Faculty Advisor
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Alexandria Bauer, PhD
Dr. Bauer is an Assistant Professor at Rutgers in the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP). She also serves as a faculty mentor for the Translational Research Training in Addictions for Racial/Ethnic Minorities (TRACC) program and is on the Executive Board of the Rutgers Addiction Research Center. She received her BA in Psychology from San Diego State University, after transferring from community college. She earned both her master’s degree and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, following her predoctoral clinical internship at the Charleston Consortium in Charleston, SC. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship in Traumatic Stress and Addictions at Rutgers University Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies.
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Lab Members
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Ayanna Gilmore
Ayanna Gilmore is a doctoral student in the Social and Behavioral Sciences concentration at the Rutgers School of Public Health. Ayanna’s research interest is in understanding the social determinants of substance use among African American populations. Ayanna hopes to disseminate science that examines substance use through the lens of social and structural determinants as an alternative to focusing solely on individual-level factors. Ayanna is committed to taking a humane approach to her science that values the experiences and needs of historically marginalized communities. In doing so, Ayanna hopes to confront structural inequities and promote health equity. |
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Kaan Kideys
Kaan Kideys is a graduate of the Rutgers Master of Applied Psychology program and is working on a Counseling PsyD at Saint Elizabeth University. His research and clinical interests include understanding the nature of traumatic experience and its effects on physical and mental health. He is interested in examining how the effects of post-traumatic stress affect bodily functions, the development of comorbid mental health and substance use disorders, how the effects of trauma manifest among different populations, as well as approaches to healing, resilience, and post-traumatic growth among various cultures and identities. |
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Amudha Balaraman
Amudha earned her Master's in Psychology at The New School, with a concentration in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counseling. She is now working towards a PhD in Clinical Psychology at The New School. Her research interests include mental health and treatment disparities, help seeking and service utilization, and developing culturally-informed interventions. Additionally, she is interested in working alongside underrepresented populations through partnership and community-engaged research. Amudha is transitioning from a prior career in public education, where she has over 10 years of experience in data analysis, project management, and program evaluation. She has also served as a middle school teacher. Amudha remains committed to public service and equity, and she hopes a future career in clinical psychology will continue this commitment. |
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Brandon Wildman
Brandon is a second year Master's student at Rutgers University's Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP). He completed his Baccalaureate degree at Stockton University in General Biology with a minor in Behavioral Neuroscience. Brandon's current research interests currently center around physical and mental health disparities in impoverished and vulnerable communities, mental health concerns in multiracial populations, harm reduction implementation, and the socio-environmental bases of substance abuse. Outside of academia, Brandon enjoys cooking, travelling, and getting involved in various community efforts. |
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Vincent DiGioia-Laird
After starting his career in the restaurant industry, Vincent graduated from Rutgers Camden Business School with a BA in Finance and a Minor in Political Science. After working for about 6 years in the finance world, he decided to follow his passion by helping people who currently and formerly used drugs. Vincent received his master’s in social work from the School of Social Work at Rutgers University in New Brunswick with the hope of pursuing a PhD. He has also been a peer with the Rutgers IRTS (Intensive Recovery Treatment Services) program within the New Jersey prison system. Vincent is a person with lived experience who has been advocating and working with people who use drugs for the past 25 years sharing harm-reduction techniques to help people stay as safe as possible. Vincent’s research interests are transparency and accountability in grant funding across the substance abuse field, people’s experiences with FDA-approved addiction medication and non-medication alternatives, and whether alternative treatments are beneficial for long-term physical and mental health. |
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Omorinsola Ayo-Adebanjo
Omorinsola Ayo-Adebanjo is a Rutgers sophomore pursuing a degree in economics with a minor in African Languages. However, her ultimate career goal is to be an employment attorney who defends employees against discrimination, unpaid wages, and potentially sexual harassment. Omorinsola's desire to help people, is what led her to organize the food pantry and thrift store at the Urban Health Collaborative, research non-profit organizations and student resources at the Collaborative Center for Community Engagement, and now increase access to mental health resources for communities of color at the Racial Equity, Advocacy, and Community Health (REACH) Alliance. She is interested in learning about how mental illness and trauma manifest in low-income communities of color, as well as treatment access and utilization. Outside of academic and career settings, her many interests include working out at the gym, listening to music, reading books, and watching movies. |
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Gurleen Parmar
My name is Gurleen Parmar, and I am currently a sophomore at Rutgers University, pursuing a major in Biological Sciences with a minor in Health Administration on a pre-medical track. My passion for medicine and public health began at an early age, particularly after visiting my mother’s hometown in India, where I witnessed firsthand the challenges many face due to inadequate access to healthcare. These experiences fueled my commitment to addressing health disparities and promoting racial equity in healthcare. I am deeply interested in advocacy and systemic change, aiming to positively impact underserved communities. The mission of REACH strongly resonates with me, and I am honored to be part of a program where the research conducted has such meaningful and far-reaching impacts. |
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Lab Alumni
Mengjia Ji
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Allyson Cameron
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Jahnayah Bellot
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Carolyn Bazan, PhD
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Collaborators
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In addition to the students and affiliates listed above, we work with with a dynamic and ever-growing group of researchers, community members, mental health service providers, and individuals with lived experiences related to trauma, substance use, and other areas of mental health. Many of our community partners are associated with the Community Advisory Board (CAB) at the Rutgers Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies, which gives us the opportunity to work with an engaged, incredible group across multiple research projects. We are always looking for new community connections and people who can give us nuanced insight into all aspects and stages of the research that we do. Please contact us if you're interested in learning more about the CAB or collaboration interests.