Brianna is a 1st year Pre-Doctoral Fellow in the dual title PhD program in Psychology (social area) and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (primary advisor: Dr. Jes Matsick). Their research focuses on the experiences of marginalized individuals from an intersectional Black feminist lens. They are especially interested in identity development and navigation of Black LGBTQ+ individuals within the United States. Brianna intends to use their research to address social issues as they pertain to their populations of interest and make their research accessible to those outside of the scientific community through policy and education. In 2015, Brianna received a B.S. in Psychology and a B.S in Biology from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater where their research focused on the creation of a neurological prosthetic using electromyography. In 2023, Brianna earned an M.A. in Experimental Psychology from Towson University were their research focused on the perception and conception of gender roles within Black queer communities. At Towson, Brianna served as the Sexuality and Gender Diversity Coordinator in which they provided resources, programming, training, and advisement for the campus community. 

Emerson is a 2nd year Pre-Doctoral Fellow in the dual-title PhD program in Psychology (social area) and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (primary advisor: Dr. Jes Matsick). His research examines identity and stigma through the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and other marginalized identities. He is especially interested in identity work (e.g., how people’s lived experiences shape their identities and vice versa) and how people with marginalized bodies navigate the social world. Emerson received his B.S. in Psychology and Sociology with a minor in Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) from East Tennessee State University in 2020, and he earned his M.A. in Sociology in 2022.

Esha Vaid is a 6th year PhD student in the child clinical psychology program. Esha’s research goals are to better understand the experiences of individuals with stigmatized identities and the individual and collective coping strategies used to respond to discrimination. She specifically is interested in the stress that arises from the intersection of multiple identities including race, body size, and sexual orientation. Esha hopes her research informs science and clinical interventions to advocate for stigmatized individuals. Before coming to Penn State, Esha earned her B.A. from Rutgers University and worked as a research assistant for Dr. Catherine Stanger at Dartmouth College and lab manager for Dr. Maurice Elias at Rutgers University.

Jude is a 2nd year Bunton-Waller Scholar in the Psychology Ph.D. program (social area, primary advisor: Dr. Jes Matsick). Jude is interested in taking a life-course approach to better understand the experiences of individuals with marginalized intersecting identities. He is particularly interested in exploring the stress, behaviors, and stigma faced by these individuals at the intersection of their gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and age. Some of Jude’s previous research has investigated nuanced understandings of manhood and masculinity across men who vary in race/ethnicity and sexual orientation. In 2022, Jude received his B.A. in Psychology and B.S. in Aging Sciences from the University of South Florida. At USF, he worked as a research assistant in the Gender and Interpersonal Dynamics lab co-directed by Drs. Jennifer Bosson and Joseph Vandello, the Stress and Cardiovascular Psychophysiology directed by Dr. Kristen Salomon, Dr. Jamie Goldenberg’s lab, and in the Cognitive and Neurophysiology of Aging lab directed by Dr. Jennifer Lister.