Dr. Melanie Franklin is a pediatric psychologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia with expertise in sleep disorders, treatment adherence, and pediatric psychology. She operates within the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and collaborates across multiple teams. BA in Psychology – Muhlenberg College PhD in School Psychology – Lehigh University Residency and Fellowship in Pediatric Psychology – Nemours/A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital Her research focuses on: Sleep behavior in chronic illness populations Mental health communication barriers ADHD functional outcomes Treatment adherence strategies Recent publications demonstrate expertise in ADHD comorbidities , Cystic Fibrosis sleep interventions , and academic functioning analysis . Key collaborations include: Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Sleep Center Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Division
Holly J. Benjamin, MD is a distinguished sports medicine specialist at the University of Chicago, serving as the inaugural Director of the Primary Care Sports Medicine Program at UChicago Medicine Student Wellness Center. She holds leadership positions including Chair of the Committee on Sports Medicine & Fitness for the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and serves as Head Medical Team Physician for the WNBA Chicago Sky and medical officer for major events including the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, US Soccer, and USA Triathlon. Her educational background includes: B.S. in Integrated Life Sciences, Kent State University (1994) Combined BS/MD, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (1994) MD, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (1994) Residency in Pediatrics, The University of Chicago Children's Hospital (1997) Fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine, Lutheran General Hospital (1998) Dr. Benjamin specializes in sports medicine with particular expertise in youth, adolescent, and collegiate athletes. Her research spans acute and overuse sports injuries, concussion management, sport biomechanics, and musculoskeletal ultrasound. She has made significant contributions to understanding injury prevention strategies, safe return-to-play protocols, and the psychological aspects of sports injuries. Her work frequently addresses female athletes and elite/professional athletes, with emphasis on evidence-based approaches to optimize performance while minimizing injury risk. Recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on concussion research, with multiple studies examining diagnostic approaches, recovery trajectories, and factors influencing outcomes. Her work spans biomechanics, mental health considerations in sports injuries, and innovative approaches to injury prevention across various athletic populations. Her scientific recognition includes: Election as Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (2003), becoming the second female pediatrician ever elected Election as Fellow of the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine Distinguished Alumni Award from The New Aurora High School Alumni (1999) Invitation to serve as volunteer physician for the Olympic Training Center (2008) Multiple expert contributions to national media including Runner's World and the Naperville Sun Dr. Benjamin actively mentors through her coaching roles at high school and collegiate levels, emphasizing safe return-to-play post-injury and injury prevention. She has developed educational content through video productions for the American Academy of Pediatrics and serves as head team physician for the University of Chicago Lab School and the NCAA Division III UChicago Maroons. Notably, she is one of only a few sports medicine specialists in the country offering diagnostic and procedural musculoskeletal ultrasound in her office, demonstrating her commitment to advanced diagnostic capabilities for patient care.
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and ScienceUnited States
Clifton R. Haider, Ph.D., is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Mayo Clinic, holding primary appointments as a Consultant in the Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. His research focuses on accelerating medical device development through a discovery platform integrating mathematical modeling, algorithmic design, and physiological sensor validation. This platform aims to identify predictive biomarkers for conditions like cardiovascular collapse, sleep disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Haider’s work emphasizes noninvasive, autonomous monitoring and real-time predictive algorithms, with a particular focus on pediatric care. Education: PhD, Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Graduate School, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Predoctoral Studies in Biomedical Engineering and Physiology, Mayo Graduate School BSc (Hons), Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa Research Interests: Dr. Haider’s work bridges engineering and clinical practice, targeting unmet needs in pediatric and adult healthcare. His discovery platform combines statistical modeling, sensor design, and validation to streamline medical device prototyping. Key focus areas include: Accelerated medical device design Quantitative predictive biomarkers Remote pediatric monitoring Real-time algorithm development This platform seeks to predict treatment responses and identify patients requiring advanced care, enhancing clinical decision-making. Awards: Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program (2014–present) Grants & Labs: His research is supported by interdisciplinary collaborations at Mayo Clinic, leveraging laboratory facilities for sensor validation and algorithm testing. While specific grant details are not listed, his work aligns with Mayo’s emphasis on translational biomedical engineering.
Rik Crutzen is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, specializing in health promotion and digital interventions. His research focuses on leveraging technology to improve health behaviors across diverse populations, including adolescents, older adults, and immigrant communities. He leads projects in the CAPHRI research group for Promoting Health & Personalised Care. Research trends include: Digital health innovations (e.g., helplines, apps, algorithms) Chronic disease management (post-COVID-19, dementia risk) Health equity in immigrant populations (cervical cancer, maternal care) Behavioral interventions (physical activity, sleep, STI prevention) Systematic reviews and mixed-methods studies He has supervised 22 academic works and contributed to datasets on activity patterns and sleep-activity correlations. His work spans public health policy, health education, and technology integration.
