Kristen Lagasse Burke

• Assistant Professor, University of Central Florida. 2025–

  • Department of Population Health Sciences, College of Medicine

• Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California, San Francisco. 2024–2025

  • NIH Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) Program
  • Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health

• Ph.D. in Sociology, University of Texas at Austin. 2024.

  • Dissertation: “Gendered institutions and fertility patterns in the 2010s United States”
  • Co-chairs: Kelly Raley and Abigail Weitzman

• M.A. in Sociology, University of Texas at Austin. 2019.

• B.A. in Political Science, University of Florida, summa cum laude. 2014.

Fertility, Reproductive Health, Gender, Family, Demography, Social Policy

• Burke, Kristen L. “Decoupled? The persistent relevance of marriage for childbearing in the 2010s United States.” Online first at Demography.

• Burke, Kristen L. “Working toward parenthood: Employment and first births among different-sex couples in the United States.” Online first at Journal of Marriage and Family.

• Potter, Joseph E., Kristen L. Burke, Michelle A. Eilers, and Daniel Powers. 2025. “Meeting contraceptive preferences: A counterfactual analysis.” Studies in Family Planning 56(3): 599-620.

• Burke, Kristen L. and Laura D. Lindberg. 2024. “Gender, power, and unsatisfied contraceptive preferences: Results from a national survey of pregnancy-capable people in the United States.” Socius 10.

• Burke, Kristen L. and Joseph E. Potter. 2023. “Meeting preferences for specific contraceptive methods: An overdue indicator.” Studies in Family Planning 54(1): 281-300.

• Carpenter, Emma, Hillary Gyrus, Kristen L. Burke, Danielle Czarnecki, Kari White, Danielle Bessett, and Michelle McGowan. 2023. “Seeking abortion care in Ohio and Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Contraception 118: 109896.

• Burke, Kristen L., Gracia Sierra, Klaira Lerma, and Kari White. 2022. “Service delivery at Title X sites in Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 54(4): 198-207.

  — W. Parker Frisbie Publication Award, UT Population Research Center, 2022

• Burke, Kristen L. and R. Kelly Raley. 2022. “Declines in non-marital births among Black women between 2004 and 2014: Are recent trends the result of increases in contraception?” Population Research and Policy Review 41(5): 2267-2288. (Equal co-authors listed alphabetically).

• Ela, Elizabeth J., Kathleen Broussard, Katie Hansen, Kristen L. Burke, Lauren Thaxton, and Joseph E. Potter. 2022. “Satisfaction, resignation, and dissatisfaction with long-acting reversible contraception among low-income postpartum Texans.” Women’s Health Issues 32(4): 334-342.

• Potter, Joseph E., Kristen L. Burke, Kathleen Broussard, Kristine Hopkins, Daniel Grossman, and Kari White. 2021. “Improving assessment of demand for postpartum tubal ligation among publicly insured women in Texas.” Contraception 104(5): 518-523.

• Bearak, Jonathan M., Anna Popinchalk, Kristen L. Burke, and Selena Anjur-Dietrich. 2021. “Does the impact of motherhood on women’s employment and wages differ for women who plan their transition into motherhood?” Demography 58(4): 1301-1325.

• Burke, Kristen L., Lauren Thaxton, and Joseph E. Potter. 2021. “Short-acting hormonal contraceptive continuation among low-income postpartum women in Texas.” Contraception: X 2: 100052.

• Burke, Kristen L., Joseph E. Potter, and Kari White. 2020. “Unsatisfied contraceptive preferences due to cost among women in the United States.” Contraception: X 2: 100032.

• Kavanaugh, Megan L., Mia R. Zolna, and Kristen L. Burke. 2018. “Use of health insurance among clients seeking contraceptive services at Title X-funded facilities in 2016.” Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 50(3): 101-109.

• Bearak, Jonathan M., Kristen L. Burke, and Rachel K. Jones. 2017. “Disparities and change over time in distance women would need to travel to have an abortion in the USA: a spatial analysis.” The Lancet Public Health 2(11): e493-e500.

• Hecht, Hannah K, Jennifer Yarger, Kristine Hopkins, Kristen L. Burke, Irene Rossetto, Biftu Mengesha, Julia R. Steinberg, Luisa Alejandra Tello-Perez, Madeline Molennor, Jennifer Kerns, Lucy Ogbu-Nwobodo, and Cynthia C. Harper. “Depression, anxiety, and stress and fulfillment of contraceptive preferences among young people in Texas and California.” Under review.

• Burke, Kristen L. “Occupational characteristics and fertility delays: Exploring the link between women’s employment and childbearing in the post-Recession United States.”

• Burke, Kristen L., Joseph E. Potter, and Kari White. “Comparing prospective and retrospective reports of fertility desires and feelings among postpartum Texans.”

• Burke, Kristen L., Jessica Gipson, and Laura D. Lindberg. “Variation in preferred contraceptive method by reproductive life stage.”

