Dr. Tara Bautista, Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences

Name:

Dr. Tara Bautista

Title:

Assistant Professor

Department:

Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences

Describe your research in about 200 words.

I’m the principal investigator for the Stress and Health Equity lab. My research acknowledges that stressors are not evenly distributed throughout society, and this creates health disparities among underserved populations. I assess social vulnerabilities and stressors as predictors of alcohol and substance use. These assessments inform evidence-based adaptations for behavioral intervention to reduce stress and improve coping mechanisms. My work has been nationally recognized by the Association for Clinical and Translational Science, and I received the Outstanding Postdoctoral Trainee award in 2022; the Nadia Chaudhri Rising Scholar Award by the Research Society on Alcohol in 2022; and was named the Early Career Scientist of the Year by American Mindfulness Research Association in 2023. In 2025, I received the Undergraduate Mentor Award at Northern Arizona University.

What’s the most interesting thing you have learned from a student?

During an end of the year celebration with my research assistants, we connected a Nintendo Switch to conference room projector and the students taught me how to drift in Mario Kart.