Dr. Qing Zhou is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and Director of the Culture and Family Study Lab. He received his Ph.D. from Arizona State University and specializes in understanding how cultural context, family dynamics, and temperament influence children's socio-emotional, academic, and executive function development, with a focus on immigrant families. Key research interests include: Developmental psychopathology Temperament and emotion regulation Family socialization and parenting Impact of bilingualism on child development Cultural values and migration effects on adjustment His work employs multi-method approaches, including questionnaires, behavioral observations, and neuropsychological testing, with ongoing projects like the NICHD-funded longitudinal study on dual language learners and the Chau Hoi Shuen Foundation-supported grandparent involvement research. Collaborations include scholars at UC-Davis, UC-Merced, Wellesley College, and institutions in France and Taiwan. Dr. Zhou has trained numerous students, including current doctoral candidates Xinyi Chen, Erika Roach, and Christopher Gys, as well as alumni at institutions like Harvard, Stanford, and UCSF. His lab's publications emphasize cross-cultural comparisons, longitudinal designs, and intervention implications for immigrant youth.
James J. Gross is the Ernest R. Hilgard Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, directing the Stanford Psychophysiology Laboratory. He specializes in emotion regulation, with affiliations in Philosophy (courtesy). His education includes a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from UC Berkeley (1993), a B.A. in Philosophy and Psychology from Yale (1987), and a visiting graduate year at Oxford (1988). Research focuses on emotion regulation mechanisms, psychopathology, neuroimaging, and cultural influences. His work bridges clinical, cognitive, and social psychology, examining how individuals manage emotions to influence mental health and behavior. Notable contributions include the Process Model of Emotion Regulation and interventions targeting emotion regulation deficits. Publications (~650, 250k citations) highlight studies on emotion regulation strategies, clinical applications, and neural underpinnings. Recent work explores transdiagnostic treatments, digital health interventions, and the interplay between beliefs and emotion regulation. Awards: Stanford Dean’s Teaching Award, Walter J. Gores Award (highest teaching honor), multiple mentoring awards, and honorary doctorates from UC Louvain and Tilburg. Professional Roles: Co-founding President of the Society for Affective Science, Founding Co-Editor-in-Chief of Affective Science , and Fellow of major psychological and scientific societies. Labs/Teams: Directs the Stanford Psychophysiology Lab, collaborating on projects involving neuroimaging, psychophysiological assessment, and computational modeling of emotion processes.
Ashli Owen-Smith is a behavioral scientist affiliated with the School of Public Health at Georgia State University , where her research focuses on mental health disparities, suicide prevention, and integrative/complementary approaches for complex mental-physical health conditions. She works with underserved populations including refugees/immigrants, incarcerated individuals, and LGBTQ+ communities through community-based participatory research and mixed-methods frameworks. Her current projects are funded by CDC , DBHDD , and DPH . Education: Ph.D. in Behavioral Sciences (Emory, 2009), S.M. in Public Health (Harvard, 2005), B.A. in Psychology (Smith College, 2001) Her research spans mental health , trauma , suicide prevention , and mindfulness-based interventions . Recent work examines telehealth adaptations for chronic pain and mental health, vaccine hesitancy in refugee communities, and social determinants of suicide . She leads studies on gender-affirming care and health disparities in LGBTQ+ populations. Key article trends include epidemiological analysis of suicide risk factors, COVID-19 impacts on mental health, ICD-10 coding for autism, and complementary medicine in trauma recovery. Subfields span telehealth , health equity , mental-physical comorbidity , and community engagement . Students she has mentored include C.A. Scarlett , T. Griner , and M.M. Sesay . Her work integrates public health policy , clinical research , and health systems analysis .
Erik Willcutt is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research focuses on the genetic and neurobehavioral underpinnings of ADHD, learning disabilities, and developmental psychopathologies. He holds positions at the Institute for Behavioral Genetics and the Center for Neuroscience. Education: PhD in Psychology from the University of Denver (1998). Research Interests: Etiology and assessment of ADHD, reading disabilities, and developmental psychopathologies. His work integrates behavioral genetics, neuroimaging, and longitudinal twin studies to understand cognitive and psychiatric disorders. Key topics include neuroanatomical correlates of ADHD, genetic influences on dyslexia, and comorbidity between learning disabilities and psychiatric conditions. Publications highlight advanced methods like genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and phenotype harmonization (e.g., Rosetta method). His work bridges molecular genetics with clinical psychology, emphasizing translational research. Lab/Affiliations: Active in the Institute for Behavioral Genetics and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams studying neurodevelopmental disorders. Office located at Muenzinger D451B.
