MHEAL AT BROWN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Join the Team
Directed by Dr. Shufang Sun, the Mindfulness for Health Equity Lab (mHEAL) is dedicated to improving the health of historically marginalized communities, including sexual and gender minorities, racial minorities, and individuals from low-income backgrounds. Disproportionately, individuals of these communities experience more adversity and stress in life, including identity-based stress such as stigma, discrimination, and exclusion, resulting in poor health consequences.
Our work recognizes the resilience of marginalized individuals and communities. We aim to develop evidence-based mindfulness interventions to reduce stress that minority individuals face so often and improve mental and behavioral health.
Prospective Postdoctoral Fellows
NIH/Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Adolescent/Young Adult Biobehavioral HIV Research Training Program
We will be recruiting postdoctoral fellows through an NIH-funded T32 fellowship at Brown University Alpert Medical School.
ABOUT
The research training program prepares post-residency psychiatrists, postdoctoral psychologists, and behavioral scientists to conduct independent research in the area of biobehavioral HIV as full-time University faculty members.
The program is a two-year fellowship in which research fellows train under the guidance of experienced mentors. It includes didactic work, participation in ongoing funded projects, and independent research.
A central characteristic of the program is its integration of biological and behavioral components to inform HIV research. Trainees are able to receive dual mentorship both from a faculty in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and a faculty in the Center for AIDS Research. Projects may involve infected, affected or at-risk youth in behavioral or biologic research.
Ongoing funded projects target youth in diverse settings (HIV/STI Clinics, mental health treatment, public schools, the RI Family court, detention facilities, and LGBTQ+ community-based organizations), investigate novel interventions (family-based, internet, gaming, and media) and include biological markers (HIV and other STIs, viral load, immune functioning and stress reactivity). Clinical experiences are also available for appropriate trainees.
MENTORS
Research trainees select an established mentor whose area of research matches well with their own.
Dr. Sun will be available to take a postdoctoral fellow with matched interest for this upcoming cycle.
Those with research interests in LGBTQ+ mental health, global mental health, and mobile/internet intervention development and evaluation are particularly encouraged to apply. To learn more about Dr. Sun's ongoing research, please visit her research profile. Fellows with clinical/counseling psychology PhDs can arrange clinical experience as part of the training.
QUESTIONS?
Please email the training director if you have any questions:
Larry Brown, MD (Program Director of the T32)
Larry_Brown@brown.edu
Prospective PhD Students
Brown University School of Public Health
Doctoral Program in Behavioral and Social Health Sciences
ABOUT
Due to the sheer volume of applications and requests we receive, we are unfortunately unable to speak with applicants before the interview stage. The Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences webpage contains information about the research strengths of our departmental faculty, the doctoral curriculum, and admissions requirements.
Most of Dr. Sun‘s current research involves mental health, HIV prevention for sexual and gender minority and racial/ethnic groups in the US and globally, as well as the use of mindfulness in disease prevention and management. She utilizes mixed-methods research, clinical trials, and systematic review methodology primarily. Further information about her background and research can be found here.
Dr. Sun tends to be most excited at applicants who have evidence of prior research experience (e.g., working with a PI’s research group, doing their own thesis, having professional or community experience doing research) and whose interests align with her ongoing projects or open up new questions, issues, populations that complement her previous work.
ADMISSIONS
We follow a holistic review process to select talented students with a passion for and readiness to engage in behavioral and social health sciences research. Successful applicants to the doctoral program are likely to have relevant research experience, and most have completed advanced methodology-oriented and quantitative coursework to show that they are prepared for graduate-level methods and biostatistics (e.g., calculus or probability/statistics), and relevant research experience. Many have also completed a Master’s degree in a field relevant to the behavioral or social sciences.
The Brown School of Public Health uses the SOPHAS application portal; we invite you to visit our Admissions page; the application deadline is December 15.
Prospective Research Assistants
Brown University
Undergraduate and Graduate Students
ABOUT
INDEPENDENT STUDY AND THESIS
For Brown University students who are interested in conducting an independent study or thesis with Dr. Sun, please contact her directly via email.
Mindfulness for Health Equity Lab (mHEAL)
Brown University, School of Public Health