Graduate Program Updates

A Year of Many Accomplishments

In a year with many ups, downs, and transitions, the success of Biobehavioral Health graduate students and growth of the program has been all the more important and all the more a source of joy.

Congratulations, graduates

The department celebrated the summer graduations of two BBHers: Laura Etzel-House, who started a postdoctoral position, and Sarah Gioia, who is now a research operation specialist. Huge congratulations to both!

New graduate program cohort

The department was also thrilled to accept a new graduate cohort, who are already off to a fantastic start. Current first year graduate students in the department are Angelica Hutchinson (advised by Dr. Engeland), Yiping Li (advised by Dr. Rhubart), Sawsan Salah (advised by Dr. Francis), Yuqi Shen (advised by Dr. Buxton), and Danny Wang (advised by Dr. Lanza). A talented, diverse, and vibrant cohort as ever, we are excited to see where their research and training takes them!

Graduate student achievements

For Jennifer Graham-Engeland, associate professor of biobehavioral health and professor-in-charge of the BBH graduate program, it is unsurprising that many BBH graduate students have won prestigious awards this year.

Two BBH graduate students were awarded NIH F31 grants: Margaret Bedillion (advised by Dr. Ansell) and Samuel Stull (advised by Dr. Lanza). Lauren Chu (advised by Dr. Shalev) was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) three-year fellowship, as well as the Gerald E. McLearn Graduate Student Award and Edward R. and Helen Skade Hintz Graduate Education Enhancement Fellowship Award.

Shannon White (advised by Dr. Smyth) was awarded the Biobehavioral Health Graduate Student Scientific Achievement Award.

Gabriela Revi (advised by Dr. Spangler) was awarded the Biobehavioral Health Graduate Student Teaching Award.

David Reichenberger (advised by Dr. Chang) was awarded the Elizabeth J. Susman Enhancement Fund Award.

In addition, three BBH graduate students were awarded multiple years of funding from three different NIH-funded T32 programs: Shannon Glenn (advised by Dr. Turrisi) via the Prevention and Methodology Training Program (PAMT); Karina Van Bogart (advised by Dr. Graham-Engeland) via the “Pathways” Center for Healthy Aging training program; and Aishwarya Ganguli (advised by Dr. Schreier) via the Child Maltreatment training program.

The department celebrates these accomplishments and are thrilled at the additional opportunities these will bring to these students and those working with them!

Biobehavioral Health Graduate Student Society

To further support each other, BBH graduate students formed the new Biobehavioral Health Graduate Student Society (GSS) in fall 2022, with the mentorship of Joshua Rosenberger, assistant professor of biobehavioral health. 

The GSS provides a space to establish collaborations and share ideas, network, socialize, and find peer support. They are hosting professional development talks, social events, and skills workshops, as well as weekly writing, reading, and accountability groups.

Leslie Ford (advised by Dr. Rosinger) and David Reichenberger (advised by Dr. Chang) are co-presidents of the group, the goal of which is to build community and provide support to BBH graduate students. 

With appreciation

Overall, it is clear that nothing is slowing down the amazing BBH students and their mentors. We are thankful for their work and the work of our equally amazing staff, particularly Shannon Anthony, graduate program assistant, whose talent, knowledge, and hard work keeps everything going smoothly.