About
Stephanie A. Sanders, Ph.D. Research Director Senior Scientist Provost Professor of Gender Studies Dr. Stephanie Sanders' research, conducted in the United States and Scandinavia, addresses: sexual behavior; sexuality, sexual identity, and gender relations; sex differentiation; gender difference in psychological and physical development; effects of prenatal hormones and drugs on human development; women's health and well-being, menstruation, menopause, and the life cycle; and biopsychological perspectives on debates in feminist theory. Instructing Gender Studies courses since 1995, her current research analyzes gendered dimensions of scientific research methodologies; the effects of oral contraceptives on sexuality and well-being in women; sexual behavior and risk for sexually transmitted diseases; and the long-term behavioral effects of prenatal exposure to drugs and hormones. Sanders was twice appointed interim director of the Kinsey Institute—first from 1993–95 and again in 2014—and also held the position of associate director. Recently, Sanders recently served as President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, and has been a co-principal investigator on research grants from such agencies as the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Dr. Sanders is the research lead on the Marriage Equality Project, which is collecting video and audio interviews with same-sex couples in Indiana who married in the wake of the US Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex unions. This project is being conducted with partnerships from IU Media School, community organizations (including Bloomington Pride and Spencer Pride), and the Kinsey Institute. To Generate Skills of Person Read the provided description of the person and extract a concise list of their skills, presented as distinct bullet points without additional descriptions. Ensure each skill is presented in 2-3 words and include a minimum of 15 skills. If any AI tools or academic tools are mentioned, include them in the skills list. The description is as follows:{Description} To Generate Area of Interest/Expertise of Person Read the provided description of the person and extract a concise list of their area of interest or expertise, presented as distinct bullet points without additional descriptions. The description is as follows: {Description} Dr. Stephanie Ann Sanders, Ph.D., is a prominent academic and researcher specializing in gender studies, sexual health, and reproduction. She is currently serving as the Provost Professor & Peg Zeglin Brand Chair in the Department of Gender Studies and a Senior Scientist at The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, & Reproduction at Indiana University, Bloomington. Her educational journey began at Douglass College, Rutgers University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Women’s Studies in 1976. She further pursued her interest in psychology, obtaining a Master of Science in Psychology in 1979 and subsequently completing her Ph.D. in Psychology with a focus on Biopsychology at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in 1984. Dr. Sanders has held several key positions at Indiana University throughout her illustrious career. Since 2019, she has been the Department Chair of Gender Studies, a role that allows her to shape academic programs and contribute to interdisciplinary research in gender and sexuality studies. She has been the Peg Zeglin Brand Chair since 2016 and a Provost Professor since 2014. Her long-standing association with The Kinsey Institute began in 1982, where she has served in various roles including Senior Scientist, Associate Director, and Interim Director. As a Senior Scientist at The Kinsey Institute, Dr. Sanders has played a vital role in advancing research on sex, gender, and reproduction. Her research focuses on various aspects of human sexuality, including condom use and its barriers, sexual behaviors, reproductive health, and gender identity. One of her significant contributions involves understanding factors that impact the correct use of condoms and developing interventions to enhance sexual health practices. Her projects also examine the intersection of gender, sexual orientation, and sexual health, aiming to address disparities and improve health outcomes for marginalized populations. Dr. Sanders’s expertise has attracted numerous research grants and funding awards. She has collaborated on projects funded by prestigious organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and various private foundations. Her projects include research on topics like HIV/STD prevention, sexual behavior assessment, and intervention strategies for promoting safe sexual practices among high-risk groups. Additionally, she has co-led studies exploring the feasibility of expanding HIV testing in rural pharmacies, analyzing the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving condom use among young African American males, and examining how environmental changes impact reproductive health in specific populations. Dr. Sanders is also recognized for her numerous scholarly publications in high-impact journals, contributing to the academic understanding of sexuality and gender from both psychological and social perspectives. Her work has been published in journals such as the Journal of Sexual Medicine, Archives of Sexual Behavior, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Moreover, her efforts have been acknowledged through various awards, including the Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award from the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS) and the Outstanding Faculty Collaborative Research Award from Indiana University. Beyond her research, Dr. Sanders is a committed educator and mentor, influencing generations of students and researchers in the fields of gender studies and sexual health. Her leadership roles and academic achievements reflect her dedication to advancing knowledge and promoting evidence-based practices to address complex issues related to sexuality, gender, and reproductive health.
