Child & Youth Health
Child and youth health includes physical well-being as well as social and emotional health, all of which are integral for positive academic outcomes. UCSC faculty are especially interested in schools as the primary institutions in the US that serve children and youth in ways that can promote good health outcomes.
As the COVID pandemic has underlined, however, policymakers sometimes create disincentives for health promoting activities in schools. As a result, the health needs of children and youth have become even more acute as adverse experiences such as food insecurity, isolation, family stress, and loss of life have deeply affected the mental health of young people. More research is needed on how these challenges can be overcome as the US looks to a return to in-person schooling.
Some of our faculty are focused on the ways that children and youth in badly affected communities can step into leadership positions and be empowered to enact change through research and collective action. Others are interested in how local government and community-based organizations can help mitigate the wider structural failings (including systemic racism) that leave so many children in America vulnerable to ill-health.
Margarita Azmitia
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Distinguished Professor
- Department
- Psychology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Child and Adolescent Development
Valerie Crystal Cortez
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Assistant Professor
- Department
- Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology Department
- Campus Email

Rebecca Dubois
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Biomolecular Engineering
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Bioengineering
Lindsay Hinck
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Developmental Biology

Regina D Langhout
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Psychology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Community-based Research
Richard Li
- Title
- Assistant Professor
- Department
- Statistics
- Campus Email
Audrie Lin
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Assistant Professor
- Department
- Microbiology & Environmental Toxicology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Health and Wellness
Rebecca A London
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Professor of Sociology and Faculty Director Campus + Community
- Department
- Sociology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Schools and Academic Achievement
Christie G Mccullen
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Lecturer
- Department
- Sociology Department
- Campus Email
Juan Pedroza
- Title
- Associate Professor and Sociology Graduate Education Chair
- Department
- Sociology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Sociology
Jennifer Taylor
- Title
- Professor of Social Documentation
- Department
- Film and Digital Media Department
- Campus Email
Sofie Reda Salama
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Acting Professor of Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology
- Department
- Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Biomedical Sciences
Upasna Sharma
- Title
- Assistant Professor
- Department
- Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology Department
- Campus Email

Donald R Smith
- Pronouns
- he, him, his, his, himself
- Title
- Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs, Distinguished Professor
- Department
- Microbiology & Environmental Toxicology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Biomedical Sciences