# Rachel Martino Doctoral Student ![rm](/sites/g/files/omnuum9446/files/styles/hwp_4_5__320x400/public/bestlab/files/rm.jpg?itok=J7D_vpwZ) email Rachel Martino (she/her) is a Ph.D. student in the Clinical Science program at Harvard University. She graduated from Brown University in 2019 with a B.S. in Psychology and Gender and Sexuality Studies and has worked with Dr. Dima Amso on children’s acquisition of STEM gender biases, Dr. Katie McLaughlin on longitudinal research examining dynamic changes in emotion, behavior, and brain function during adolescence following stressful life events, and Dr. Sophia Choukas-Bradley on socio-cultural influences on adolescent mental health, particularly among gender and sexual minority youth. Her research investigates how stigma, discrimination, and broader social contexts shape emotion processing—including emotional understanding, experience, regulation, and perception—and mental health across development. Using multiple methodologies, including behavioral tasks, experimental paradigms, and longitudinal designs, she aims to identify specific affective mechanisms that link identity-related stressors to the onset and maintenance of psychopathology, particularly in youth with marginalized identities. Ultimately, she hopes her research will generate evidence that can inform targeted interventions, prevention efforts, and policies to promote resilience and mental health equity for children, adolescents, and families. - ## People Role [Doctoral Students](/people-role/doctoral-students)