• Waldrep, Carolyn E. and Kristen L. Burke. “Planning for a family while paying down student loans: The evolution of fertility intentions and behaviors in early adulthood.” (Equal co-authors listed alphabetically).

• Burke, Kristen L. and Dana M. Johnson. 2024. “Reproductive health in crisis: Access to abortion and contraception in the United States.” Agenda for Social Justice 3: Solutions for 2024. Policy Press. (Equal co-authors listed alphabetically).

• Hopkins, Kristine, Jennifer Yarger, Kristen L. Burke, Sophie Morse, Hannah Hecht, Cynthia Harper, Aurora Harris, Martinique Free, Christine Clark. “Cost, coverage, and contraception: How policy can improve access for community college students.” Institute for Women’s Policy Research Brief, June 2025.

• Free, Martinique, Christine Clark, Kristen L. Burke, Jennifer Yarger, Hannah Hecht, Cynthia Harper, Kristine Hopkins, and Frances Bernabe. “Contraceptive challenges facing community college students.” Institute for Women’s Policy Research Brief, January 2025.

• Burke, Kristen L. “We must secure the right to contraception.” Op-Ed in The Progressive, October 2022.

• Carpenter, Emma, Kristen L. Burke, Elsa Vizcarra, Asha Dane’el, Vinita Goyal, and Kari White. “Texas’ executive order during COVID-19 increased barriers for patients seeking abortion care.” TxPEP research brief, January 2021.

• White, Kari, Kristen L. Burke. “Reproductive autonomy shouldn’t depend on your employer’s beliefs.” Op-Ed in Austin American-Statesman, June 2020.

• White, Kari, Kristen L. Burke, Kristine Hopkins, and Joseph E. Potter. “Texas women’s access to reproductive health services since the 2016 statewide reorganization of women’s health programs.” TxPEP research brief, June 2019.

• 2026. Early Career Fellowship, Work and Family Researchers Network

• 2024–2025. NIH BIRCWH Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of California, San Francisco

• 2023–2024. University Graduate Continuing Fellowship, UT Austin ($39,000 + tuition)

• 2023–2024. PEO National Scholar ($20,000)

• 2020–2023. National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship Program ($102,000 + tuition)

• 2020–2021. NICHD Ruth L. Kirschstein Pre-doctoral Traineeship ($26,000 + tuition; declined)

• 2024. Honorable Mention, Norval Glenn Prize, UT Austin Department of Sociology

• 2022. W. Parker Frisbie Publication Award, UT Austin Population Research Center

• 2022. Excellence Award, UT Austin Department of Sociology

• 2021. Excellence Award, UT Austin Department of Sociology

• 2020. Distinction on Comprehensive Exams in Fertility and Family Formation, UT Austin

• 2018. Honorable Mention, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

• 2014. Best Senior Thesis, University of Florida Department of Political Science

• 2014. Phi Beta Kappa, University of Florida

• 2014. Model of Leadership Award, University of Florida Center for Leadership and Service

• 2014. Champion of Service Award, Volunteer Florida

• 2012, 2013. J. Wayne Reitz Scholar, University of Florida Vice President of Student Affairs

• Harper, Cynthia C., Hannah Hecht, Kristen Burke, Sophie Morse, Miranda Hill, and Jennifer Yarger. “Social media consumption, scientific misinformation, and contraception among young people in contrasting state policy contexts: Texas and California.”

  • Poster, UCSF Health Services Research Symposium. San Francisco, CA, May 2026.

• Burke, Kristen L., Jennifer Yarger, Hannah K. Hecht, Kristine Hopkins, April Bell, Sophie Morse, Aurora Harris, Irene Rossetto, and Cynthia C. Harper. “Contraceptive information, concerns, and knowledge among community college students.”

  • Poster, Society of Family Planning Annual Meeting. Pittsburgh, PA, October 2025.

• Yarger, Jennifer, Kristine Hopkins, Hannah K. Hecht, Kristen L. Burke, Irene Rossetto, Adeline Silva, Sophie Morse, Iris Wong, Audrey Sanchez, John Boscardin, and Cynthia C. Harper. “Young people’s awareness of contraceptive options amid diverging state policies: A cluster randomized trial in California and Texas.”

  • Poster, Academy Health Annual Research Meeting. Minneapolis, MN. June 2025.

• Burke, Kristen L., Jessica Gipson, Laura D. Lindberg. “Variation in preferred contraceptive method by reproductive life stage.”

  • Presentation, Population Association of America Annual Meeting. Washington, DC. April 2025.

• Burke, Kristen L. and Carolyn E. Waldrep. “Planning for a family while paying down student loans: The evolution of fertility intentions and behaviors in early adulthood.” (Equal co-authors listed alphabetically).

  • Presentation, Population Association of America Annual Meeting. Columbus, OH. April 2024.

• Burke, Kristen L., Joseph E. Potter, and Kari White. “Comparing prospective and retrospective reports of fertility intentions among postpartum women.”

