Aaron Murnan
PhD, MS
Associate Professor
Biography
Dr. Aaron Murnan is a licensed couple and family therapist and researcher with expertise in intervention development for families impacted by opioid use and criminal justice involvement. He earned his MS and PhD in Human Development and Family Science from The Ohio State University, with specializations in Couple and Family Therapy and Quantitative Research Methods.
Following a postdoctoral fellowship focused on prenatal substance exposure and child development, Dr. Murnan has led multiple studies as a principal investigator. His current work, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), centers on co-designing and testing family-based interventions to improve substance use treatment outcomes among women in the sex trade, including women participating in sex trafficking specialty court programs. He is also leading research examining the health impacts of sex work decriminalization policies in New Zealand.
He has developed courses in social determinants of health and epidemiological methods in health care. Currently, he teaches Health Determinant Models in Nursing Science and mentors undergraduate and graduate students in community-engaged research.
Collectively, Dr. Murnan’s work seeks to advance health equity for marginalized families by integrating community-partnered research, capacity building and service. Leveraging his expertise, Dr. Murnan works alongside local nonprofit organizations to strengthen their efforts to integrate evidence-based practices, conduct program evaluation, and enhance sustainability.