Marianne Rizk-Hildbrand | Psychology | Best Researcher Award

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Mrs. Marianne Rizk-Hildbrand | Psychology | Best Researcher Award

She is completing her PhD at KJPP Zürich, focusing on youth suicide prevention through the AdoASSIP project. Her professional experience spans various roles within KJPP Zürich, including emergency care, inpatient therapy, diagnostics, family counseling, and research. Earlier, she worked in diverse sectors such as aviation, hospitality, and legal assistance, demonstrating adaptability and strong interpersonal skills. Alongside her clinical and research commitments, she has been active in volunteer work, serving as a translator for refugee projects. Her multilingual proficiency in German, English, French, and Egyptian Arabic allows her to connect effectively with diverse populations. She is recognized as an AdoASSIP instructor, supervisor, and therapist, reflecting her advanced therapeutic competencies. She embodies a rare combination of academic rigor, clinical expertise, and cross-cultural sensitivity, preparing her for a leading role in adolescent mental health care and research.

Profile

🎓 Education

Her academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology (2014-2018) from the University of Zürich, supplemented by an exchange semester at Humboldt University, Berlin (2019). She then pursued a Master of Science in Psychology at the University of Zürich (2018-2021), successfully completed in HS2020. Additionally, she earned multiple certifications in AdoASSIP therapy, including supervisor and instructor credentials between 2022 and 2024. In December 2024, she attained the title of federally recognized psychotherapist (IPKJ). Currently, she is finalizing her PhD (expected 2025), focusing on youth suicidality. Her earlier studies include the Gymnasium at Kantonsschule Hottingen (2006–2010), Bachelor of Law studies (incomplete, 2011–2014), and primary education in Opfikon. This strong educational background provides her with a solid foundation in both psychological theory and clinical practice, which she continuously enriches with ongoing training and research involvement, particularly in adolescent mental health, suicidality, and peer influence dynamics.

🧪 Experience

Her clinical experience is extensive, primarily at KJPP Zürich since 2020. As a doctoral student (2021-2024) and psychologist on youth wards (2023-2024), she conducted diagnostics, therapy, psychodiagnostic testing, family consultations, and managed clinical documentation. She contributed significantly to research, including master’s student supervision and publishing scholarly articles. Earlier roles include psychologist at the emergency centre KANT (2021-2023), where she handled acute psychiatric assessments and crisis interventions. She previously held positions in other sectors such as aviation (Swissport), hospitality (Migros Fitnesspark), legal assistance (Wenger Plattner), and customer service (Jelmoli), which enriched her communication and organizational skills. Additionally, she volunteered as a translator for refugees, showcasing her humanitarian commitment. Her interdisciplinary and multicultural experience enables her to work effectively with diverse patient populations, while her research roles highlight her commitment to advancing evidence-based interventions for youth at risk of suicide.

🏅 Awards and Honors

While no formal awards are explicitly mentioned, her series of professional certifications reflect significant achievements in her field. She became a certified AdoASSIP therapist (2022), supervisor (2023), and instructor (2024), underlining her deep specialization in evidence-based suicide prevention methods for adolescents. Her admission to the federally recognized psychotherapy program (IPKJ) and successful completion in December 2024 further demonstrate her recognized competence in clinical psychotherapy. The selection to pursue a PhD focused on adolescent suicidality at KJPP Zürich itself indicates academic merit and research potential. In addition, her consistent involvement in both clinical practice and cutting-edge research within one of Switzerland’s leading psychiatric institutions highlights her professional excellence. Her voluntary contributions to refugee support services reflect an ongoing commitment to social responsibility and community engagement, qualities often acknowledged and respected in healthcare professionals and researchers alike.

🔬 Research Focus

Her research centers on adolescent suicidality, particularly within the AdoASSIP program, a specialized intervention for youth following suicide attempts. Her doctoral dissertation (to be defended in September 2025) investigates complex factors such as body shaming, violence, self-care, and the social contagion of suicidality among peers. This work contributes to a nuanced understanding of the psychosocial dynamics leading to youth suicide attempts. She is deeply involved in intervention research, combining clinical practice with empirical investigation, which allows her to test, refine, and implement effective therapeutic strategies. Her work also involves supervising master’s theses, publishing scientific papers, and contributing to ethical and methodological standards within clinical research. By integrating her practical experience with academic inquiry, she addresses pressing public health concerns and advances therapeutic techniques aimed at reducing youth suicidality. Her research holds significant potential to inform policy, clinical practice, and future studies in adolescent mental health.

