Biography
Erin Young joined BYU–Hawaii as an Assistant Professor in Health and Human Science. She earned her Ph.D. in Public Health with an emphasis in Social and Behavioral Health Science and her Master of Public Health in Community Health from Baylor University, as well as a B.S. in Biology from Brigham Young University.
After many years as a stay-at-home mom, Erin returned to academia to pursue graduate studies in public health. Her experiences as a mother and navigating the healthcare system with her family inspired her to return to school and advocate for improvements in maternal health. Those experiences continue to shape both her research and her approach to teaching and mentoring students.
Before coming to BYU–Hawaii, Erin taught public health at Baylor University, including courses in maternal and infant health and health and human behavior. She especially enjoys mentoring students and helping them connect what they learn in the classroom to real health needs in their communities. Her commitment to teaching was recognized with Baylor's Excellence in Teaching Award for Graduate Teaching.
Erin's research focuses primarily on maternal health and patient-provider communication. Her doctoral research explored what women value in communication during pregnancy-related care, with particular attention to informed consent and shared decision-making. She is excited to continue this work while developing opportunities for BYU–Hawaii students to engage in research and community-based public health efforts.
Erin loves teaching and is grateful for the opportunity to be part of BYU–Hawaii, where she can more fully incorporate the gospel of Jesus Christ into her teaching. She and her husband, Ryan, are the proud parents of five children and are excited to call Hawaiʻi home. As a family, they love reading, sports, trying new foods, playing board games, and exploring their new island community.