Katherine Sterba

Katherine Sterba, Ph.D.


Professor
Public Health Sciences
Cancer Focus:

Developing and testing digital health supportive care interventions to facilitate positive care transitions for cancer survivors and their caregivers while using implementation science principles to evaluate implementation processes

Research Interest

I am a Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). I am a behavioral scientist with training in health behavior and health education, implementation science and scale development and measurement. My research over the past 15 years at MUSC has focused on the development, testing and dissemination of family-focused interventions to improve care transitions for cancer survivors and their informal caregivers. This research spans the intervention development spectrum and is guided by behavioral theories and implementation science principles to facilitate behavior change and timely, sustained intervention uptake. My research uses mixed methods and relies on building partnerships with interdisciplinary research teams and community members.

Positions and Scientific Appointments

2023-Present: Director, Division of Health Behavior and Health Promotion, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Public Health Sciences 2022-Present: Professor (tenured), Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina 2019-Present: Adjunct Associate Professor, Clemson University, Department of Public Health Sciences 2016-Present: Graduate Training Director, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Health Behavior & Health Promotion 2015-2022: Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina 2008-2015: Assistant Professor, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Public Health Sciences 1999-2005: Project Manager, University of North Carolina School of Public Health 1996-1999: Project Manager, Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center 1995 Intern, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1993-1995: Research Assistant, St. Louis University School of Public Health

Education

Postdoctoral
August 2008
Cancer Prevention and Control
University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX
PhD
May 2005
Health Behavior and Health Education
University of North Carolina, School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC
MPH
May 1995
Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
St. Louis University, School of Public Health, St. Louis, MO
BA
May 1993
Biology/Spanish
Washington University, St. Louis, MO