My lab develops and tests acceptance-based therapies delivered in digital and telehealth platforms, with a focus on addressing health disparities. The most preventable causes of premature death and human suffering are cigarette smoking and obesity. To this end, my research team focuses on designing, developing, and testing AI-based chatbot, smartphone app-delivered, and telephone coach-delivered contextual behavioral interventions for smoking cessation and for weight loss. Research aims include main outcome comparisons, mediators, moderators, intervention engagement, and therapeutic process predictors of outcome. This research is currently supported by four NIH R01-level grants. Our lab's latest grant focuses on testing a smartphone app for helping American Indians and Alaska Natives stop smoking commercial cigarettes.
Since 2008, I have provided opportunities for current UW psychology graduate students to conduct research on these topics. Currently, eligible graduate students can apply for a special NIH diversity supplement that provides up to 3 years of full salary and tuition coverage plus $4000 per year in research supplies/travel support. The Fred Hutch Cancer Center also offers another year of full financial support to eligible graduate students in my lab--thus totaling a full four years of funding. Note: I only work with current, often more advanced, graduate students. Thus, I do not admit new graduate students.
For more information on graduate student diversity supplement funding, please closely read the information below :
https://www.cancer.gov/about-nci/organization/crchd/diversity-training/cure/ds-guidelines.pdf
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-20-031.html
https://reporter.nih.gov/search/WV9xelxhXkeAjuihAMhmIg/project-details/10826067
(This webpage was updated on October 21, 2024)