Alexandra Rodman, a postdoc in the Stress and Development Lab, has received the K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from the National Institute of Mental Health. Her project is entitled “Behavioral and Neurocognitive Mechanisms linking Peer Victimization to Adolescent Psychopathology.” Peer victimization (e.g., bullying, ostracism) is a common and potent predictor of psychopathology in adolescence, but the behavioral and neural mechanisms underlying this association remain unknown. Alex will test a novel conceptual model assessing how different kinds of peer victimization (e.g., verbal attacks, group ostracism) impact social processing and behavior in ways that increase risk for psychopathology via distinct mechanistic pathways. Identifying developmental processes that are disrupted following peer victimization is a necessary first step in developing targeted intervention approaches to mitigate risk for adolescent psychopathology. This award will support Alex's transition to a faculty position and we are all so excited for her!