Kimberly M. Nelson, PhD, MPH

Associate Professor, Boston University School of Public Health

Biography

Kimberly M. Nelson, PhD, MPH earned her MPH in epidemiology from the University of Washington (UW) and a PhD in clinical psychology also from UW. She is also faculty of the Fordham University Research Ethics Training Institute. Having both a public health and psychology background, Dr. Nelson's research focuses on understanding and intervening on psychological and structural determinants of health inequities with a particular focus on sexual health inequities among marginalized adolescents and adults. Her work also focuses on the ethical and legal issues involved in sexual health research and interventions with adolescents and ways to use technology effectively and ethically for data collection and health promotion interventions. Additionally Dr. Nelson serves as the Director of the Community Health Sciences PhD Program at BUSPH.

Publications

  • Published 12/1/2025

    Nelson KM, Edison B, Haiken S, Knapp-Broas H, Loret de Mola E, Perry NS. Adolescent Sexual Minority Males Engage in Sexual Behaviors With Both Male and Female Partners: Implications for HIV Prevention. AIDS Educ Prev. 2025 Dec; 37(6):462-472. PMID: 41428493.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 11/1/2025

    Schmit CD, Burris S, Abdool Karim S, Barsky BA, Grant S, Schnake-Mahl A, Tonti L, Douglas MD, Nelson KM, Goodin AJ, Underhill K, Poirier MJP, Bae JY, Piekarz-Porter E, Weber-Fares R, Ingber SZ, Chriqui JF. A Call for Formal Reporting Standards for Legal Research in Public Health Studies. Am J Public Health. 2025 Nov; 115(11):1779-1782. PMID: 41061211.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 11/1/2025

    Knopf A, Macapagal K, Nelson KM. Ethical Implications of Study Terminations. Pediatrics. 2025 Nov 01; 156(5). PMID: 41052787.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 10/18/2025

    Cheng, M., Levinson, E., Pierre, J., Reddy, D., Sattler, K., Siva, O., Wu, J., & Nelson, K.M. . Youth Voices are Needed Now More than Ever to Improve Adolescent Sexual Health Research: Lessons from Five Years with a Youth Advisory Board. Sexuality Research and Social Policy. 2025.

    Read at: Custom

  • Published 10/6/2025

    Ranker LR, Katz-Wise SL, Gordon AR, Korkodilos R, Xuan Z, Nelson KM. Sexual orientation identity and attraction changes among youth: prospective versus retrospective measurement. Ann Epidemiol. 2025 Oct 06; 112:8-14. PMID: 41061832.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 88 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Associate Professor, Psychiatry
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research
    Boston University

Websites

Education

  • University of Washington, PhD
  • University of Washington, MS
  • University of Washington, MPH
  • Wesleyan University, BA

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