Lucas Torres

Lucas Torres, Ph.D., serves as Chair and Professor in the Department of Psychology at Marquette University, leading the Latina/o Well-being Research Initiative (LWRI) and co-principal investigator for the Milwaukee Trauma Outcomes Project (MTOP) to address mental health disparities through community-academic partnerships.

His educational credentials include a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Purdue University, a Clinical Internship at Boston University Medical Center's Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology, and a Multicultural Post-doctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Notre Dame.

Dr. Torres investigates structural and socio-environmental factors driving mental health disparities among underrepresented groups, with dual research foci: (1) detrimental impacts of culturally-specific stressors (ethnic discrimination, microaggressions, acculturative stress) and neighborhood factors (community violence, economic stress) on depression, anxiety, and PTSD; and (2) protective mechanisms including ethnic identity, cultural values, and social cohesion that promote resilience.

His 2020-2022 publications reveal interdisciplinary trends across psychology, neuroscience, and orthopsychiatry, emphasizing community-based participatory methods. Key themes include neurobiological correlates of racial discrimination, longitudinal trauma studies in Black American adults, and culturally-adapted assessment tools for Latino populations, all targeting systemic interventions for health equity.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Marquette University Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award

As a Faculty Diversity Fellow, Dr. Torres mentors emerging scholars while directing major grants: Salud Mental Milwaukee and COVID-19 Latinx Study (LWRI); Study of Trauma and Resilience (STAR) and DRIVE Together Study (MTOP), all involving cross-sector collaborations with community organizations, healthcare systems, and interdisciplinary research teams.

He directs the Mental Health Disparities Research Lab and co-leads LWRI's community partnerships to transform Milwaukee's Latinx mental health landscape, while MTOP integrates geospatial analysis with biological data to dismantle racial inequities in trauma outcomes through policy-informed interventions.