✅ Conclusion

Through a combination of advanced clinical training, focused research on adolescent suicidality, and diverse professional experiences, she emerges as a highly competent psychologist and researcher poised to make impactful contributions to youth mental health care, suicide prevention, and evidence-based therapeutic interventions within multicultural contexts.

Publications

  • The Body as a Battleground: A Qualitative Study of the Impact of Violence, Body Shaming, and Self-Harm in Adolescents with a History of Suicide Attempts

    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
    2025-05-30 | Journal article
    DOI: 10.3390/ijerph22060859
    CONTRIBUTORS: Marianne Rizk-Hildbrand; Tara Semple; Martina Preisig; Isabelle Haeberling; Lukasz Smigielski; Dagmar Pauli; Susanne Walitza; Birgit Kleim; Gregor E. Berger

Camille Blackman | Neurology and Gender-Affirming Care | Best Researcher Award

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Ms. Camille Blackman | Neurology and Gender-Affirming Care | Best Researcher Award

Camille Blackman is a dedicated medical student and multidisciplinary researcher with a passion for advancing gender-affirming healthcare and surgical education. Currently pursuing her MD at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, she brings a diverse background in anthropology, emergency medicine, and clinical research. Camille’s clinical experiences range from working as an EMT and physical therapist assistant to serving as a medical assistant in dermatology. Her current research at Johns Hopkins Center for Transgender and Gender Expansive Health centers on surgical outcomes, educational innovation, and health equity. She has published and presented nationally on topics like craniofacial surgery, sexual medicine, and transgender health. Outside of medicine, she is a nationally competitive runner and co-founder of Nameless Track Club. Camille also contributes to mentoring, leadership development, and medical education reform. Fluent in English and French, she exemplifies a well-rounded, compassionate, and forward-thinking physician in training.

Profile

🎓 Education

Camille Blackman’s academic journey reflects her interdisciplinary strength and commitment to health equity. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology from Northwestern University (2012–2016), where she was also a Division 1 athlete. To transition into a medical career, she completed a post-baccalaureate pre-medical program at DePaul University (2016–2017). Camille is currently a Doctor of Medicine (MD) candidate at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, expected to graduate in 2026. Her medical education is enhanced by participation in the Surgical Exploration and Discovery (SEAD) program and leadership in multiple mentorship initiatives. Her academic excellence is evidenced by her involvement in high-impact research, her role as an M3 mentor, and her selection for honors like Academic All-Big Tens. Throughout her academic path, she has consistently demonstrated a commitment to inclusion, excellence in scholarship, and innovation in clinical care, especially for underserved populations such as the transgender and gender-diverse community.

🧪 Experience

Camille Blackman has built a robust portfolio of healthcare experience over nearly a decade. As a current research trainee at the Johns Hopkins Center for Transgender and Gender Expansive Health, she contributes to cutting-edge projects focused on surgical outcomes and health equity. Prior to that, she worked as a medical assistant at the Illinois Dermatology Institute (2020–2023), a physical therapist assistant at RUSH Rehabilitation (2018–2021), and an EMT at Medical Express Ambulance (2018–2020). Her roles have spanned both emergency and outpatient care, giving her a comprehensive clinical foundation. In addition to her hands-on experience, she’s actively involved in medical education as a mentor and peer leader at UICOM. Camille also volunteers in both clinical and community settings, including Face the Future Foundation and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital. Her practical and research experience across diverse settings reinforces her trajectory as a future physician-leader in gender-affirming and reconstructive surgery.

🏅 Awards and Honors

Camille Blackman has been recognized for both academic and athletic excellence. She is a recipient of the prestigious Academic All-Big Ten award (2013–2016) and earned the John and Rita Canning and Dinn Brothers Student-Athlete Scholarships while at Northwestern University. In athletics, she is a Tracksmith-sponsored elite runner and has posted competitive times in major races, including a 2:48 marathon and top finishes in the Chicago 13.1 and Shamrock Shuffle. Her early accolades include the Western Massachusetts Athlete of the Year and the Tommy Cochary High School Mile Grant. As a medical student, she was selected for the Surgical Exploration and Discovery (SEAD) program and received a $25,000 pilot grant from the Hopkins Business of Health Initiative as a co-investigator for transgender health systems innovation. Her honors reflect a rare combination of scientific acumen, athletic discipline, and community impact, affirming her multifaceted contributions to medicine and public health.

