Prof. Sera Young

Dr. Young is a medical anthropologist and global health researcher whose work focuses on reducing maternal and child undernutrition during the critical first 1,000 days of life, especially in low-resource settings. She combines training in medical anthropology, international nutrition, and HIV research to understand how mothers navigate health challenges for themselves and their families. Her current research addresses water insecurity, where she developed the Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) and Individual Water Insecurity Experiences (IWISE) scales to measure how people access and use water around the world, as well as food insecurity among women and children living with HIV, and the study of pica (Non-Food Cravings such as earth or ice) and its links to iron deficiency. She teaches courses on water insecurity, infant feeding ecology, and research storytelling, including through the Northwestern Prison Education Program, and has been recognized with awards including the Norman Kretchmer Memorial Award, the Carnegie Fellowship, and the Margaret Mead Award. She also serves on numerous professional boards and committees advancing global nutrition and applied anthropology.