Rebecca Smith

Rebecca is a second-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student. Her research interests broadly include how stress and trauma impact interpersonal and intimate relationship outcomes. She is particularly interested in exploring the role of familial and larger societal factors on relationship functioning, with an emphasis on marginalized and underserved (e.g., LGBTQ+) populations. Within the CAST Lab, her most recent work has considered the impact of the shifting sociopolitical environment among SGM individuals and couples. She is currently assisting in the coding phase of a qualitative study exploring sociopolitical concerns among SGM women, with emerging themes already offering rich insight into their lived experiences. In another recent project, she examined how sociopolitical stress relates to PTSD symptomatology among SGM couples, including the ways these stressors reverberate within dyads to impact both individual and partner functioning. In her second year, Rebecca is further developing her master’s thesis that seeks to understand how both distal (e.g., discrimination, violence, sociopolitical unrest) and proximal (e.g., stigma) minority stressors impact LGBTQ+ couple functioning, relationship help-seeking behaviors, and perceived barriers to accessing care.

Before joining the graduate program at Binghamton University, Rebecca returned to academia to earn a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Health & Wellness Studies. During this time, she gained extensive research experience as a research assistant within three diverse psychology laboratories. Her experience thus far has been multidisciplinary, including work in auditory cognitive neuroscience, human sexuality, and intimate relationship research. As a proud undergraduate alumna of Binghamton University, Rebecca is grateful to be able to continue her academic journey as a graduate student within the same institution.

Jessica Hill

Jessica is a fourth-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student. Her research focuses on how trauma at different developmental periods (i.e., childhood, adulthood, revictimization) impacts individual and interpersonal outcomes, with an emphasis on identifying mechanisms that promote positive adaptation from a socioecological perspective. For her Master’s thesis, Jessica examined the impact of childhood and adulthood sexual victimization on current intimate relationship functioning, and role of partner support in improving relationship outcomes. Jessica’s current research focuses on identifying prospective risk and protective factors for intimate relationship functioning in new Air Force service members. Jessica is also currently designing a series of studies examining how socioeconomic factors shape perceptions of experienced child neglect, and how these experiences impact early adult psychosocial functioning. She has an interest in continuing research on trauma and resilience with military and veteran populations.

Prior to joining the graduate program at Binghamton University, Jessica was a NIH Diversity Supplement recipient and worked as a research assistant at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System on a multilevel longitudinal study of resilience with new military personnel.  Jessica also has experience working on a randomized clinical trial looking at the efficacy of Narrative Therapy in the treatment of chronic PTSD in veterans. She holds a B.A. in Social Justice Outreach, and a M.A. in Counseling and Psychological Services.

Melissa Gates

Melissa is a sixth-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student. Melissa is currently completing her predoctoral internship at the Charleston Consortium. Her research focuses on how traumatic stress impacts intimate relationships, with an emphasis on identifying potentially buffering (e.g., partner support) and risk (e.g., substance use) factors through a mixed-method approach.