  • Presentation, Population Association of America Annual Meeting. Columbus, OH. April 2024.

• Burke, Kristen L. and Joseph E. Potter. “Meeting preferences for specific contraceptive methods: An overdue indicator of need for and quality of care.”

  • Presentation, IUSSP Expert Meeting on Rethinking Demand-side Family Planning Measures with a Reproductive Justice and Rights Framework. Mombasa, Kenya. March 2024.

• Burke, Kristen L. and Laura Lindberg. “Unsatisfied contraceptive preferences and reasons for non-preferred use among pregnancy-capable people in the United States, 2021.”

  • Poster, Society of Family Planning Annual Meeting. Seattle, WA. October 2023.

• Burke, Kristen L. “Women’s employment and fertility in the United States, 2013-2018.”

  • Poster, Population Association of America Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA. April 2023.

• Burke, Kristen L. “Economic uncertainty and fertility in the contemporary United States.”

  • Presentation, Population Association of America Annual Meeting. Atlanta, GA. April 2022.

• Burke, Kristen L., Gracia Sierra, Klaira Lerma, and Kari White. “The impact of COVID-19 on family planning service delivery at Title X-supported clinics in Texas.”

  • Poster, Office of Population Affairs Title X Grantee Conference. Baltimore, MD. July 2023.
  • Presentation, Population Association of America Annual Meeting. Atlanta, GA. April 2022.

• Potter, Joseph E., Kristen L. Burke, Michelle A. Eilers, and Daniel Powers. “Meeting contraceptive preferences: A counterfactual analysis.”

  • Presentation, Population Association of America Annual Meeting. Atlanta, GA. April 2022.

• Burke, Kristen L. “Contraceptive preference dynamics among postpartum women in Texas.”

  • Poster, Society of Family Planning Annual Meeting. Virtual. October 2021.
  • Poster, Population Association of America Annual Meeting. Virtual. May 2021.

• Burke, Kristen L. and R. Kelly Raley. “The surprising decline in non-marital fertility: are recent declines the result of increases in contraception?” (Equal co-authors listed alphabetically).

  • Presentation, Population Association of America Annual Meeting. Virtual. April 2020.

• Burke, Kristen L., Lauren Thaxton, and Joseph E. Potter. “Hormonal contraceptive continuation among postpartum women in Texas.”

  • Poster, Society of Family Planning Annual Meeting. Los Angeles, CA. October 2019.

• Bearak, Jonathan M., Anna Popinchalk, Kristen L. Burke, and Selena Anjur-Dietrich. “Does the impact of motherhood on women’s earnings differ for women who plan their transition to motherhood?”

  • Presentation, American Sociological Association Annual Meeting. New York, NY. August 2019.
  • Presentation, Population Association of America Annual Meeting. Austin, TX. April 2019.

• Instructor

  Health and Society, Lockhart Correctional Facility, UT Austin Extension. Spring 2023.

• Guest lecturer

  Medical Sociology, University of Central Florida. Fall 2025.

  Women in Global Perspectives, Clemson University. Fall 2024.

  American Families: Past and Present, UT Austin. Fall 2023, Spring 2024.

  Sociology of Gender, UT Austin. Summer 2023, Summer 2024.

  Fertility and Reproduction, UT Austin. Spring 2022.

• Statistical consultant

  UT Austin Population Research Center, August 2021 - August 2023.

• Graduate Research Assistant, Texas Policy Evaluation Project. September 2018 - August 2023.

• Graduate Research Assistant, Dr. Kelly Raley. Summers 2019, 2020.

• Research Assistant, Guttmacher Institute. April 2015 - July 2018.

• Session chair, “Partners’ impacts on fertility attitudes, behaviors, and outcomes.” Population Association of America Annual Meeting. St. Louis, MO. May 2026.

• Graduate writing group organizer, UT Austin Population Research Center. 2021 - 2024.

• Session chair, “Policy shocks and abortion.” Population Association of America Annual Meeting. Columbus, OH. April 2024.

• Discussant, “Demographic consequences of abortion restrictions.” Population Association of America Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA. April 2023.

• Session chair, “Fertility preferences, desires, and intentions.” Population Association of America Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA. April 2023.

• Session organizer, “Past as prologue: Using the history of family planning to inform our path forward.” Society of Family Planning Annual Meeting. Baltimore, MD. December 2022.

• Conference organizer, Psychosocial Workshop. Austin, TX. April 2019.

• Ad hoc reviewer: American Journal of Public Health, American Sociological Review, BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health, Contraception, Demographic Research, Demography, Health Services Research, International Journal of Women’s Health, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Population and Development Review, Population Research and Policy Review, Public Health Reports, Studies in Family Planning, Women’s Health Issues.

• Population Association of America
• American Sociological Association
• Society of Family Planning
• International Union for the Scientific Study of Population
• Scholar Strategy Network