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About
Dr. Sarah L. Cook is a distinguished professor of psychology at Georgia State University, where she has also served as Associate Dean of the Honors College since 2012. With a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Virginia and decades of professional experience, Dr. Cook’s research and leadership have significantly advanced the fields of community psychology, public health, and gender-based violence prevention. Her career has been characterized by a deep commitment to integrating empirical research with public policy and practice, especially around issues affecting women and underserved populations.
Dr. Cook’s academic journey began with a B.A. in Psychology from Saint Mary’s College, followed by a prestigious internship at the American Psychological Association’s Public Policy Office. Since joining Georgia State University, she has steadily progressed through academic ranks, from assistant professor to full professor, while maintaining affiliations with women’s studies and leading interdisciplinary efforts.
Her scholarship focuses primarily on the prevention of violence against women, trauma, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and the psychological and systemic factors impacting marginalized communities. She has led and collaborated on numerous high-impact, federally funded research projects, including studies funded by the CDC, NIH, and the National Institute of Justice. Her projects have examined topics ranging from rape crisis center assessments and trauma research participation to HIV prevention and coercive control measurement in intimate partner violence.
Dr. Cook is highly active in professional and governmental advisory roles. She has served on multiple expert panels and task forces for the CDC, National Institute of Justice, and the National Academy of Sciences, influencing the development of key definitions, assessment tools, and national strategies related to violence prevention and victim services. Her consultation experience spans state and federal agencies as well as nonprofit organizations, demonstrating her commitment to applying research in service of community and policy change.
Her academic service includes editorial roles for top journals such as the Journal of Traumatic Stress, Psychology of Women Quarterly, and Journal of Community Psychology. She also reviews grants and publications for numerous scientific organizations and federal agencies. Dr. Cook has secured both internal and external funding for research, training, and evaluation efforts totaling several million dollars.
As an educator, she’s a frequent speaker at national and international conferences and a mentor to emerging scholars. She has championed diversity in research and education through initiatives like the Academic Researcher Collaborative on Campus Climate (ARC3) and participation in APA’s Committee on Women in Psychology.
Dr. Cook exemplifies scholar-activism, leveraging her research and leadership to foster equity, inform policy, and improve systems that affect survivors of violence. Her interdisciplinary and applied approach makes her a key figure in bridging the gap between academic research and social justice.
Skills & Expertise
Grant Writing
Program Evaluation
Public Policy Consultation
Trauma Research Design
Editorial Review
Mentorship and Teaching
Community-Based Research
Qualitative and Quantitative Methods
Workshop Facilitation
Panel Moderation
Institutional Leadership
Sexual Violence Assessment
Curriculum Development
Statistical Consultation
Cross-Sector Collaboration
Research Interests
Violence against women
fear of crime
measurement of aggression
applications of psychology to public policy
Community Psychology
Gender-Based Violence
Trauma and Recovery
Violence Against Women
Campus Climate
Intimate Partner Violence
Sexual Assault Prevention
Victim Services
Public Policy and Psychology
Intersectionality in Research
Health Disparities
Psychological Impact of Violence
Mental Health Services
Coercive Control
HIV Risk and Prevention
Connect With Me
Experience
Dean
- Dean Dean Full-timeFull-time Jul 2022 - Present · 2 yrs 10 mosJul 2022 to Present · 2 yrs 10 mos Atlanta, Georgia, United States · On-siteAtlanta, Georgia, United States · On-site Professor of Psychology Professor of Psychology Sep 1997 - Present · 27 yrs 8 mosSep 1997 to Present · 27 yrs 8 mos Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia Teach graduate and undergraduate courses in psychology and interdisciplinary courses in the Honors College. Teach graduate and undergraduate courses in psychology and interdisciplinary courses in the Honors College. Interim Dean, Honors College Interim Dean, Honors College Jul 2020 - Jun 2022 · 2 yrsJul 2020 to Jun 2022 · 2 yrs Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, Georgia A sample of accomplishments within the Honors College includes a major revision of honors curriculum and recognitions, the establishment of a faculty affiliate program, co-curricular program for presidential scholars, an undergraduate research journal, DISCOVERY, an exchange program for chemistry students at Hong Kong Baptist University, and opportunities for leadership development. With local historians, cultural preservationists, and social change-makers, she developed a unique seminar based on the legacies of Alonzo F. and Norris B. Herndon, two under-recognized civil rights leaders in the Atlanta community. The Rich Foundation endowed the course and a related Herndon Human Rights Scholarships. She has also expanded faculty-mentored undergraduate research, continually improved the Georgia State Undergraduate Research Conference, and created opportunities for citizen engagement in the Atlanta Community. She supports faculty teaching in the college and builds relationships with units in the university. She has endowed two scholarships: The Judy DeLoache Scholarship and the David E. Cook and Fr. Charles Robbins Scholarship.
Education
University of Virginia (UVA)
Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame
Publications (4)
Reports an error in "Revising the SES: A collaborative process to improve assessment of sexual aggression and victimization" by Mary P. Koss, Antonia Abbey, Rebecca Campbell, Sarah Cook, Jeanette Norr...
Since the first edition of Current Controversies on Family Violence was published in 1993, mounting evidence has documented the nature and scope of date and acquaintance rape. Yet, critics continue to...
In this chapter, we consider models of behavioral and social sciences that will best inform interventions and public policy pertaining to male violence against women (MVAW). The behavioral and social...
In 1987, when Koss, Gidycz, and Wisniewski published their epidemiological study of sexual assault on college campuses, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, their findings startled the s...
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