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Megan Maas, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Adolescent Sexuality Human Development & Family Studies Michigan State University Email: maasmeg1@msu.edu Curriculum Vitae |
Megan Maas, PhD
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Biography
Megan Maas, PhD, is an assistant professor in Human Development & Family Studies at Michigan State University. She received her PhD in 2016 from The Pennsylvania State University as a pre-doctoral fellow funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse. Her award-winning research focuses on adolescent sexual socialization, with an emphasis on the bi-directional role that social media, sexting, and online pornography play in the development of attitudes and behavior related to sexuality and gender. Broadly, she is interested in promoting healthy romantic relationships and sexual competencies and preventing unwanted sexual experiences (e.g. childhood sexual abuse, adolescent sexual harassment and assault). Particular attention is paid to female adolescents' experiences with sexual harassment, self-objectification, sexual agency, and sexual behavior. Currently, her work has 3 branches from this overarching theme: (1) collecting survey and focus group data from adolescents on their media and sexuality experiences; (2) collecting survey and focus group data from parents on how they discuss sexuality and online media with their children; and (3) developing and adapting curriculum for parent-child communication that addresses the connection between online media and sexual behavior.
Born and raised in California, Megan earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University, Sacramento. She also holds a master’s degree in Human Development & Family Studies from The Pennsylvania State University. Before coming to Penn State in 2011, Megan worked in health education and developed a popular lecture series which integrated peer-reviewed information on pornography use into sexual health behavior for lectures for college students, parents and mental health professionals. Since then, Megan has served as a facilitator, workshop leader, and speaker on issues revolving around adolescent sexuality, sexualization, pornography use, sexual socialization, pornography use in romantic relationships, and parent-child communication about sexuality at universities and organizations across the country.
Born and raised in California, Megan earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University, Sacramento. She also holds a master’s degree in Human Development & Family Studies from The Pennsylvania State University. Before coming to Penn State in 2011, Megan worked in health education and developed a popular lecture series which integrated peer-reviewed information on pornography use into sexual health behavior for lectures for college students, parents and mental health professionals. Since then, Megan has served as a facilitator, workshop leader, and speaker on issues revolving around adolescent sexuality, sexualization, pornography use, sexual socialization, pornography use in romantic relationships, and parent-child communication about sexuality at universities and organizations across the country.