Formation is seated on the upper steps, second from left The origins of the Kinsey Institute lie in the scientific research of
Indiana University professor and entomologist turned sexuality researcher,
Alfred Kinsey. The 1947 creation of the nonprofit institute, originally named the Institute for Sex Research (ISR), was supported by both Indiana University president
Herman B Wells and the
Rockefeller Foundation, a major financial backer of Kinsey's research. The ISR was established to protect and preserve the
confidentiality of Kinsey's data and research materials by creating a secure, permanent repository for them. Alfred Kinsey was director of the institute from 1947 until his death in 1956. Since then, the institute has had six directors:
Paul Gebhard PhD (1956–1982), June Reinisch PhD (1982–1993), Stephanie Sanders PhD (interim director, 1993–1995),
John Bancroft MD (1994–2004),
Julia Heiman PhD (2004–2014),
C. Sue Carter PhD (2014–2019), and Justin Garcia PhD (2019–present).
Kinsey's directorship (1947–1956) Shortly after the ISR's establishment, Kinsey's interview based research was published in the 1948 bestselling book,
Sexual Behavior in the Human Male. Its companion
Sexual Behavior in the Human Female was published five years later. These books were popularly known as the "
Kinsey Reports". Also, in 1950, research materials being shipped to the ISR were seized by
U.S. Customs thereby resulting in the federal court case
U.S. v. 31 Photographs. This case continued on after Kinsey's death, until it was finally settled in the institute's favor in 1957. The ruling granted ISR permission to import erotic materials for "research purposes".
Gebhard's directorship (1956–1982) Under Paul Gebhard's leadership, the interview based research project continued, resulting in the publication of and
Sex Offenders: An Analysis of Types. Other significant publications included JoAnn Brook's
Sexual Nomenclature: A Thesaurus and Alan Bell and Martin Weinberg's
Homosexualities: A Study of Diversity Among Men and Women. Additionally, in response to criticism that Kinsey's original data was biased and not well defined, Gebhard and Johnson wrote
The Kinsey Data: Marginal Tabulations of the 1938-1963 Interviews. To honor its founder, the Institute for Sex Research was renamed The Kinsey Institute for Sex Research in 1981.
June Reinisch's directorship (1982–1993) When
June Machover Reinisch became the new director, the name of the institute changed to The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction, in order to better reflect its expanded mission. resulting from institute-sponsored multidisciplinary seminars. Research focused on at-risk sexual behavior and the effects of prenatal exposure to medications on sexual and psychosexual development. Additionally, in 1990 the establishment of the institute's art gallery led to exhibitions featuring its art collection. From 1984 to 1993, with direction from Indiana University to play an active role in public education, the institute produced "The Kinsey Report", an internationally syndicated newspaper column. Although "The Kinsey Report" is no longer a syndicated column, the Kinsey Institute continues to maintain a sex and sexuality FAQ and statistics page on their website. Additionally, a trade book aimed at popular audiences,
The Kinsey Institute New Report on Sex: What you must know to be Sexually Literate, was released in 1991.
Stephanie Sanders's interim directorship (1993–1995) Following June Reinisch's retirement, Stephanie Sanders held the institute's research and curriculum programs together as the Board reorganized its internal structure amid drastic budget cuts from Indiana University.
John Bancroft's directorship (1995–2004) From 1995 to 2001, The Kinsey Institute operated a clinic for sexual health and menstrual problems under the directorship of John Bancroft. Research focus was placed upon the psychology of sexual behavior, hormonal effects on sex, and sexuality and well-being. Bancroft and Erick Janssen developed the Dual-control model of sexual arousal, a theory of sexual arousal involving inhibitory and excitation processes. In 1999, the website Kinsey Confidential (originally called Kinsey Institute Sexuality Information Service for Students) was started to provide research-based information regarding sexuality to college-aged adults. It includes sex questions and answers provided by sex researcher and columnist
Debby Herbenick in both column-format and podcast-format. During the following year, the institute began regularly rotating exhibitions of artwork and archival materials in addition to offering public tours.
Julia Heiman's directorship (2004–2013) In 2006, the institute began hosting an annual juried art show. In 2007, The Kinsey Institute also hosted the inaugural conference of The University Consortium for Sexuality Research and Training. Ongoing research themes include such topics as
condom usage, sex in long-term relationships, and hormones and reproduction.
Sue Carter's directorship (2014–2019) (pictured 2008)
Sue Carter, a pioneer in examining mechanisms underlying love, bonding and other emotions, was named director in October 2014. Carter said her directorship will emphasize love, sexuality and well-being. "I want to take Kinsey into directions that are unequivocally important" including sexual trauma, the
transgender movement, and medical interventions that can affect a person's sexuality and relationships. Reflecting this broadened scope, the institute changed its tagline from "advancing sexual health and knowledge worldwide" to "explore love, sexuality, and well-being" and introduced a new red logo, a circle inscribed with a hexagonal arrangement of circular arcs. The prior logo, a stylised K designed by Enock, Inc., had been phased out around 2010–11. For most of her life, Carter has studied
prairie voles. Unlike most other mammals, these voles
pair-bond.
Justin Garcia's directorship (2019–present) On July 1, 2019, evolutionary biologist and sex researcher Justin Garcia became the institute's youngest executive director at 34 years old, replacing director Sue Carter. In 2026,
Indiana Public Media reported that Garcia and fellow Kinsey researcher
Helen Fisher appeared in documents related to the activities of
Jeffrey Epstein released in January 2026. Garcia had emailed Epstein in 2012 in response to an interaction with him on LinkedIn. Garcia clarified his appearance in the documents, stating, "I only later learned of his criminal background, antithetical to all of my work. I never met or spoke with him, and I did not receive any funding. I totally condemn what he did." Fisher, a Senior Research Fellow with The Kinsey Institute, met with Epstein on several occasions, dining with him and other guests, including
Woody Allen,
Kathy Ruemmler, and
Ehud Barak. == Library, archive, and art gallery ==