Profile

Professor Leve’s research is grounded by three core values.

First, collaborations that include individuals from a range of identities, career stages, and disciplinary perspectives are prioritized. When we have the opportunity to talk about and conduct research from multiple vantage points, we can generate new ideas and approaches that advance the field and make an impact on human health in exciting ways.

Second, advancing discoveries in the field of prevention science can be best achieved through both basic research and intervention studies. Ideally, the two approaches are integrated with feedback loops that inform one another.

Third, a priority focus is improving the wellbeing of underserved individuals and communities. There is indisputable evidence that current and historical policies and practices in the United States have precipitated inequities in access to quality health care, affordable and safe housing, educational opportunities, healthy and affordable food options, and exposure to environmental harms. These inequities contribute to significant disparities in health outcomes seen today. Accordingly, pursing research, interventions, and partnerships that have the potential to reduce the disparate behavioral health outcomes seen in children and adults in society today is a priority.

Professor Leve is currently focusing her research on: (1) promoting healthy outcomes for women with substance use histories; (2) incorporating genetic data to refine the understanding of how one’s family and contextual environment can promote healthy outcomes for children and adolescents; (3) examining the adult outcomes of juvenile justice involvement; and (4) delivering COVID-19 testing and health interventions to Latinx communities in Oregon. She collaborates with local, national, and international colleagues to conduct this research, including colleagues within the University of Oregon as well as external colleagues at Oregon Social Learning Center, Penn State, George Washington University, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of California, Riverside, and the University of Cambridge, UK. These collaborations include numerous students, postdocs, and research associates.