Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center at Penn State

Congratulations to Steffany Fredman on her promotion to full professor of human development and family studies at Penn State, effective July 1, 2026!

Dr. Fredman has dedicated her career to understanding how PTSD shapes intimate relationships and how healing one can help heal the other.

She is the co-developer of Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD, a couple-based treatment that has been studied in community, veteran, and military populations and disseminated nationally within the VA for a decade. Her lab is now testing an intensive weekend retreat version of the therapy in a large DoD-funded randomized controlled trial, with the goal of making effective treatment more accessible and efficient for the people who need it most.

She has built a mentorship legacy by training graduate students who have gone on to become faculty and researchers at institutions across the country. She has also received a Teaching in Excellence Award from the Penn State College of Health and Human Development!

We're proud to have her as part of the PRC community. Congratulations, Dr. Fredman! 👏

What does truly exceptional mentorship look like in prevention science?

For the Society for Prevention Research, the answer this year is Sarah Chilenski, named the 2026 recipient of the Friend of ECPN Award, given to mid-career scientists who have made sustained, extraordinary contributions to supporting early-career professionals.

Sarah has mentored more than 20 early-career prevention scientists, co-led more than 65 presentations alongside them, and founded the Coalition Research Group — a cross-university space for mentorship and collaboration. About a quarter of those she's mentored come from historically underrepresented groups in prevention, and she's worked deliberately to dismantle the structural barriers they face.
All of this while supporting 100% of her own salary through external funding.

Here's what our colleague Jochebed Gayles, Ph.D. had to say: “This award could not go to a more deserving person and is an honor that speaks directly to the kind of scholar and human being Dr. Chilenski is,” she said. “Sarah has played an integral role in my growth as a prevention scientist, offering mentorship, friendship, and allyship that goes well beyond the professional. She is the kind of person who invests in you, not because it is expected, but because she genuinely cares about people and the field. Her commitment is reflected not only in the wisdom she shares but in the way she shows up, with encouragement, honesty, and an unwavering belief in the work.”

We are proud to celebrate this recognition of Sarah's work and grateful for the culture of mentorship she's built here.

What if high schoolers had a class dedicated to the science of human connection? And what if we included high students and teachers in helping to shape the class to meet their needs?

Blake Colaianne recently hosted the first Summit on Flourishing in Adolescence at the Franco Harris Pittsburgh Center at Penn State — bringing together principals, teachers, and counselors from 10 Pittsburgh-area high schools to preview a new course called The Science of Human Connection. He hoped half the schools would sign on.

All 10 expressed interest.

The course is built around four trainable skills: awareness, insight, connection, and purpose. It was co-designed with input from students themselves — who even named the class.

As a field, we talk a lot about loneliness, mental health, and the pressure young people are under. This is a shining example of what it looks like when research meets students and schools where they are.

"What an amazing night. I got to deliver the opening keynote presentation at the PA Association for School Administrators Women’s Caucus Conference on ways to cultivate and in . So thankful that this was a topic chosen for this event!"

"What an amazing night. I got to deliver the opening keynote presentation at the PA Association for School Administrators Women’s Caucus Conference on ways to cultivate and in . So thankful that this was a topic chosen for this event!"

Prevention Research Center affiliate Sebrina Doyle Fosco delivered the keynote address for the PA Association for School Administrators Women’s Caucus Conference at the Hotel Hershey, Sunday, May 17.

Dr. Doyle Fosco explained, "The keynote focused on the idea that we often sacrifice certain areas of our wellbeing (e.g. health, relationships) to pursue other areas like meaning and purpose. The focus was on awareness of those tradeoffs with an encouragement to find ways to balance the aspects of wellbeing.

If we want to do good work for the long haul, it is important to also attend to the daily aspects of wellbeing. The second key area that was highlighted was the challenge of emotional labor (hiding and faking of emotions) in leadership, and what we can do to still find ways to be authentic amidst the requirements of the job. A strong theme was also that leaders are in midlife and need to prioritize their health if they are going to continue in the work that they love." 💗

Big things are happening in prevention science this week! 🎉

Researchers and staff from Penn State's Edna Bennett Prevention Research Center are making an incredible showing at the 2026 Society for Prevention Research Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. — with more than 30 presentations across four days.

From overdose early warning systems and substance use prevention, to educator well-being, multilevel statistical methods, and research-practice-policy partnerships, the scope of this work is a testament to what rigorous, real-world prevention science looks like in action.

A shout out to presenters Taylor Bishop Scott, Sarah Chilenski, Jeffery Hogan, Patrick O'Neill, Diana Fishbein, Joel Segel, Jennifer Frank Joseph Lancaster, Mark T. Greenberg, Rob Turrisi, Yoon S. Hur, Anna Newell, Karen Bierman, Janet Welsh, Stephanie Lanza, Steffany Fredman, Celene Domitrovich, Danielle Rice, Jek Pesigan, Shixin Fang, Gabriel Rodriguez, and Yuqi Shen.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and in the college, researchers and students are working to understand how mindfulness techniques can support mental health and human flourishing.

Blake Colaianne, who has led research in this area for nearly 10 years, shared insights into the benefits of practicing mindfulness and some techniques to try on your own journey.

"By bringing awareness to mental health, we recognize that we are all human, and we’re all trying to do the best we can with what we have each day. That awareness helps us feel more connected to one another and experience a sense of authentic community, which is something I think a lot of us are looking for."

Featured now in TribLive! "Self-awareness, empathy and conflict management could soon become part of the curriculum for some Pittsburgh-area high school students.

In an effort to support student well-being, educators in the region are considering teaching the science of human flourishing in high schools, based on a course developed at Penn State.

Blake Colaianne, who teaches at Penn State’s College of Health and Human Development, said the “Art and Science of Human Flourishing” course comes at a time when high schools are looking for ways to support students’ mental and social challenges. Additionally, future employers are seeking job candidates with personal skills — like self-awareness and compassion."

Penn State Human Development and Family Studies Penn State College of Health and Human Development

Pittsburgh-area high schools to test new course on human flourishing, well-being Self-awareness, empathy and conflict management could soon become part of the curriculum for some Pittsburgh-area high school students. In an effort to support student well-being, educators in the region are considering teaching the science of human flourishing in high schools, based on a course dev...

Celebrating Strong Families in Hazleton

We’re proud to celebrate the most recent families who graduated from Familias Unidas on Thursday, April 23 at Penn State Hazleton. It was a meaningful and successful evening!

Familias Unidas Graduation: Over the past 12 weeks, families came together to strengthen communication, build positive parenting skills, and create supportive home environments during the teenage years. Just as importantly, they built lasting connections with one another, forming a strong network of support that continues beyond the program.

Moments like these remind us that real impact happens through relationships, trust, and shared experiences.

A huge thank you to our dedicated PROSPER team and partners, Penn State Prevention Research Center, Hazleton Area School District, Pathways to Recovery, HIP Center, Hazleton Police Department, Lehigh Valley Healthcare, and Penn State Hazleton, for making this work possible.

Here’s to stronger families and brighter futures, together.

The Penn State College of Health and Human Development is the nation’s #1 school of allied health in terms of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, an independent, nonprofit organization.

Read more: https://www.psu.edu/news/health-and-human-development/story/college-health-and-human-development-ranked-first-nih-funding?utm_account=Penn+State+College+of+Health+and+Human+Development&utm_campaign=&utm_content=1778165703&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook