Lab Values

Sexual assault is widespread and occurs across many settings and populations. The consequences of sexual assault are well documented and include a range of negative psychological and physical health sequelae, making sexual assault a significant public health problem. In the BEACON Lab, we pursue research that (1) advances the understanding of risk factors for sexual assault, with a particular focus on cognitive (e.g., information processing, including decision making), behavioral (e.g., alcohol and cannabis use), and contextual factors (e.g., high risk environments, including those in which substances are used frequently); (2) examines protective factors for experiencing sexual assault as well as factors that ameliorate the effects of this violence; and (3) promotes the prevention of sexual assault through the development and evaluation of intervention programs focused on reducing risk. We use a range of methods to explore each of these research areas (e.g., alcohol challenge studies, cognitive science paradigms, ecological momentary assessment, and ecological momentary intervention). We also are committed to understanding and preventing sexual assault risk across a variety of groups who come from minoritized groups.

We believe the best science is built together. We value mentorship, mutual support and collegiality, and the open exchange of ideas, creating a lab where every member is empowered to learn, contribute, and succeed in their research endeavors. We commonly work as a team across a handful of projects, which allows us to strengthen our approach to science while fostering also the growth and development of every member of our team.