View More >>Skills
Experience
Education
Publication
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April, 2025
Changes in marital relationships over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic
Objective The aim of this study was to document changes in marital relationships over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Background Research has suggested both positive and negative e...
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September, 2022
Condom Use Errors and Problems Among College Men
Background An essential yet understudied aspect of condom use is whether they are used correctly. Goal The goal of the study was to comprehensively evaluate condom use errors and prob...
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August, 2022
An exploratory test of a couples-based condom-use intervention designed to promote pleasurable and safer penile–vaginal sex among university student...
Objective: Dual use of male condoms and female contraceptives is widely advocated for unplanned pregnancy prevention, yet college students often neglect condoms. This feasibility and accepta...
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March, 2021
Comment on “Large-scale GWAS reveals insights into the genetic architecture of same-sex sexual behavior”
The phenotypic measures used by Ganna et al. (Research Articles, 30 August 2019, p. 882) lump together predominantly heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual individuals, including those who h...
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March, 2021
Large-scale GWAS reveals insights into the genetic architecture of same-sex sexual behavior”: Comment
Comments on an article by A. Ganna et al. (see record 2020-15906-001). The phenotypic measures used by Ganna et al. lump together predominantly heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual individ...
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September, 2020
A home-practice intervention for increasing condom use among university undergraduates
The consistently high rate of sexually transmitted infections among people 18–24 years old warrants novel strategies promoting condom use among large segments of this population. Ample o...
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July, 2020
‘What happens in Banff, stays in Banff’: contextual and interpersonal factors contributing to sexual-risk taking among tourism workers
Journal : Tourism Recreation Research 2320-0308
Tourism destinations are contexts which are often characterised by unique norms for social and sexual behaviours which have implications for health and wellbeing. The purpose of this qualita...
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May, 2020
A Cross-Country Comparison of Reasons for Condom Use during Menses: Associations with Age and Gender Inequality
Objectives: Despite evidence that menstrual bleeding is a risk factor for sexually transmissible infections, few studies have assessed the prevalence of, and reasons for, condom use during m...
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March, 2020
Condoms
Consistent use of the male latex condom is an effective method of reducing the risk of transmitting and acquiring many sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and unintended pregnancy...
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March, 2020
Arousal and Arousability
The Sexual Arousability Inventory and the Sexuality Arousability Inventory—Expanded measure sexual arousability and anxiety. Construct validity of the Arousability scale has been demonstra...
Role in Research Journals
Projects
Marriage Equality: Stories from the Heartland
Funded by New Frontiers Program
Condom Use and Sexual Behaviors When Bleeding and Not Bleeding
Population Dynamics in Greenland – A Multi-Component, Mixed-Method Study of Demographic Change in ...
Funded by Indiana University
Conference/Seminar/STTP/FDP/Symposium/Workshop
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Feb 1999
Sexuality and Disease: Metaphors, Perceptions, and Behavior in the AIDS Era
Kinsey Institute (KI) ,
Bloomington, Indiana, United States-
May 2011
Poster: Privacy and De-Identification in High-Dimensional Social Science Datasets
IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy ,
Oakland, California, United StatesMembership

Member, Strategic Positioning Committee
Kinsey Institute (KI)
From year 2006 to 2014Invited Position

Invited panelist at the Indiana Sexual Health Summit
Indiana University (IU)
From year 2007 to 2007Honours & Awards

Outstanding Faculty Collaborative Research Award
Indiana University
Year: 2018
Distinguished Service to SSSS Award
Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS)
Year: 2014Doctoral and Master Thesis Guided
Feeding patterns and diet preference of weanling rats fed nutritionally-equivalent cereal- and casein-based diets.
Self (M.S. Thesis)
Institute : Rutgers University, New Brunswick
Area of research: Psychological
Disparities in the Use of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARCs): Exploring the Roles of Women’s Preferences and Clinician Behaviors
McLanahan, Sara F. (Sociology thesis)
Institute : Princeton University
Area of research: Sociology
Scholar9 Profile ID
S9-032025-1910467

Publication
(231)

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Citations
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Network
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Conferences/Seminar
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