Penn State Research Groups

Research Opportunities

The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Human Trafficking (PCAHT) hosts a multidisciplinary student research group based at Penn State University, with participation from students across Penn State campuses and partner institutions. This group provides students with the opportunity to engage meaningfully in anti-trafficking work through research, education, and advocacy, while developing practical skills in trauma-informed and ethical scholarship.

Our Focus

The student research group supports PCAHT’s mission by contributing to high-quality research, curriculum development, and public education efforts related to human trafficking and exploitation. Student-led and faculty-mentored projects inform prevention strategies, improve institutional responses, and strengthen survivor-centered approaches.

Research areas may include:

Human trafficking prevention and identification
Health, mental health, and trauma-informed care
Online safety and digital exploitation
Policy, systems-level interventions, and public health approaches
Survivor-informed research and ethical storytelling

Education & Training

Students participate in educational initiatives that extend beyond traditional coursework. This includes supporting the development of evidence-based curricula for medical students, physician assistant programs, and graduate education, as well as community trainings and public awareness efforts.

Educational contributions may also include:

Assisting with curriculum and training materials
Supporting published works, including survivor story anthologies and children’s safety education resources
Translating research findings into accessible, community-facing materials

Survivor-Centered & Trauma-Informed Values

All student work is grounded in trauma-informed principles, ethical research practices, and respect for survivor autonomy and dignity. Emphasis is placed on responsible engagement, confidentiality, and understanding the real-world impact of research and storytelling.

Creative expression, including writing, art, music, and literature, is recognized as a meaningful tool for healing and advocacy. Students may support survivor-led storytelling initiatives while learning how to engage thoughtfully with sensitive narratives.

If you are interested, please contact Dr. Anna Ssentongo at assentongo@pennstatehealth.psu.edu

Our Publications

Spatial clustering of domestic violence attitudes toward women in Ghana

https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0003261

Gun violence incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic is higher than before the pandemic

in the United States

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-98813-z

Domestic Violence across 30 Countries in Africa

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.19.20107029v1

Gun violence in United States during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.950475/full

Discipline Gone Wrong: A Global Prospective on Non-Accidental Trauma

Publication:

https://pediatrictraumasociety.org/meeting/abstracts/2020/JTPC8.cgi

Presentation:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R2ZCS8EswhwcM-72E69eXPJuH1_q4kOg/view?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2LWMoXBEQksyqUmlvaenJUG5JMEmrbB8ngaGw8Arzaa_9MCMR_w8zDXH4_aem_AQgEzRyyuLCwKSROeJnnBpRbbgzKfl21n1n0b9FZ4GQf2nzHoIWlIM4o8w1eu6B6xpGOD2zXZuRGQuTGc9VoIgfQ

Global, regional and national epidemiology and prevalence of child stunting, wasting and underweight in low- and middle-income countries, 2006–2018

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-84302-w

Our research in the news!

Gun violence soared during the COVID-19pandemic, a new study finds – but the reasons why are complex

https://theconversation.com/gun-violence-soared-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-a-new-study-finds-but-the-reasons-why-are-complex-170250

Penn State College of Medicine research shows gun violence increased 30% during COVID-19 pandemic

https://www.abc27.com/local-news/harrisburg/penn-state-college-of-medicine-research-shows-gun-violence-increased-30-during-covid-19-pandemic/amp/

Nutrition disparities exist among children in low- and middle-income countries

https://pennstatehealthnews.org/2021/05/nutrition-disparities-children/