Dissertation Award Research Presentations

Scott Delaney presenting to small group of students, scholars, and faculty

In March, the 2018–2019 Dissertation Research Award recipients presented research progress updates at the Harvard Chan School. The presentations provided an opportunity for the past Dissertation Research Award recipients to provide updates to the Harvard community on the findings of their research and to receive feedback and comments to help strengthen their work.

  • Scott Delaney, a doctor of science candidate in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, spoke about his research examining the connection between elements of a positive social environment and healthy neurodevelopment in children. His research is assessing the impact of positive family functioning on markers of favorable brain development, including measures of cortical gray matter thickness and global white matter integrity.
  • Alina Schnake-Mahl earned her doctor of science degree in social and behavioral sciences from the Harvard Chan School in December 2018 and is now working as an evaluation specialist at Cityblock Health in New York City. She presented her research on the effects of residential population movement and neighborhood on health. Her work identified positive health-protective factors that exist in low-income, racially segregated neighborhoods.