🔬 Research Focus

Camille Blackman’s research centers on gender-affirming care, surgical education, and health disparities. At the Johns Hopkins Center for Transgender and Gender Expansive Health, she explores clinical outcomes related to chest masculinization and hormone therapy, and contributes to the development of transgender health infrastructure. She has authored and co-authored multiple peer-reviewed publications on subjects such as craniofacial surgery techniques, body mass index implications in gender-affirming surgeries, and innovative educational approaches like clay modeling in anatomy instruction. Camille’s forthcoming book chapters on vaginoplasty and transgender care centers further establish her as an emerging scholar in surgical education and gender health equity. She has presented her work at high-profile conferences, including the Plastic Surgery Research Council and the Sexual Medicine Society of North America. Through her research, Camille aims to enhance inclusivity, clinical outcomes, and the surgical learning experience, particularly in areas where historically marginalized populations have faced significant healthcare gaps.

✅ Conclusion

Camille Blackman is a future physician and trailblazer in gender-affirming healthcare whose interdisciplinary expertise, clinical compassion, and research innovation are advancing inclusive medicine, educational reform, and equity in surgical outcomes.

Publications

Forshing Lui | Neurology | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Forshing Lui | Neurology | Best Researcher Award

Dr. For-Shing Lui, a U.S. citizen and licensed neurologist in California, the UK, and Hong Kong, is an esteemed academic and clinician with over four decades of international experience in neurology and internal medicine, currently serving as Professor of Neurology at California Northstate University College of Medicine (CNUCOM), where he contributes significantly to medical education, curriculum development, and professional regulatory boards.

Profile

Education 🎓

Dr. Lui completed his M.B.B.S. from the University of Hong Kong in 1978, followed by an internal medicine residency (1978–1982) at the same institution; he then undertook neurology fellowship training at Newcastle General Hospital, UK (1982–1984), and a neurology residency at UC Davis (1995–1999), also serving as Chief Resident; his qualifications include being a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh), Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.

Experience 👨‍🏫

Dr. Lui has served as Expert Consultant and Reviewer for the Medical Board of California, Professor and Course Director at CNUCOM since 2014, Chair of Clinical Sciences, and Vice Chair of Education; formerly, he was Staff Neurologist and Chief of Neurology at Kaiser Permanente, Clinical Professor at UC Davis, and practiced as a neurologist and internist in Hong Kong; his roles spanned clinical practice, academic leadership, curriculum design, quality assurance, and international consultancy.

Awards & Recognitions 🏅

Dr. Lui received the 2022 A.B. Baker Teacher Recognition Award from the American Academy of Neurology, the ITLE University Distinguished Teacher Award in 2021, and multiple CNUCOM Professor of the Year Awards (2019–2023); his national recognitions include listings in America’s Top Physicians and Sacramento Magazine’s Top Doctors; he won the Croucher Fellowship (1982), John Anderson Gold Medal (1978), and several medical school scholarships for academic excellence, including the Li Shu Fan Prize in Pharmacology.

Research Interests 🔬

Dr. Lui’s academic and clinical interests lie in neurology education, vascular neurology, neuroimaging, and multiple sclerosis, with a deep commitment to medical pedagogy and curriculum leadership; his research integrates neurodiagnostic techniques with clinical neurology, particularly in imaging-based teaching, and he has presented regularly at neuroradiology conferences and contributed to educational innovation in neurology training at both Kaiser Permanente and CNUCOM, reflecting a lifelong dedication to mentoring, patient care, and advancing neurologic knowledge.

Publications

Xiuwei Zhang | Psychology | Best Researcher Award

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 Dr. Xiuwei Zhang | Psychology | Best Researcher Award

Xiuwei Zhang, PhD, is a researcher at Hefei University of Technology, specializing in traffic behavior and psychology. She holds a doctoral degree from Hefei University of Technology, where her work focuses on improving traffic safety through behavioral psychology methods. Zhang’s research addresses critical issues such as driver behavioral changes and children’s perception of street crossing hazards. She is deeply involved in advancing traffic safety by understanding how people interact with traffic environments, with an emphasis on psychological cognition. Zhang has also contributed significantly to the field through several published papers and patents, aiming to enhance both driver and pedestrian safety. With an established academic career and passion for traffic psychology, Zhang aims to provide actionable solutions to improve road safety globally.

