Meet Aubree Shay, PhD, a faculty member in San Antonio and co-founder of the AYA STAR lab

Aubree Shay, PhD, is an associate professor at the San Antonio location of UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. She’s been a faculty member in the department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences since she joined the school in 2016.

Shay’s research focuses on cancer prevention, particularly in young adult and adolescent populations.

Tell us a little about yourself: I was born and raised in West Texas. After high school, I moved to San Antonio to attend Trinity University, where I majored in biology and minored in math. After breaking one too many beakers, I decided that the lab-life wasn’t for me and moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas for a master’s in social work. 

After getting my MSW, I worked for several years doing clinical social work with kids – first in a mental health setting and then in pediatric oncology, working to support kids and families of kids with cancer. In my work with families experiencing cancer, I first started considering a career in research. I was really interested (and remain interested!) in finding ways to help improve communication and decision-making for adolescent and young adult cancer patients and their families during this difficult time. Following this desire, I moved to Richmond, Virginia, and attained a PhD in Social and Behavioral Health at Virginia Commonwealth University.  After graduating, I moved back to San Antonio for a postdoc and then a faculty position with the School of Public Health.

Why I chose to work at UTHealth Houston SPH: I chose to work at UTHealth Houston SPH because of the faculty and all the amazing work they are doing.  

Why I love working in public health: I love how versatile public health is – any health or equity issue you might care about is part of public health. We are a profession of helpers!

Why I love living in San Antonio: I love San Antonio! I feel like we have all of the benefits of a big city, but somehow maintain a much smaller-town feel than many cities of this size. Also, I’m a big Spurs fan, having first moved to San Antonio in 1999, right in time for their first NBA championship! Go Spurs Go!

Current and long-term research plans: My research is informed by my practice experience as a clinical social worker in pediatric oncology. I focus on improving communication, decision-making, and long-term outcomes for pediatric, adolescent, and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors. Along with several colleagues, I co-founded the AYA STAR Lab (AYA Scholarship, Training, and Research) in 2020. We are a research collaborative dedicated to improving the lives of AYAs with cancer. The work we do and the people I work with are what motivates me to continue in this field!