lens to understand the social context of how U.S. adolescents conceptualize their pregnancy intentions and decision-making. This work also led to a focus on expecting and parenting adolescents, and how best to support their holistic wellbeing. 

Prior to Johns Hopkins, Asari’s practice-based work began at the Children’s Aid Society where she managed a one-million-dollar state grant and oversaw youth programming for over 2,000 youth in New York City. She has implemented and trained staff on numerous evidence-based curricula in both school and community settings, including Botvin’s Life Skills Training and Strengthening Families. Based on connections to communities, she has served as a consultant in various capacities, providing topical expertise on youth-centered approaches, evidence-based programming, and university-community partnerships. Her publications in leading journals, awards, and affiliations with professional organizations are evidence of her expertise and commitment to supporting health equity for youth, particularly those in inner-city areas. Asari also holds an MPH from Boston University and B.S in brain, behavior and cognitive science from the University of Michigan. 

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