Biology

Amy Brausch, Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Western Kentucky University, has been named one of 11 recipients of the prestigious Conference USA Faculty Achievement Award.

The Conference USA Faculty Achievement Awards recognized outstanding faculty members for excellence in teaching, commitment to research and scholarship and service to their campus and community. Established by the league’s presidents and chancellors, the awards highlight the significant effect of faculty across member institutions. Each recipient will serve as their university’s nominee for the Conference USA Professor of the Year honor, selected by the provosts of member universities.

A licensed clinical psychologist and scholar with the LifeSkills Center for Child Welfare Education and Research, Dr. Brausch is nationally recognized for her work in suicide prevention and youth mental health. Her research focuses on risk and protective factors for suicide and self-harm among adolescents and young adults, as well as improving assessment and intervention through evidence-based tools and treatments. 

Her work has been supported by major external funding agencies, including the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In addition to her research, Dr. Brausch regularly provides training for clinicians on evidence-based treatments for suicide risk and consults with clinical agencies, schools and healthcare systems.

“I am honored to receive this award and represent WKU within Conference USA,” Dr. Brausch said. “I am grateful to have a position that allows me to mentor and teach students, engage in applied research and invest a great deal of time in suicide prevention both regionally and nationally.”

Dr. Brausch’s scholarly work centers on adolescent and young adult self-harm and risk-taking behaviors, including non-suicidal self-injury, substance abuse, disordered eating and other high-risk activities. She has a particular interest in how body image, body attitudes and body-related factors influence an individual’s likelihood of self-harm. As a clinician, she is also dedicated to advancing the assessment, treatment and prevention of suicide, self-injury and eating disorders.

“Dr. Amy Brausch represents the very best of Western Kentucky University and embodies the spirit of the Conference USA Faculty Achievement Award,” said Bud Fischer, WKU’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Her nationally recognized, externally funded research in suicide prevention has deepened our understanding of risk and protective factors among youth while making a meaningful, life-saving impact. Equally significant is her dedication to teaching and mentorship by engaging students in hands-on research, connecting them with critical resources, and preparing the next generation of scholars and clinicians for success.”

Dr. Brausch joins a distinguished group of WKU faculty who have earned this honor in recent years, including Dr. Julia L. Roberts and Dr. Josh Durkee, reflecting the university’s continued commitment to excellence in teaching, research and service.

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Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.