Our Focus

Program Mission

The Sexual, Reproductive, and Mental (SRM) Health Disparities Program in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University focuses on the intersection of sexual, reproductive, and mental health in minoritized and marginalized populations, both domestically and internationally. We aim to (1) identify psychological barriers to optimal sexual and reproductive health and (2) develop psychosocial interventions that mitigate the influence of these barriers among populations at risk for poor sexual and reproductive health. We seek to continue and grow our collaborations with international and local research teams to ultimately implement these interventions on a large scale.

Master’s & Undergraduate Students

We are not currently hiring master’s or undergraduate students.

Applications will reopen during the transition between the Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 semesters.

Prospective PhD Students

Dr Amelia Stanton is accepting one PhD student for Fall 2027.

Applications are submitted through Boston University’s Clinical Psychology PhD Program.

Ideal qualities and qualifications of PhD applicants:

• Research interests include:
  Sexual, reproductive, and mental health disparities; Women’s health; Pregnancy and the postpartum period; Global mental health; LGBTQIA+ health disparities; Intervention development and adaptation; Suicide and sleep; and Implementation science.
• Commitment to a career in research:
  Prospective PhD students should be interested in pursuing a career as a clinical scientist, with a strong commitment to integrating research and clinical practice, in line with BU Clinical Psychology’s clinical scientist model. Our program prepares students extensively for academic research, working in medical settings, and leading scientific advancements in psychology. We place a high emphasis on producing research, publishing, and intensive lab work alongside developing clinical competencies.
• Previous research experience:
  Ideal research experience includes both individual research (e.g., senior or master’s thesis or research projects, first-authored posters, papers, and/or talks) and collaborative research (e.g., working in a research lab, collecting data, conducting data analyses, co-authoring papers or posters).
• Commitment to SRM Health Disparities Program’s mission:
  to reduce mental health barriers that negatively affect sexual and reproductive health. Our goal is to minimise sexual, reproductive, and mental health disparities in minoritised and marginalised populations at the global and local levels.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion:
  The SRM Health Disparities Program is committed to building an inclusive, diverse, and supportive environment in our workspace and across our projects. Our goal is to cultivate a diverse and positive lab environment that embraces our differences to generate more rigorous and comprehensive science.

Learn more about BU’s Clinical Psychology PhD Program →