Ph.D. Candidate

Sara E. Landers

Sara Landers’ research interests: Adolescents and young adults, HIV/STIs, Interpersonal violence, Intervention science, Mental health, Risk, resilience, and protective factors, Reproductive justice, Social connectedness, Social determinants of health inequities, Substance use


Sara E. Landers is an Advanced Practice PhD student. Sara’s research interests focus on issues related to sexual and reproductive health, interpersonal violence, substance use, and mental health among adolescents and young adults. Her current work, under the guidance of Dr. Alissa Davis, involves using digital phenotyping and intensive longitudinal methods to examine social connectedness and mental health among adolescents in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as implementing a couple-based HIV adherence intervention for people who inject drugs. Prior to entering the doctoral program, Sara conducted adolescent health research at both Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Sara is also trained as a clinician with a specialization in working with young people and their families. Sara received her BS in Psychology from Haverford College, her MSW from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice, and is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in the state of New York.