People

Drexler James, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He is also an affiliate faculty member of the Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center at UMN. Drexler is the primary investigator of the Health, Intersectionality, Essentialism, & Stigma research team. He received his Ph.D. in Social & Personality Psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he also minored in Community Health Research. He completed his undergraduate studies in Psychology at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Drexler is a Health Equity and Disparities scholar who examines the social and psychological determinants of health among minoritized groups, particularly African American adults and men of color who have sex with men. Drexler also has interests in studying the health and social consequences of biological race essentialism.

Read Drexler's CV here.

Drexler's Google Scholar Profile.

Drexler's UMN Psychology department webpage here.

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Alicia Bowling started as a PhD student in the Social Psychology program in 2023 after receiving her B.A. in Psychology in 2017 from Smith College. Alicia’s research interests include political psychology and intergroup relations in the context of prejudice, collective action, and prosocial behavior. She is also interested in applications of intersectionality theory in the study of identity, attitudes, and behavior.

Read Alicia's CV here.

Orestis Michaelides is a PhD student in Social Psychology. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh with an MSc in Psychological Research and an MA in Psychology and Linguistics. He is interested in using quantitative and individual-difference methods to understand the nature of internalized stigma and its interplay with identity and wellbeing. His research centers on internalized homophobia and men’s experiences.

Read Orestis' CV here.

Kayleigh Fenton, is a research specialist at the HIES lab, where she focuses on mental health

disparities and health equity. A graduate of George Mason University, Kayleigh’s research

interests include the psychosocial barriers to care that impact marginalized populations, with a

particular focus on the intersections of mental health, substance use, and social determinants of

health. Her work aims to inform prevention efforts addressing systemic and emotional barriers to

care and current clinical practices.

Read Kayleigh's CV here.

Yilin (Evelyn) Wang, graduated from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, in 2023 and is currenelt an MSW student at The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.