Howard Leventhal Scholarship for Trainees

Michelle Hiner, M.S., a Ph.D. student in the Department of Psychology and a member of the Emotion and Psychopathology (EmP) Lab at Rutgers, is examining ways to improve the clinical assessment of non-suicidal self-injury. Her project, “Assessing and Understanding the Somatic Markers of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: Development of a Clinical Interview and Ecological Momentary Assessment Protocol,” seeks to better capture the bodily sensations that may precede, accompany, and follow self-injurious urges and behaviors, signals that are often underrepresented in current assessment tools. Hiner’s work aims to support assessment practices that enhance clinician confidence and patient engagement in care.

Siyan Meng, M.A., a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Health Behavior, Society, and Policy at the Rutgers School of Public Health, is investigating how adult cigarette smokers perceive FDA-authorized e-cigarettes and related marketing messages. Her project, “A Qualitative Study of FDA-authorized E-Cigarettes: Perceptions of Use Intentions and Evaluation of Marketing Messages,” uses focus groups to explore how smokers understand FDA authorization, interpret marketing claims, and evaluate the perceived benefits and barriers of using these products for smoking cessation or harm reduction. Meng’s research seeks to inform future health communication strategies and regulatory efforts related to novel tobacco products.

Nora Sullivan, who is pursuing her doctorate in social work from the Rutgers School of Social Work, is focusing her research on faith-based organizations offering permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness, also known as a Housing First approach. She aims to better understand the intersections of faith-based and Housing First approaches to inform future interventions and funding decisions for homelessness services. Sullivan worked as a graduate research assistant with IFH’s Center for State Health Policy, supporting research on healthcare and housing, and as a graduate research assistant with the Rutgers Center for Prevention Sciences, supporting research on opioid use treatment.

Yingning Xie (Ningning), who earned his doctorate in planning and public policy from the Rutgers Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, is focusing his research on car-less immigrants and their access to high-quality health-related destinations, as well as the impact of affordable mobility tools such as e-bikes. He will also explore immigrants’ perceptions of their transportation accessibility and how transportation constraints affect their access to health-related services. Xie worked as a teaching assistant and research assistant at the Rutgers Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center supporting research on healthcare accessibility, improvement of food access and transit facilities, and bikeshare programs in New York City.

Naomi Cruz, PhD, who earned her doctorate in health systems and policy from the Rutgers School of Public Health, focused her research on understanding the risk and protective factors for adolescent suicidality and eliminating barriers to mental health treatment. Her goal is to shed light on the period immediately following suicide attempts because of the opportunity it can provide for life-changing interventions. By exploring ways to optimize treatments and reduce disparities, Cruz hopes her dissertation will advance the field of youth suicide prevention research, especially among marginalized groups.

Alexis Richeson, who is pursuing her doctorate in prevention science from Rutgers University-Camden, focused her research on the relationship between gender stereotyped and religious sexual messaging and feelings towards oneself and one’s relationships. Her goal is to analyze how types of sex education relate to mental and behavioral health outcomes. Richeson’s research will explore how exposure to different ideologies and sexual messaging may be tied to sexuality and sexual behaviors leading to a better understanding of how sex education can be improved.

Nowels, who earned her doctorate in health systems and policy from the Rutgers School of Public Health, focused her research on health outcomes related to palliative care. Her goal was to identify treatments and interventions that can be delivered by palliative care specialists and primary care physicians to support the behavioral health of patients experiencing serious illnesses.

James Terhune focused his research on loneliness and social determinants of mental health. There are many factors that increase the risk of experiencing loneliness and the effects of loneliness can impact various aspects of one’s physical and mental health. Terhune’s research goal was to learn more about the relationship between loneliness and depression and how loneliness may impact the course of depression.

Michael Enich earned his MD/PhD from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the Rutgers School of Social Work. His work focused on addressing health disparities for people experiencing chronic homelessness, with a specific focus on mitigating substance use-related harms.

John S. Palatucci earned his PhD in Health Systems and Policy at the Rutgers School of Public Health. He is now an assistant research professor at the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy. In his research, he applies econometric techniques to the study of behavioral health and disability policy. He has taught courses in health policy, outcomes research, and health economics. At Rutgers University, he has completed both the New Jersey Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (NJLEND) fellowship and the Eagleton Graduate Fellowship Program in Politics and Government. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics from American University and a Master of Public Administration in Healthcare Administration from the Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration. John is committed to partnering with patients, advocates, providers, researchers, and governmental leaders in efforts to enhance population health and mitigate disparities.

Joanna Paxton Federico was a doctoral student specializing in the history of childhood, the family, and healthcare in the 20th century United States. She studied responses to youth violence in the 1990s. Her previous research focused on the role of collective memory in shaping breastfeeding advocacy and maternal/child health policy.

Jamie Kwon’s research interests include the transport disadvantage of people with disabilities and the extra costs of transportation for people with disabilities. Her working dissertation title is “Challenges and Impacts of Auto-mobility for People with Disabilities.”