Sarah P. Carter, PhD

Principal Investigator, Research Scientist, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Medical & Clinical Psychology
Uniformed Services University

Sarah P. Carter, PhD, is a Principal Investigator and Research Scientist at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress and a Research Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS). She is a licensed clinical psychologist with research and clinical expertise in suicide prevention, trauma, and couple functioning.

Dr. Carter graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Colorado Denver with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a quantitative emphasis from George Mason University in 2018 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and University of Washington School of Public Health in 2019.

Dr. Carter’s research explores how interpersonal relationships relate to suicide and mental health among military personnel and veterans, with the aim of developing interventions that reduce suicide and psychological distress by improving relationships. Her work is supported by competitive grants, contracts, and fellowships from a range of sources including the National Institute of Mental Health and Department of War. She has also published over 40 research articles in prominent journals including JAMA Psychiatry, American Journal of Public Health, and Perspectives on Psychological Science. In 2020, Dr. Carter was awarded the Barbara Thompson Award for Excellence in Research on Military and Veteran Families by the Military Family Research Institute.