Donna Freitas is a sociology and religious studies scholar whose research has led her across the United States, speaking to college students about their attitudes toward religion and spirituality, and especially what they think about sex and hookup culture on campus today.

She is the author of "Sex and the Soul: Juggling Sexuality, Spirituality, Romance and Religion on America's College Campuses" (Oxford University Press, 2008) and most recently, "The End of Sex: How Hookup Culture is Leaving a Generation Unhappy, Sexually Unfulfilled, and Confused about Intimacy" (Basic Books, 2013). Both books are based on the in-depth interviews and surveys she conducted for her national study, and tell the stories of a wide range of young men and women at private-secular, public, Catholic, and evangelical institutions, as they struggle with sexuality, hookup culture, and meaning-making during their college experiences.

Donna has written for many national newspapers and magazines, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Washington Post, and she has appeared on NPR, "The Today Show," and other news media outlets discussing her research on college students. Donna's books have been taught in courses across disciplines and she has lectured on her work at dozens of colleges and universities of all types.

Donna is currently working on a new national study about how social media and new technologies are reshaping identity and affecting happiness among college students, with the support of the University of Notre Dame. The results of these investigations will be published by Oxford University in the spring of 2016 under the working title, "By Popular Demand."

Donna also writes young adult and middle grade novels. She's published with FSG and Scholastic, and has books forthcoming next year with Harper Collins and Penguin.

Donna received her Ph.D. from Catholic University in Washington, DC. She's been a professor at Boston University in the Department of Religion, and also at Hofstra University in their Honors College. Before Donna became a professor, she worked in Student Affairs for six years—four at Georgetown and two at NYU—living and working in the residence halls the entire time. She is currently a non-resident Research Associate at the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Notre Dame. She lives in Brooklyn.

Sex & Relationships, religion Authors, Faith & Religion,