Clementine Bannon ’26: Research Assistant at SUMMIT Lab, Boston University

The SUMMIT (Substance Use Mechanisms, Motivations, and Interventions for Teens), affiliated with Boston University's Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, focuses on helping adolescents successfully navigate the teenage years. Guided by the mission of reducing the risks of initiating, escalating, or continuing substance use, the lab studies how social relationships shape adolescent mental health and treatment outcomes.

• I focused on project TIES (Teens' Interactions, Environments, and Supports), a study that explores how friendships and social environments impact teens' risk behaviors in relation to substances. I assisted with participant recruitment, led study visits, and transcribed and input data, gaining first-hand experience.
• I discovered that I thrive in roles that combine research, collaboration, and direct adolescent impact.
• This internship reaffirmed my commitment to pursuing a career in clinical psychology, with a focus on adolescent mental health.
• I strengthened my abilities in research coordination, participant communication, data collection, and co-worker collaboration.
• I loved building connections with participants, learning from the mentorship of Dr. Meisel, and seeing how research directly addresses inequalities in adolescent mental health care.

Internship funded by Ajmera Internship Fund