Mentored Research

What kind of mentorship model do we use?

Students are admitted to work with one particular faculty member as their primary mentor. We do not follow dual mentorship or lab rotation models. That said, our department and faculty are highly collaborative and it is common for students and faculty to work together on specific research projects across labs.

A Research-rich Environment

Students in Penn State’s Biobehavioral Health graduate program have a truly unique opportunity to work with world-renowned researchers and faculty members in a highly active research environment, helping conduct groundbreaking research. Depending on their interests and mentor, BBH graduate students gain firsthand experience working with participants and/or laboratory animals, collecting data, conducting data analyses, publishing papers, and presenting findings at academic conferences.

In keeping with our innovative and interdisciplinary mission, our graduate students have the opportunity to pursue a diverse range of interests, spanning domains such as behavioral neuroscience, behavioral endocrinology, psychoneuroimmunology, genetics, behavioral pharmacology, health promotion, health psychology, epidemiology, health and vulnerable populations, social psychology, socio-ethical dynamics, cognition, global health, ethics, environmental health –  and much more.

Our students have access to stellar library, IT, teaching, and state-of-the-art research resources. We are also linked with numerous well-funded centers that provide training and support, including but not limited to:

Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences

Prevention Research Center

Social Science Research Institute

Biomarker Core Lab

Social, Life, and Engineering Imaging Center

Center for Healthy Aging

Child Maltreatment Solutions Network

Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction

Population Research Institute

Can I talk with specific faculty?

Yes. You are encouraged to review the interests and research of our faculty and contact specific faculty to ask questions and determine possible fit.