Welcome to Our New Chief Science Officer: Karin Coyle, PhD

By ETR | March 23, 2017

ETR’s Dr. Karin Coyle is stepping into a different role. She’s our new Chief Science Officer. This appointment has our entire Science Department looking to the future with excitement.

Dr. Coyle brings extraordinary qualifications to the task. She’s been one of ETR’s Senior Research Scientists for over ten years. She has developed prevention programs and tested their efficacy for more than two decades. Her work has focused on HIV, other STD and pregnancy prevention programs, and she is a leading national expert in this arena.

Her contributions could impress anyone. But those who have had an opportunity to work with Dr. Coyle are likely to mention qualities above and beyond her notable body of work. She is generous in sharing her knowledge and expertise. She respects the experiences and perspectives of people across the entire landscape of health education and delivery of evidence-informed programs. She places great value in mentorship.

We asked her recently to explain where she gets the drive to keep looking for new directions and innovations. Here are some of her thoughts.

There are a number of evidence-based sexual health programs available now, but a good proportion of them—including some of ETR’s—were developed decades ago. We’ve seen a lot of changes over this time that affect teen relationships and behavior.

We recognize the value in moving beyond just prevention of disease and pregnancy to promoting positive relationships and sexual health. We’ve also gained insights from our past work, from youth and organizations using the programs, and from the growing literature base on adolescent development.

All of this new information helps us create more relevant and impactful interventions. This keeps the passion going for me and others here at ETR who work on these programs. We are also fueled by our desire to support others in their efforts to develop and/or strengthen program options for all youth.

Welcome to your new leadership role, CSO Coyle!