The Childhood Stress, Trauma, & Resilience (STAR) T32 training program is an intensive research fellowship designed to prepare PhD and MD postdoctoral fellows to conduct cutting-edge, translational, developmentally-informed research on childhood stress, trauma and resilience, and is the only NICHD-funded training program within Brown Medical School. The STAR T32 program takes a broad approach to stress, adversity and traumas experienced by children and families and their impact on biobehavioral mechanisms and health outcomes across development. The T32 will enroll 12 postdoctoral fellows (2-3 per year) for two-year terms over the five-year award. Fellows will have a PhD in a behavioral health-related field (psychology, public health/epidemiology, neuroscience) or an MD in a related specialty (psychiatry, pediatrics, emergency medicine). The program embraces an apprenticeship model where fellows work closely with one of a broad base of exceptional faculty mentors conducting innovative, NIH-funded, translational research in STAR-related areas often involving diverse, underserved and disadvantaged populations.

The STAR T32 program will allow fellows to emerge as innovative and productive independent investigators through (i) intensive mentorship in an apprentice model by expert faculty mentors (ii) cutting-edge and foundational didactics, and (iii) formulation of an independent STAR research project and grant proposal. Mentors include PhDs and MDs with a breadth of research interests and transdisciplinary expertise from psychology and psychiatry to public health, pediatrics and emergency medicine. Fellows will also obtain focused didactic training covering four critical STAR domains: (a) exposures and trauma, (b) pathways and mechanisms, (c) health behaviors and outcomes, and (d) interventions and community partnerships to promote resilience. 

The fellows will also obtain rigorous foundational training in research design and statistics, grant-writing, responsible conduct of research, professional development, and cutting- edge methodological approaches. The program leverages a unique and long-standing training infrastructure and culture of collaboration within The Miriam Hospital and the Brown Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, allowing for a large base of trainee colleagues, faculty experts, didactics and support.

To maximize the opportunity to develop specific expertise, yet encourage exploration of new or complementary research areas, the STAR T32 employs a dual mentorship structure. This model matches fellows with a primary mentor in the stress, trauma, and resilience field. In addition, trainees match with a secondary mentor to provide additional perspective and training experiences. Learn more about the research interests of faculty mentors listed below.

STAR T32 MENTORS

Laura Stroud, Co-Director, STAR Initiative, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Audrey R Tyrka, Co-Director, STAR Initiative, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Stephanie Parade, Co-Director, STAR Initiative, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Nicole R Nugent, Associate Director, STAR Initiative, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Professor of Emergency Medicine, Professor of Pediatrics

ADDITIONAL MENTORS

Michael F. Armey, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (Research)

Cynthia Battle, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior​

Beth C. Bock, Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Leslie Ann D Brick, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Larry K. Brown, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Margaret Bublitz, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior,  Associate Professor of Medicine

Linda L. Carpenter, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Mary A. Carskadon, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior​

Yovanska M. Duarte-Velez, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Kate M Guthrie, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Christopher D. Houck, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (Research), Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Research)

Elissa Jelalian, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Professor of Pediatrics

Ernestine G. Jennings, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Karen Jennings-Mathis, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Daphne Koinis-Mitchell, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Pediatrics (Research)

John E. McGeary, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Nicole McLaughlin, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Lindsay M Orchowski, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (Research)

Jessica R. Peters, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Noah S. Philip, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Anthony Spirito, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Chrystal Vergara-Lopez, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Rena R. Wing, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior

Jennifer C. Wolff, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Clinician Educator

Please email [email protected] with questions.