Dr. Melissa K. Holt is an associate professor in counseling psychology at Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development and a licensed psychologist. She is also the director of the Kilachand Honors College at Boston University.<\/p>\n
Dr. Holt’s research explores how adolescents\u2019 exposure to violence\u2014particularly bias-based harassment (i.e. harassment based on one\u2019s identity)\u2014influences mental health and well-being; ways in which school-based prevention programs can play a central role in reducing students\u2019 exposures to bullying and bias-based harassment and improving school climate; and the experiences of gender diverse adolescents, with an emphasis on the ways in which contexts and systems can better support gender diverse youth and amplify youth strengths.<\/p>\n
Prior to joining BU Wheelock, Dr. Holt was a behavioral scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention within the Division of Violence Prevention, as well as a research assistant professor at the University of New Hampshire\u2019s Crimes against Children Research Center. In both positions, Dr. Holt\u2019s emphasis was on projects focused on youth violence, with a particular emphasis on bullying and multiple victimization. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Justice, and her scholarship has been published widely, including the Journal of Adolescent Research<\/em>, the Journal of School Health<\/em>, and Pediatrics<\/em>.<\/p>\nRecent News<\/h3>\n