LGBT Research

[psycgrad37]

What professors out there conduct LGBT research? Are there any programs or centers focused on this work? I've heard that a few professors at Tennessee-Knoxville do LGBT research and that the program is very social justice oriented, wanted to find similar programs. 

[mb712]

This might be a good starting point: http://lgbtpopulationcenter.org/web-resources/

[psycgrad37]

Thank you! That is a good starting point. Maybe others will also chime in with their labs and schools. 

[mb712]

This also might be helpful, both the linked website and looking through publications in the journal: http://www.apa.org/about/division/div44.aspx

[UMG]

Eden King runs a diversity focused lab in George Mason's IO psych department. They have done a number of projects looking at LGBT issues in the workplace.

[psycgrad37]

thank you both`

[juilletmercredi]

LGBT research is my area! Here are some suggestions:

 

Perry Halkitis in Applied Psychology at NYU Steinhardt

Christian Grov at Brooklyn College/the CUNY Graduate Center

Patrick Wilson at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health (they have a joint program in public health and psychology)

Eric Scrimshaw, also at Columbia Mailman

Mark Hatzenbuehler, also at Columbia Mailman

Seth Kalichman, Diane M. Quinn, and Blair T. Johnson at the University of Connecticut

Vicki Mays at UCLA, although I think she primarily does racial/ethnic minority stuff now

Jose Bauermeister and Gary Harper at University of Michigan (he's in health behavior and health education, but you could probably work with him from the psych department)

Lisa Bowleg at George Washington

Brian Mustanski at Northwestern University

John Pachankis at Yale (in the school of public health; they have a fabulous Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS there)

Don Operario at Brown School of Public Health

David Huebner at the University of Utah

Jane M. Simoni at the University of Washington

Matthew Mimiaga at Harvard School of Public Health (he advises students in psychiatric epidemiology)

Ilan Meyer at UCLA's Williams Institute, although I do not think he advises graduate students

[Bubbala]

I applied to Counseling Psychology PhD programs that had professors who focused on LGBTQ issues, and I will be entering one this fall. I'll copy and paste my list for you:

 

Boston College: Paul Poteat, Jim Mahalik

University of California – Santa Barbara: Tania Israel

University of Florida: Bonnie Moradi

University of Maryland: Jonathan Mohr, Richard Shin

University of Massachusetts – Boston: Sharon Horne

University of Miami: Debbiesiu Lee

Teacher’s College, Columbia University: Melanie Brewster, Brandon Velez

University of Wisconsin – Madison: Stephanie Budge, Francisco Sánchez

Edited July 2, 2015 by Bubbala

[psycgrad37]

Thank you julliet and Bubbala! 

 

Julliet- some of those people are not in the Psychology field, do they still advise students that are in psyc? For example, Christian Grov. (I guess this could also be my mistake since I just noticed I didn't specify above).

[Oddtimes]

Check out the Counseling Psychology program at Oklahoma State. Good stuff going on there.

[Mastershaakti]

So I'm offering slightly more than what you are asking for, but this perspective might aid in your scope when searching for programs/POIs. There are certainly many psychology researchers that are population focused (e.g., Black/African American, people with certain disabilities, Asian American, women, kiddos, etc.), in that they are willing to study anything in the realm of their population of interest, sometimes even outside the discipline. The benefit of such is flexibility and, of course, interest in the population of choice; however, this can be daunting when searching for a program, POI, or even a specific research idea. To potentially narrow your search (and therefore interests), you could figure out which aspect of LGBT psychology research interest you most: social (e.g., prejudice/stereotyping, stigma/coping), developmental, cognitive, political, biological, health, educational, clinical, counseling, community, etc. My very limited scope of listed areas already cover a wide variety of research that relate to many programs/POIs that may not be labeled (or "branded") LGBT research/ers. Obviously, the downside to selecting POIs based on type of method/theory rather than population, means that you could, at times, may be expected to work on research that is not directly related to the LGBT population. But more often than not, that research can be conceptually replicated for the LGBT population. One way you can determine which area or aspect of LGBT research is most interesting is by reviewing an undergrad/grad text on LGBT psychology (one cheaply available on Amazon titled as such) which covers all major psychological research areas related to LGBT population. Another way to approach the search if find a POI that does interesting research and wishes to expand that research to the LGBT population. For example, a POI's main focus may be racial bias but wish to expand the lab research to include sexual/gender bias and maybe even the intersection of the two. In this way, you would be the de facto expert/consultant on the LGBT research topics for the lab, which may be desirable for some who prefer more research autonomy in graduate school. Sorry for the long response, but hopefully this will be somewhat helpful in approaching your search and research agenda!

Edited July 14, 2015 by Mastershaakti

[juilletmercredi]

OP - at most doctoral programs, you can work with an advisor or mentor in different departments. I'm not 100% sure about Christian Grov, but I know that it's possible at Columbia and at Michigan, and I'm pretty sure it is at Yale. For Christian I'm willing to bet the answer is yes.

 

Yes, I wasn't sure whether you were specifically committed to doing psychology only or whether you were open to doing a PhD in a related area. For what it's worth, I got my PhD at Columbia in a joint program between sociomedical sciences (which has lots of LGBT scholars there) and psychology. My advisor is one of the folks on the list

[psycgrad37]

Mastershaakti- Thank you so much! I have actually begun considering that option recently. I would, obviously, prefer to work with someone who is already working with LGBT populations but it is definitely something worth putting out there for others who may not have had that idea before.

 

 

Juilletmercredi- good to know! I guess the way to go about it is by contacting whoever I am interested in and seeing if they are willing to co-mentor? How does that work in graduate school if say, I wanted to get a degree in clinical or counseling psyc and wanted to get licensed but the researcher I am interested in working with is not in clinical/counseling? I am assuming I would just work on their research but follow everything else under the clinical/counseling program?

[Klein979]

Thanks for all the information! I am also re-applying this year! Wish everyone in here good luck! Hope we all can do something good for our community!