Renata Forste

Renata Forste serves as the International Vice President at Brigham Young University. In this role, Vice President Forste oversees Continuing Education, Performing Arts Management, and the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies.

Renata completed her undergraduate degree (BS 1984) and master’s degree (MS 1986) in sociology at Brigham Young University. She earned her PhD in sociology with emphases in demography and statistics from the University of Chicago in 1992. Renata taught three years as an assistant professor in the department of sociology at Western Washington University before joining the sociology faculty at Brigham Young University in 1995. She has served as an associate dean in the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences, as well as department chair of the Sociology Department, and most recently as the Director of the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies and Associate International Vice President.

Her research focuses on maternal and child health, as well as patterns of family formation. Much of her research has been in Latin America. Renata’s research highlights the importance of maternal education for the health and well-being of children in impoverished regions. In addition, she helped initiate the Global Women’s Studies program at Brigham Young University and has taught courses on world population issues, as well as global women’s studies.