Margaret Bublitz is Associate Professor at Brown University with joint appointments in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior , Department of Medicine , and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology . She holds secondary appointments at the School of Public Health as Senior Investigator and Behavioral and Social Sciences faculty member. Dr. Bublitz earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology (2010) from the University of British Columbia, followed by postdoctoral training in Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine at Brown Medical School. Her research focuses on: Psychological stress pathways to adverse perinatal outcomes Maternal childhood maltreatment effects on neurobiology Mindfulness interventions for hypertension and preterm birth prevention Her 15 most recent publications demonstrate expertise in perinatal mental health , sleep-disordered breathing , HPA axis regulation , and fetal neurodevelopment , with significant collaborations in neuroendocrinology and maternal-infant health disparities . Scientific recognition includes: 2024-2025 Global Fulbright Scholarship 2022 Brown Early Career Research Achievement Award Multiple NIH and foundation grants exceeding $6 million Bublitz leads NIH-funded projects examining mechanisms of mindfulness training (R01HL157288) and serves as mentor in the MORPHE Trial for digital maternal health innovations. She is a licensed psychologist and active member of Brown's Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) Institute and Mindfulness Center .
Dr. Frances Chen is a Professor and Area Coordinator in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia (UBC), located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam People. She holds a PhD from Stanford University (2009). Her research integrates health psychology, social psychology, and neuroendocrinology to explore how social experiences influence mental and physical health. Key areas include the physiological impacts of loneliness, social support, and hormonal changes during puberty on adolescent development. Education: PhD, Psychology, Stanford University, 2009 Research Focus: Dr. Chen investigates how social interactions 'get under the skin' through studies on loneliness, stress, conflict negotiation, and hormonal mechanisms. Her work emphasizes interventions to enhance social connection and reduce health disparities. Recent Article Trends: Recent publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches, including genetic influences on depression, effects of near-infrared lighting on cognition, and longitudinal studies on adolescent hormonal contraceptive use. Her work bridges basic science and applied health outcomes. Awards & Grants: Michael Smith Health Research BC C2 Award (2022) Killam Faculty Research Fellowship (2019) Teaching & Learning Enhancement Fund Grant (2025) SSHRC Prosociality Project Funding (2023) Lab & Mentorship: Director of the Social Health Lab, she mentors graduate and undergraduate students, prioritizing equity and inclusion. Recent lab achievements include studies on teen health development and interventions to improve student success in psychology programs. Lab Initiatives: UBC Teen Health and Development Study (longitudinal hormonal/mental health tracking) NIR lighting health impact research (collaborative interdisciplinary project) Prosociality 'in the Wild' SSHRC project
Uwe Flick is a Seniorprofessor in the Department of Education and Psychology at Freie Universität Berlin, specializing in Qualitative Social and Education Research. He has held professorships at Alice Salomon University and Hannover Medical School and is internationally recognized for his contributions to qualitative methodology. Education: Dr. phil. from Freie Universität Berlin (1988), Habilitation in Psychology from Technical University of Berlin (1994). Professional Affiliations: Freie Universität Berlin (2013–present, Seniorprofessor since 2022), Alice Salomon University (2004–2013), Hannover Medical School (1996–1997). His research centers on qualitative methods , social representations of health and illness , chronic illness , migration , and vulnerability . He investigates the lived experiences of marginalized groups, including chronically ill youth, homeless adolescents, and refugees, often employing triangulation and mixed methods to deepen understanding. The 15 most recent publications highlight his sustained focus on advancing qualitative research methodology—editing handbooks, writing foundational texts, and refining concepts of research quality, triangulation, and design. Simultaneously, his empirical work explores health communication, peer relationships, and integration challenges among vulnerable populations, demonstrating a powerful integration of methodological innovation with socially relevant inquiry. Scientific Awards: Lifetime Achievement Award in Qualitative Inquiry, ICQI (2019) Flick actively advises doctoral students through his Promotionskolloquium and has secured substantial research funding for projects on refugee integration, sleep disorders, and chronic illness. His editorial roles in journals like Qualitative Research , Journal of Health Psychology , and Sozialer Sinn , and his leadership in book series such as Qualitative Sozialforschung , underscore his influence in shaping the field. He is a central figure in qualitative research communities, frequently engaging as a visiting scholar and professor across Europe and globally. He leads a research team at Freie Universität Berlin, supervising master’s and doctoral projects on topics like peer relations, health concepts, and migration, fostering the next generation of qualitative researchers.
