Dr. Hoyt’s work is situated at the intersection of developmental psychology and population health. She investigates how biological processes, psychological experiences, and social contexts interact during youth to influence lifelong health trajectories and health disparities. Specifically, she studies these dynamic factors across two key developmental transitions: from childhood to adolescence (puberty), and from adolescence to adulthood (emerging adulthood). These transitions represent critical turning points in the life course, windows of opportunity to alter behaviors, attitudes, and environments, which could lead to long-term changes in health and well-being. 

The 3D Lab includes PhD students in the Applied Developmental Psychology doctoral program at Fordham University.

Jiwoon Bae is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Applied Developmental Psychology Doctoral program at Fordham University. He received his B.A. in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research interests include exploring individual, social, and broader ecological factors to promote resilience among Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) youth and young adults in under-resourced environments. Specifically, he is interested in how contextual and sociocultural factors influence their responses to adversity and in using data disaggregation to better understand the diverse experiences and health outcomes of AANHPI subgroups. His recent line of work focuses on sociocultural and behavioral factors associated with alcohol use, sleep, and suicidality among AANHPI youth and emerging adults.

Projects: 3E Study

Angelica is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the Applied Developmental Psychology PhD Program. Her research focuses on understanding the risk and protective factors that shape the college experiences of emerging adults, transfer students, nontraditional students, and adult learners navigating diverse challenges. She is particularly interested in research, program evaluation, and program development that center student needs and resilience to inform practices that promote well-being, equity, inclusion, and overall college success.

Projects: 3E Study

Frankie Osso is a third-year doctoral student in the Applied Developmental Psychology PhD Program. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Fordham University in 2022, where he also minored in Disability Studies and Sociology. His research examines cardiometabolic health equity among caregiving youth, drawing on the Stress-Process Model and social determinants of health frameworks to understand how the demands of family caregiving accumulate and leave lasting marks on wellbeing. Specifically, he is interested in young caregivers, who remain largely invisible in health research, and in the structural health inequities that determine who bears the heaviest burden. He also leads youth participatory action research (YPAR) with Bronx high school students, partnering with them to conduct research projects on their communities.

Projects: YPAR

Sade is the lab manager for the 3D lab and the project coordinator for the 3E study. She also acts as one of the TAs for Dr. Hoyt's Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) class. Her research interests lie in youth mental health, especially regarding racial/ethnic disparities. In addition, Sade is interested in suicide and self-injury among youth. Sade’s future plans include pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology. 

Projects: 3E Study, YPAR, Election Study, REST Study

Gina M. Mathew, PhD, is a Research Scientist working on the 3E Study at Fordham University. She is passionate about improving health and wellbeing across the lifespan, especially among vulnerable communities. Her research examines how sleep and other aspects of health, digital media use, and sociodemographic factors shape health across development, with a particular focus on health disparities and modifiable risk factors. She integrates objective and self-reported measures, including actigraphy, polysomnography, passive smartphone sensing, cardiometabolic measures, and surveys, to identify behavioral targets that can improve health and reduce disparities. 

Projects: 3E Study

Fordham Undergraduate Junior

Gianna is an undergraduate student at Fordham College at Rose Hill, majoring in psychology and minoring in bioethics and business administration. She aspires to be a clinical psychologist and consultant with both professional athletes and in the forensics settings. She is a Resident Assistant, Co-chair of the Student Alumni Ambassadors, and a Student Athletic Training Aide with Fordham Football.

Projects: Athlete Stigma and Support Insights Study (ASSIST), Black Girls Routine Resistance (BGRR), REST Study

Ashley is an undergraduate student majoring in psychology with an interest in neuroscience research. Her aim is to become a neuropsychologist with a specialization in adolescent neuropsychology, researching how the environment influences the development of mental disorders. Outside of the lab, she is probably in her kitchen cooking up a feast. 

Projects: YPAR, DHR Project

Mhya Tejada is a Senior majoring in Psychology & General Science on the pre-health track. She aspires to become a child psychiatrist, combining her interests in medicine, mental health, and developmental psychology. Her research passions focus on the intersection of child and adolescent development, cultural identity, and health disparities in underserved communities. Outside of the 3D Lab, Mhya works as a tutor counselor for Fordham STEP/CSTEP programs. Through her future career, Mhya hopes to integrate patient care, clinical research, and community engagement to advance accessible and equitable mental health services for children and families.

Projects: YPAR, 3E Study, REST

Samantha is an undergraduate junior majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Psychology  on the Pre-Health track. She aspires to become a medical doctor in the future focusing on the intersection of physical and mental health of Black women who are often neglected in health settings. Outside of the 3D lab, she works as an Office Assistant at Fordham College Dean’s Office.

Projects: Black Girls Routine Resistance (BGRR), REST

Sarah is a junior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology at Rose Hill. Her research interests center on psychopathology in women and adolescents, with a particular interest in understanding how mental health experiences and outcomes differ across underrepresented populations. She aspires to become a clinical psychologist and to contribute to research that will improve access to mental health resources. Outside of the 3D Lab, Sarah is also a tutor/counselor for the Fordham STEP and C/STEP program, where she enjoys supporting high school students. 

Projects: Transfer Student Success

Jacob is a senior at Fordham College at Lincoln Center, double majoring in Psychology and Philosophy and minoring in Marketing. His research interests include educational equity, transfer student experiences, and the ways social and institutional contexts shape individual well-being and student success. At Fordham, he serves as president of the university’s Lincoln Center Psi Chi chapter, lead print editor of the Fordham Undergraduate Law Journal, and as a circulation clerk at the Maloney Law Library. His psychology honors thesis uses experience-sampling data to examine how daily stressors relate to day-to-day changes in borderline personality disorder features.

Projects: Transfer Student Success

Ethan is a junior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Anthropology and Bioethics. His research interests include early detection of neurodegenerative disorders, specifically Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. He aims to do research that affirms the health disparities of historically underrepresented groups. Post-gradation, Ethan hopes to pursue doctoral training in clinical psychology or neuropsychology. Outside of the 3D Lab, he is a member of Psi Chi and the Psychology Club at Fordham. 

Projects: Transfer Student Success

3E Study