Psychology Professor Marci Lobel Receives Leadership Award from APA

Marci Lobel

The American Psychological Association’s (APA) Committee on Women in Psychology has recognized Marci Lobel as a Distinguished Leader for Women in Psychology for her distinguished and vital contributions to social psychological theory, to understanding stress, and to a theory of gendered racism.

Dr. Lobel, a professor in the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University, received the award on August 6 at the APA’s annual convention in Denver, Colorado.

Lobel’s work focuses on coping and reproductive health, especially for African American women. Insights from her scholarship are integral to identifying disparities in maternal mortality and neonatal health, and help to underscore the importance of intended pregnancies for maternal and neonatal health. Her landmark research illuminates psychosocial factors related to stress resistance, health behaviors and resilience during pregnancy. Dr. Lobel’s outstanding abilities as a scholar, teacher, leader and mentor have truly made her a distinguished leader for women in psychology.

Professor Lobel directs The Stony Brook Pregnancy Project, a federally funded set of investigations to examine factors that exacerbate or attenuate the impact of prenatal maternal stress on birth outcomes, including health behaviors, coping, socioeconomic status, ethnicity or race, and optimism. She also works with teams of investigators in the U.S. and internationally to examine the impact of stress in pregnancy and to develop interventions for pregnant women.