Graduate

Dr. Meisel will NOT be reviewing doctoral student applications for the upcoming 2026/2027 academic year.

For more information about Boston University’s PhD in Clinical Psychology, please visit the Psychology website at this link.

The following criteria are recommended for students interested in pursuing doctoral studies in the SUMMIT Lab:

Criterion	Rationale	Example Evidence
1. Interests align well with those of the SUMMIT Lab	Ensuring your interests align with the SUMMIT lab benefits your growth as a clinical scientist and the lab. Dr. Meisel will be most effective as a mentor and the SUMMIT lab as a learning environment, if you’re interested and passionate about our work. Further, the SUMMIT lab will conduct more rigorous and impactful work when we have lab members who are invested in our lab’s mission.	The personal statement will describe how you came to be interested in the research focus of the SUMMIT lab (e.g., through research, life experience, coursework, other experiences).
2. Is passionate about working with adolescents	We spend a lot of time working with and talking about adolescents and their caregivers. Here in the SUMMIT lab we genuinely enjoy learning from and working with adolescents and their caregivers.	Experience working with adolescents and/or caregivers (e.g., research lab focused on adolescents or caregivers, experience working with teens in afterschool programs, camp counselors, through clinical experiences). If you do not have prior experiences working with teens or caregivers, your personal statement should note why it is important for you to work with adolescents.
3. Commitment to improving the lives of individuals who use substances	There is considerable stigma and discrimination towards individuals who use substances. In the SUMMIT lab we are committed to addressing this stigma and discrimination and increasing the value and input from individuals with lived experiences.	Experiences working with individuals who use substances, coursework on substance use, or a description of the importance of why addressing substance use for adolescents is an interest of yours.
4. Enjoys and is motivated to face challenges	Clinical science is a field where you will constantly be facing challenges – balancing multiple responsivities, working with hard-to-reach populations, dealing with data analytic issues. The willingness to tackle these challenges and even enjoy some of them (e.g., learning new quantitative methods) is critical to being successful and enjoying the process.	Personal statement with examples of overcoming obstacles (note these do not have to be large life challenges, they can be the challenges we face throughout our lives)
5. Has an interest in quantitative methods	Here in the SUMMIT lab we use longitudinal methods including ecological momentary assessments, panel designs, and clinical trials with multiple follow-ups. Analyzing this data is complicated and graduate students will inevitably spend much of their time learning and implementing advanced quantitative methods to provide rigorous and appropriate statistical tests of our substantive theoretical questions.	Evidence can include grades in undergraduate statistics or math courses, additional quantitative training (e.g., workshops or postbac statistics courses), or analyses conducted for senior theses or independent studies.
6. Values working in a collaborative and inclusive lab environment	We believe research is more enjoyable and productive when done collaboratively and when includes individuals from diverse backgrounds.	Personal statement describing your experiences working in collaborative settings; personal statement noting your commitment to diversity and inclusion – including valuing individuals with lived experiences using substances; reference letters noting your collaborative nature.
7. Not necessary, but an interest in open science practices is a plus	We believe that science is one of the most powerful tools to benefit humanity. We believe science is most impactful when it is conducted transparently, collaboratively, and shared with scientists, stakeholders, and the public.	Personal statement reflecting any experiences with open science (e.g., through research experiences, coursework, or reading) or discussion of values of getting science right over getting significant results.