Amanda Freise, PhD
Director of Research - Center for Positive Sexuality; Molecular Biology instructor - UCLA
Abstract
Sex, pleasure, and science—oh my! Sexuality is a ubiquitous part of the human experience, but our collective common knowledge about it is rife with misconceptions and myths. Lack of education (and worse, intentional miseducation) and our cultural reluctance to have frank conversations about sex has led many of us to needlessly feel shame, stigma, and anxiety around our sexualities. Fortunately, sex science can clear up the lies and confusion. We’ll cover topics from basic anatomy and orgasms to BDSM, orientation, and so much more. This evening just may change your sex life and your feelings about your desires, and answer the age-old question “am I normal?”
Speaker Bio
Dr. Freise is the Director of Research for the Center for Positive Sexuality, a sexuality educator, and a lecturer at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she teaches several undergraduate research laboratory classes in the department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Human Genetics. As a UCLA faculty member, Amanda created and facilitates the Women in Bioscience community group, a support circle for discussion of gender-related issues experienced by women in the sciences. In addition to teaching and community-building, Amanda is also a curriculum development consultant and science communicator. She developed the SciComm 101 series of workshops to train scientists in communicating science more clearly, and co-founded Signal to Noise Magazine—an online science outreach publication—to create opportunities for graduate students to practice writing for a lay audience. Amanda is the recipient of UCLA’s Distinguished Teaching in the Life Sciences award, and is passionate about mentoring others.