The Research Team

Dr. Amelia M. Stanton (she/her)

Principal Investigator and Assistant Professor

Dr. Stanton received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin in 2019. She completed her pre-doctoral clinical internship in theBehavioral Medicine Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS), and she was awarded a three-year T32 fellowship in global psychiatry, which she also completed at MGH/HMS. She joined the BU faculty in 2022. Dr. Stanton’s research focuses on (1) mitigating psychological barriers to optimal sexual and reproductive health; (2) the intersection of sexual health, mental health, and substance use disparities in marginalized and minoritized populations, both internationally and domestically; and (3) the development and evaluation of psychosocial interventions for populations at risk for poor sexual health. Thus far, the majority of her work has been carried out with women, pregnant people, and gender diverse individuals. Through projects that are based in sub-Saharan Africa, she is actively engaged in efforts to democratize and decolonize global mental health.

Madison Fertig (she/her)

Research Technician

Madison recently earned her Master’s degree in Psychology from Hunter College with previously earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a minor in Public Health at the University at Buffalo. Madison is the Research Technician in the SRM Health Disparities Program in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and is new to the Boston University community. She will coordinate and assist on several domestic and international projects. Madison previously was a Research Assistant at the Hunter Psycho-Oncology Lab at Hunter College, where she worked on several studies that focused on health, fertility, and psychosocial variables in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. She hopes to continue her education and research in clinical health psychology.

Katherine Kabel (she/her)

First Year Doctoral Student

Katherine is a first-year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program at BU. Her research interests include developing and adapting evidence-based treatments for anxiety, mood disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder through an intersectional framework to serve minoritized populations. She is passionate about mitigating reproductive and mental health disparities within underserved communities, particularly among individuals with diverse sexual/gender identities. Previously, Katherine was a clinical research coordinator at the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital, studying evidence-based treatments for anxiety and PTSD.

Majo Bustamante (she/ella)

Guest Fourth Year Doctoral Student

Majo is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in Clinical Psychology at Boston University in the Addictive Behaviors lab. Majo was born and raised in Lima, Peru, where she completed her bachelor’s in psychology and Masters in Epidemiology from Cayetano Heredia University. Prior to beginning her Ph.D., Majo worked for several years supporting clinical and field-based HIV research projects among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women. She is passionate about working with sexual and gender minorities, specifically understanding the intersection of substance use, sexual behaviors, and HIV. Majo is also interested in developing technology-based interventions to improve the psychological well-being of people living with and impacted by these issues. She is a 2022 recipient of the Clara Mayo Award, which currently supports her pre-dissertation project aimed at exploring psychological, social, cultural, and structural barriers to sexual health care (e.g., HIV/STI testing, PrEP/nPEP) among Hispanic and Latino immigrant MSM through an online survey. These data will form the basis of a tailored Telehealth intervention to enhance sexual health care among this population.

Jane Lee (she/her)

Graduate Research Assistant

Jane is currently a Master’s student in Psychology at Boston University. She previously earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology at Boston University and worked as a research assistant at the Epilepsy Genetics Program at Boston Children’s Hospital for a year. She is currently working on her Directed Study project with the lab. Her research interests include identifying common mental health themes in minority groups and adapting mental health interventions for those populations. She is also interested in the role of stigma and consequent stress and how they manifest both physically and mentally in minority groups, especially in immigrant populations and sexual minorities. In the future, she ultimately hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology.

Stefania Moldovanu (she/her)

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Stefania is a senior undergraduate student currently earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and minor in Public Health here at Boston University. Stefania is currently conducting her Honor’s thesis within our lab and volunteering to work on some of our other projects as well. Stefania has previous research experience from working as a research assistant at Boston Medical Center, on a study looking at the relationship between yoga practice and chronic pain in adults taking methadone or buprenorphine. Stefania is eager to learn more about the intersection between sexual and reproductive health and mental health. After she successfully completes her Bachelor’s, Stefania plans on immersing herself in the research field to gain more hands-on experience and grow as a researcher.

Riya Mittal (she/her)

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Riya is an undergraduate student at Boston University earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Medical Sciences. She is currently working on her Directed Study project, with a focus on interventions part of the cervical cancer treatment cascade. After completing her Bachelor’s, she hopes to attend medical school. 

Angela Bywaters (she/her)

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Angela is a junior at Boston University, currently earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Applied Human Development, on the Positive Youth Justice track. She has previously completed research on the issue of material incarceration and the reproductive rights of women in the Framingham Prison. She is motivated to learn more about the disparities surrounding sexual and mental health. After graduating, she hopes to work in the research field before eventually attending graduate school for Clinical Psychology.

Arijana Lukasevicius (she/her)

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Arijana is a sophomore undergraduate student currently earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Boston University. Arijana’s research interests include examining the mental health of adolescent cancer patients and survivors and examining self-sexualization in adolescent girls from racial minorities. After completing her Bachelor’s, she hopes to pursue a doctorate in Clinical Psychology, focusing on adolescence.

Lauren Gulbicki (she/her)

Clinical Research Coordinator in the Behavioral Medicine Program at Mass General Hospital

Lauren is a Clinical Research Coordinator based in the Behavioral Medicine Program (BMED) within the Psychiatry Department at Mass General Hospital. Lauren recently graduated from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Cellular Neuroscience. She also received minors in Public Health and Outdoor Studies. Lauren is currently involved in multiple domestic and international studies centering around mental health and HIV. Her research interests include global health, social determinants, and the intersection of mental health and chronic disease. In the future, Lauren hopes to pursue her Master’s in Public Health.