On 4/28/26 the CTMH Spring Symposium gathered researchers, faculty, staff,
students, and community members dedicated to addressing trauma and mental health in public health.

The panelists, Katherine M Keyes PhD, MPH, Samantha Auty, PhD, Koichiro Shiba, PhD, and Lynsie Ranker,PhD presented thought-provoking and insightful work on causal inference in observational mental health research.

The CTMH fellows completed meaningful projects and created fantastic posters to share their work with our community. The CTMH mentors provided guidance, support, and expertise to foster the fellows’ growth and projects throughout the semester.

An SPH News article, “Student Fellows Present Original Research” by Megan Jones summarized the CTMH fellowship projects:

Sociodemographic Distribution of Suicidal Ideation in the All of Us Study

Student: Rowena Lindsay

Faculty Mentor: Koichiro Shiba, assistant professor of epidemiology

Other Collaborators: Azuna Sawada, Po-Chien Chao

Examining Effects of Antidepressant Use on Dementia and Cognitive Decline: A Literature Review

Student: Alana Brunette

Faculty Mentor: Maria Glymour, chair and professor of epidemiology

Other Collaborators: Shelli Vodovozov, research fellow, and Yusi Chen, graduate fellow in the Department of Epidemiology

Life Stressors and Cardiometabolic Disease in Middle-aged US Women

Student: Mai Hussein (SPH’26)

Faculty Mentor: Jaimie Gradus, professor of epidemiology

Other Collaborators: Jeannine Nasser, research fellow in the Department of Epidemiology, and Kelsey Serier, clinical research psychologist in the VA’s National Center for PTSD Women’s Health Sciences Division at VA Boston Healthcare System and assistant professor of psychiatry at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Strengthening Boston’s Mental Health Infrastructure: Upstream Data Integration & LGBTQ+ Youth Training

Student: Jannatul Naym (SPH’26)

Mentor: Samara Grossman, director of the Boston Public Health Commission’s Center for Behavioral Health & Wellness

The Impact of Comorbidity on Social Anxiety Group Treatment Outcome

Student: Adriana Shea

Faculty Mentor: Anthony J. Rosellini, associate professor of epidemiology

Exploring the Effects of Toxic Exposures on Mental Health Outcomes Among Military Service Members

Student: S. Diana Chen (SPH’26)

Faculty Mentors: Jaimie Gradus, professor of epidemiology, and Rachel S. Adams, research associate professor of health law, policy and management

Insurance Awareness and the Mental Health Treatment Gap Among US College Students

Student: Robert Harkin

Faculty Mentor: Sarah Ketchen Lipson, associate professor of health law, policy and management

Other Collaborators: Emma Pendl-Robinson, senior data scientist at Mathematica

A Policy Scan of Substance Use and Overdose Prevention for Schools Participating in the 2024-2025 Health Minds Study (HMS)

Student: Serenity Wang

Faculty Mentor: Noel Vest, assistant professor of community health sciences

Other Collaborators: Christina Freibott, postdoctoral associate in public health practice, and Isabel Redman, research project coordinator in CHS department

Stronger Together: Total Wellness for Elders

Students: Ashmeen Dhot and Manasa Sivakumar

Mentors: Samara Grossman, director of the Center for Behavioral Health and Wellness at the Boston Public Health Commission

Other Collaborators: Ronald Lammy, Dr. Lucy Lomas, Rene Manigault

School Sport-Event Related Shootings in K-12 Settings

Students: Georgia Zarola and Brice Hirwa

Faculty Mentors: Jonathan Jay, associate professor of community health sciences, and Patrece Joseph, assistant professor of community health sciences

Other Collaborators: Emma Gause, research scientist in the Department of Environmental Health

Provider Perspectives on Supporting Youth in Communities Impacted by Violence: Preliminarily Findings

Students: Shrutika Damle

Faculty Mentor: Patrece Joseph, assistant professor of community health sciences