Sarah Kaja

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Credentials

PhD

Bio

Sarah M. Kaja, PhD (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health. Dr. Kaja received her bachelor's degree from the University of Florida, master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota School of Kinesiology. She also completed a 2-year postdoctoral research fellowship in the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health prior to her faculty position.

Dr. Kaja has more than 5 years of experience teaching sport and exercise psychology, research methods, and other courses related to physical activity. In addition to her research and teaching, Dr. Kaja enjoys mentoring others researching or working in community physical activity settings, especially those focused on the intersections of sports and equity. She also volunteers with sport and physical activity organizations. Most recently, she has volunteered with Girls on the Run Minnesota and an adaptive skiing program. In her spare time, Dr. Kaja enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, running, Nordic skiing, mountain biking, and reading fiction and memoir.

Research Summary

Dr. Kaja is passionate about getting more young people involved in better sports and physical activity opportunities. She wants to improve access to and quality of such programs, especially for youth facing barriers to participation and health. Her current research—all focused on promoting equity in and through sports and physical activity—includes quantifying disparities in participation rates; identifying links between sport, physical activity, and well-being in diverse populations; and creating and evaluating activity programs.