Dr. Kristy Slominski (Ph.D. in Religious Studies, UC Santa Barbara) specializes in the interactions of religions, science, health, and sexuality in U.S. history. Her first book, Teaching Moral Sex: A History of Religion and Sex Education in the United States (Oxford University Press, 2021), examines religious contributions to public sex education from the late nineteenth century to the present. It was named one of OUP's "Most Read in Religion" for 2021.
She is a core faculty member within her department’s Bachelor's of Science degree in Religious Studies for Health Professionals, where she teaches courses on religion and health (RELI 303 and RELI 406/506), religion and science (RELI/PHIL 326), religion and sexuality (RELI 363), and world religions (RELI 160D4). She was awarded the College of Humanities’ inaugural Dorrance Dean's Award for Research and Entrepreneurialism for her project to develop "Health Humanities Training in Religion and Culture" for medical and nursing students. She is the Co-Director, along with Dr. Alison Jameson, of the Institute for the Study of Religion and Culture. Slominski previously served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Religion and is currently on the leadership team for Religion, Health, and Humanities Researchers, a new global network of scholars interested in the medical and health humanities with a focus on spirituality and religion.