Dr. Astraea Augsberger

Biography

Astraea Augsberger has dedicated her career to promoting the rights of children, youth, and families, focusing on organizational and institutional practices, programs, and policies that directly and indirectly impact their lives. Her research program, supported by federal, state, and foundation grants, examines the multi-level factors that facilitate a person's ability to participate in decision-making across various institutions including child welfare, municipal government, education, and healthcare. With over fifteen years of experience in clinical social work practice with children and families involved in multiple systems, Augsberger also serves as the director of Community Engagement at the Boston University Clinical Translational Science Institute. In this role, she leads the Institute's efforts to build institutional structures centered around community priorities in the research process, develop new and sustain existing community-academic partnerships, and advance health equity through the widespread dissemination of community-engaged practices. Her research has been published in scholarly journals such as Health Affairs, Children and Youth Services Review, American Journal of Community Psychology, and the Journal of Adolescent Research. Additionally, Augsberger has served as an expert advisor on youth engagement strategies and practices for multiple federal, state, and local advisory boards, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Youth MOVE National, and the Boston Mayor's Office.

Research Interests