Drs. Stephanie Cook (NYU GPH) and Cheri Fancsali (Steinhardt) are the proud recipients of an AI grant from Google.org! The were awarded the grant for their proposal entitled Testing the Difference between Train-the-Trainer vs. Train-the Trainer and continued mentorship Models to Improve Capacity to Implement AI Literacy in Classroom Instruction. Stay tuned for details as the project unfolds. Follow us on Instagram to keep up with the lab @nyuahdl

Interested in learning more about the “All of Us” Research Program? Please click here to listen to Dr. Stephanie Cook’s latest radio interview to the New Orleans Regional Black Chamber of Commerce (NORBCC) Radio Show.

Dr. Cook took time on her sabbatical to meet with researchers and graduate students at Universidad Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to discuss methods related to Intersectionality.

The AHDL’s Dr. Cook has been named the Patricia Hill Collins (PHC) Intersectionality Training Institute (ITI) Fellow 2025-2026! Dr. Cook first joined forces with the ITI in the inaugural year of the Intersectionality Summer Intensive (ISI) in 2022 and has since returned each summer as a peer mentor. 

The PHC ITI focuses on education, thought leadership, and intersectionality-related research design, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, and writing in subjects and projects furthering the use of intersectionality as a conceptual framework. You can learn more about the fellowship and PHC here or connect with the institute on LinkedIn here.

Research assitant Tim Dubitsky (GPH Public Health Nutrition) took a break from GeoSense to spend time in India this summer. He was awarded the 2025 NYU Sustainability Internship Grant for his concept of rescuing agricultural food loss to create a baby food company in India. He also worked with host organization the Kodaikanal International School Center for Environment and Humanity (KIS CEH) to interview farmers across the Palani Hills to research the risks and rewards of re-introducing traditional grains and millets into the region to help restore autonomy and prosperity to agricultural communities. He is currently suffering severe withdrawl from the country’s exquisite culinary offerings.

It has been a busy and productive summer for the lab. We enrolled our first round of nearly 50 participants and are finishing the mapping interviews this week. Thank you to all of our participants and our amazing team of research assistants for making this round a success!

We’ve had such an incredible response to our call for participants that we’re pausing intake until September 2025.

If you are interested in becoming a participant, please fill out the form at the QR code and we will be in touch when we resume.

We have begun recruiting the first 47 of 450 participants for GeoSense! We had such a great response, so thank you to all of our RA’s and participants for making this phase a success!

…with GeoSense! Years of planning have brought us to this profoundly exciting moment. Thank you to everyone who has made this possible. Stay tuned for updates as we progress!

What an honor it was to share this moment!

We couldn’t be more proud to share such a special moment—Dr. Erica Wood’s hooding ceremony! It’s onwards and upwards from here, Dr. Wood <3

We have nothing but confidence in you! We wish you the best as you move on to your next adventure. Congratulations, Evelyn!

Dr. Cook was the proud (and deserving!) recipient of the NYU GPH Golden Apple Faculty Award 2025. Thank you for everything you do in and outside the lab. You are are truly inspiring. <3

Farewell to our graduating MS research analyst! We can't wait to see what wonderful things you do and become <3

PhD student Natalie Green presented her abstract "The application of Intersectionality in Psychoneuroendocrinology" at the annual SBSM conference in March.

PhD students Mariana Rodrigues presented her abstract, "The impacts of discrimination and social cohesion and daily well-being among young sexual and gender minorities” at the annual SBSM conference in March.

Oh, Canada! Dr. Cook will represent the AHDL at the “Emerging Statistical Methods for Digital Health Data” workshop hosted by the Banff International Research Station (BIRS) in Alberta, Canada February 23 - 28, 2025. Learn more about the BIRS and the workshop here.

Join us in welcoming Maxine back to the lab in her new role as program coordinator! Maxline is a NYU Alumni, obtaining her degree in Biochemistry. During her time at NYU, she obtained experience with Public Health research at the AHDL, focusing on the impact of discrimination based stress and mental health. Since graduating, she has worked at Mount Sinai as a Clinical Research Assistant aiding in Neurosurgery research. Maxline is passionate about health disparities research and community based intervention work and hopes to be able to continue improving health outcomes for underserved populations.

Congratulations to PhD student Mariana Rodrigues on her recent publication “Integrated programs for common mental illnesses within primary care and community settings in Latin America: A scoping review of components and implementation strategies.”

The Lancet Regional Health - Americas

Volume 41, January 2025

Congratulations to PhD student Mariana Rodrigues on receiving the “Todos Juntos” grant for her work which looks at the intersection of mental health and chronic disease among Hispanic women in rural and urban areas.

We’re thrilled to highlight our lab's very own PhD Student, Mariana Rodrigues, who has made significant contributions to all of our work at the AHDL. Her recent publication, titled “Intersectionality matters for Hispanic Health: A replication study using the All of Us Research Program" in International Journal for Equity in Health, showcases her dedication and expertise in addressing crucial issues within our community.

Join us in celebrating Mariana’s achievements and commitment to promoting equity in health. We are proud to have her on our team!

Read the full article here.

This August, Dr. Cook travelled to Portland, Oregon, to share groundbreaking insights at a key conference. Her presentation, titled "Steering Inclusiveness in Big Data: Changing the Normative Process for Selecting Covariates in Statistical Models," explored innovative approaches to enhancing intersectionality in data analysis.

Dr. Cook’s talk focused on how we can improve the process of selecting covariates in statistical models to better reflect diverse and comprehensive perspectives. Her insights are poised to influence future practices in big data analytics and statistical modeling, promoting more equitable and representative outcomes.

The AHDL team was thrilled to support our Research Assistant, Stephanie, at The College of Arts and Science’s Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Stephanie did a fantastic job presenting our GeoSense pilot study Her dedication and enthusiasm was evident while representing our lab. We couldn’t be prouder of her effort and the way she showcased our research.

Discover the pioneering research of Dr. Stephanie Cook, our Lab Director, through her insightful interview with the Intersectionality Training Institute. Dr. Cook’s work focuses on intersectionality in health disparities among sexual and gender minorities of color, exploring themes like cardiovascular health and social media impacts.

Visit “The C3” folder HERE to read the full interview and learn more about Dr. Cook’s transformative research and its implications for inclusive health practices.

Dr. Cook and colleagues discussed the Social Determinants of Sleep Health from 2017-2020, focusing on how sleep and circadian rhythms impact cardiovascular resilience. This workshop focused on the impact of sleep and circadian rhythms on cardiovascular health, emphasizing interventions to improve sleep quality and enhance cardiovascular resilience, especially across diverse populations.

Read more HERE

Our Lab Director, Stephanie Cook, has taken on a new role as the Pathway Programs Director at the Center for Anti-racism, Social Justice, and Public Health. Drawing on her expertise, she'll spearhead transformative initiatives to tackle health disparities, mentor emerging leaders, and advocate for equity. Let's applaud Dr. Cook's new journey and anticipate the positive impact she'll bring to promoting justice within public health.

Learn about the newest development in the All of Us Research program! Their study on the impact of discrimination on mental and physical health found that discrimination increases C-reactive protein levels in minority populations, indicating a higher risk of heart disease.

Watch more!

Please click here to read the Attachment and Health Disparities Lab’s latest publication: “Assessment of a Daily Diary Study Including Biospecimen Collections in a Sample of Sexual and Gender Minority Young Adults: Feasibility and Acceptability Study”.