Karestan Koenen
Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology
Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Departments
Department of Epidemiology
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Other Positions
Faculty Affiliate in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Director, Population Mental Health Lab and Concentration
Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Biography
Karestan C. Koenen, PhD aims to reduce the population burden of mental disorders through research, training, and advocacy. She is passionate about using science to overcome violence and trauma, which are major preventable causes of health problems globally.
Research
Dr. Koenen directs the Broad Trauma Initiative at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard where she is an Institute Member. Her research focus is three-fold. First, she studies why some people develop PTSD and related mental and physical health problems and why some people are resilient when exposed to similar traumatic events. Second, she investigates how violence, trauma, and PTSD alter long-term physical health and accelerate aging. Third, she aims to expand access to evidence-based mental health treatment for survivors of violence and trauma. To this end, she co-wrote the book, Treating Survivors of Childhood Abuse and Interpersonal Trauma: STAIR Narrative Therapy with Drs. Marylene Cloitre, Lisa Cohen. Kile M Ortigo, and Christie Jackson.
Relevant links
https://www.broadinstitute.org/biology-trauma-initiative-broad-institute
Book can be found here
Training
Dr. Koenen leads the NIMH-funded Training Program in Psychiatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics (T32) and the Interdisciplinary Concentration in Population Mental Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She also advises masters and doctoral degree students in the Departments of Epidemiology and Social Behavioral Sciences. In addition, Dr. Koenen leads the Trauma Epidemiology and Population Mental Health Research Group for her students and post-doctoral fellows. The group is primarily a forum for trainees and junior investigators to present and receive feedback on work-in-progress but it also includes presentations on advanced research methodology and career development.
Advocacy
Dr. Koenen advocates for survivors of violence and trauma. In May 2011, Dr. Koenen testified before the House Foreign Affairs Full Committee about the epidemic of sexual violence and victim blaming culture of the Peace Corps. She has written for the Boston Globe, Psychology Today, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, and the Women's Media Center's Women Under Siege Project, which investigates how rape and other forms of sexualized violence are used as tools in conflict. Dr. Koenen also consulted on the documentary, It Happened Here, which examined the epidemic of sexual assault on university campuses. In addition, Dr. Koenen speaks to lay audiences about the latest scientific findings around violence and trauma.
Education and Training
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BA, Economics
Wellesley College -
MA, Developmental Psychology
Columbia University -
PhD, Clinical Psychology
Boston University -
Post-doctoral Fellowship, Psychiatric Epidemiology
Columbia University
Awards and Honors
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Junior Faculty Mentoring Award, 2025
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health -
Marianne Wessling Resnick Memorial Mentoring Award, 2021
Committee on the Advancement of Women Faculty, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health -
Pamela Sklar Innovation Award, 2021
International Society of Psychiatric Genetics -
Distinguished Alumnae Award, 2017
Montclair Kimberley Academy -
Outstanding Postdoctoral Research Mentoring Award, 2015
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health -
Robert S. Laufer, PhD, Memorial Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement, 2015
International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies -
Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Science of Trauma Psychology, 2015
American Psychological Association, Division 56