Jonathan Santo is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), where he serves as Director of the Graduate Developmental Psychology Program and as a faculty member in the Office of Latino/Latin-American Studies. His research explores peer relations, cultural differences in self-esteem, and classroom-level influences on child and adolescent development, with a focus on improving school environments and fostering positive social interactions. ORCA Faculty Fellow His research spans broad areas including Developmental Psychology , Social Support Systems , and Cross-Cultural Peer Dynamics , with specific attention to peer victimization , self-continuity , school climate , and developmental trajectories in Brazilian and Colombian youth . Recent publications analyze topics like hikikomori experiences , friendship security , and HPA axis dysregulation in adolescents. Scientific awards include the ORCA Faculty Fellow recognition. His work often involves longitudinal assessments of peer relationships cross-cultural comparisons (Brazil, Colombia, China, Nigeria, Singapore, U.S.) policy-focused blog posts on family separations and school interventions
Heather A. Jones, Ph.D., serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology within Virginia Commonwealth University's College of Humanities and Sciences, holding joint appointments with the Department of African American Studies, Department of Pediatrics, and Institute for Women's Health. As a licensed clinical psychologist in Virginia, she maintains an active research program focused on reducing mental health disparities through culturally responsive interventions. Ph.D. in Psychology, University of Maryland at College Park (2006) Dr. Jones' research centers on three interconnected pillars: Black children and families' mental health, maternal mental health across the perinatal spectrum, and training culturally competent clinical psychologists. Her work specifically examines ADHD manifestations in Black youth, impacts of racial discrimination on adolescent mental health, and integration of behavioral health services within primary care settings. She employs mixed-methods approaches to address systemic barriers in mental healthcare access for underserved communities. Analysis of her 2023-2025 publications reveals consistent emphasis on health equity through studies of cultural competence in cancer survivorship, ADHD treatment representation gaps, and digital interventions for perinatal depression. Her methodological approaches span latent class analyses of service utilization, content analyses of historical research biases, and clinical trials of integrated care models, all contextualized within structural determinants of health. Dr. Jones has received significant recognition for her contributions: VCU College of Humanities and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award (2023) VCU Department of Psychology Outstanding Mentoring Award (2023) Elizabeth Fries Young Investigator Award (2016) Clinical and Translational Research Award (2016) She actively mentors students, particularly supporting Black graduate trainees in pediatric psychology as evidenced by numerous student co-authorships. As Principal Investigator, she directs the $1.4M HRSA-funded Primary Care Psychology Training Collaborative providing pro bono services to urban Richmond and rural Virginia communities, recently expanded through an additional $1.1M grant serving Latinx immigrants and refugees. Her federally funded work consistently bridges research, clinical service, and community engagement. Dr. Jones co-directs the Families and Mental Health Research Lab and Primary Care Psychology Training Collaborative, leading interdisciplinary teams comprising psychology graduate students, pediatric residents, and community health workers. These initiatives operate within VCU's integrated primary care clinics, focusing on implementation science to scale evidence-based practices for underserved populations while training the next generation of healthcare providers.
Professor Richelle Mychasiuk, affiliated with the School of Medical Sciences at the University of Sydney, specializes in Sleep Biology and the neurobiological impacts of early life experiences. Her research focuses on how perinatal trauma and adverse childhood events shape neurodevelopment, increasing susceptibility to sleep disturbances, chronic pain, and post-concussive symptomologies in adolescents, with a particular emphasis on sex differences. Education: PhD in Neuroscience Her work explores mechanisms by which early life stressors "under the skin" to alter neuroplasticity and microbiome-gut-brain interactions. She co-founded The GIN hub, integrating Gastroenterology, Immunology, and Neuroscience to study complex chronic disease models. Recent articles highlight her contributions to understanding dietary influences on pain, epigenetic modifications, microbiome depletion effects, and neurovascular interventions in TBI models. Grants: 2025 FMH Start-up Scheme (Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney) Collaborations: Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney; clinical research partnerships for translational studies.
Suvi Saarikallio is a Professor of Music Education at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland , affiliated with the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Department of Music, Art and Culture Studies . She leads interdisciplinary research bridging music psychology, education, and therapy, with a focus on youth development, emotion regulation, and well-being. Research Groups: Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain (2022-2029), Musiconnect (2022-2027) Key Projects: Music and You, Stress & music listening, MPACT (Music and Sports), Music and Cross-modal Associations, SOSUS (Social Sustainability for Children) Research Trends: Her recent publications explore music's role in emotional regulation, cross-modal perception, health outcomes, and educational applications. Themes include AI's impact on music evaluation, rhythm's connection to cognitive skills, and music's influence on stress and social-emotional development. Contact: suvi.saarikallio@jyu.fi