Profile

Education 🎓

Xiuwei Zhang completed her undergraduate studies at Qingdao University of Science and Technology. She pursued her master’s and doctoral degrees at Hefei University of Technology, where she focused on traffic behavior and psychology. During her time at Hefei, Zhang developed a deep understanding of how psychological factors influence road safety, particularly in the context of driver behavior and children’s traffic hazard perception. Her academic training has allowed her to integrate cognitive psychology with transportation safety, paving the way for innovative solutions to reduce traffic-related accidents. Zhang’s educational background in this interdisciplinary field has made her a strong proponent of using behavioral psychology to improve urban traffic environments, with her research significantly contributing to traffic safety science.

Experience 👨‍🏫

Xiuwei Zhang has experience conducting impactful research on traffic psychology at Hefei University of Technology, where she has worked on driver behavior, risk perception, and children’s safety while crossing streets. She contributed to multiple key projects, such as the optimization of urban road intersections using intelligent detection and the evolution of driver’s risk perception in co-driving vehicles. Zhang participated in developing local and national standards, such as the “Evaluation Standard for Driver Takeover Ability of Autonomous Vehicles.” Her patents include solutions for assessing and preventing conflicts between human-vehicle interactions in signal intersections. Additionally, Zhang’s academic role extends to reviewing papers for Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behavior. She is an active participant in cutting-edge research projects, such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Anhui Province’s housing and urban development projects, focusing on making roads safer through innovative traffic designs and behavioral analysis.

Research Interests 🔬

Xiuwei Zhang’s research focuses on traffic behavior and psychology, with particular attention to driver behavior, children’s traffic safety, and cognitive biases in road environments. Her work aims to enhance the perception of road hazards, particularly among children, and to improve road safety through behavioral psychology techniques. One of her significant contributions is the study of children’s perception of street-crossing risks under visually occluded conditions, providing valuable insights into how environmental factors impact traffic behavior. Zhang’s research on driver behavior changes, particularly in co-driving scenarios with automated vehicles, seeks to develop better risk perception strategies to improve safety on the roads. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates traffic safety with cognitive science, making her work influential in both the practical and theoretical aspects of traffic safety. Zhang’s innovations also extend to the design of intelligent traffic systems and road intersections, contributing to the future of urban road safety in smart cities.

Awards & Recognitions 🏅

Xiuwei Zhang has received several prestigious awards and honors during her academic career, including the “Outstanding Graduate of the School Class of 2024” and multiple scholarships, such as the School Second Class Scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year. Her excellence as a volunteer was recognized when she was named the “Outstanding Red Cross Volunteer” of Qingdao West Coast New District in 2018. Zhang’s consistent academic achievements are highlighted by her scholarships across multiple years and her significant contributions as a member of the Auto Traffic College Institute Graduate Student Association. These accolades reflect her dedication to research, teaching, and community service. Zhang’s awards demonstrate her potential as a leader in traffic safety research and behavioral psychology, highlighting her academic excellence and contributions to improving road safety.

Publications 📚

Siamak Khodarahimi | Clinical Psychology | Best Researcher Award

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Prof Dr. Siamak Khodarahimi | Clinical Psychology | Best Researcher Award

Profile

Education

Dr. S. Khodarahimi holds multiple academic degrees in psychology, including a B.A. in Clinical Psychology from Shiraz University, Iran (1987), and an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Meshed Ferdowsi University, Iran (1994), where he achieved a GPA of 18.93. He earned his first PhD in Clinical Psychology from Atlantic International University, USA, in 2005, with a GPA of 3.76. Further advancing his expertise, he completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Psychology at Universiti Sains Malaysia in 2010, receiving an “Excellent” rating. In 2020, he obtained a second PhD in Psychology from Lorestan University, achieving a remarkable GPA of 19.61. His research has focused on various aspects of psychology, including psychotherapy, personality structures, workplace stress, and sleep and dream quality in individuals with anxiety disorders.

Work experience

Dr. S. Khodarahimi has held several academic and administrative positions throughout his career. From 2000 to 2022, he served as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Islamic Azad University, Eghlid Branch. Additionally, between 2000 and 2006, he held the role of Vice President for Research at the same institution and was a member of the Research Council for the First Zone of Islamic Azad University.

His earlier academic roles include serving as a contractual faculty staff member in the Psychology Department at Bavanat Payam Nour University, Fars, Iran (1999–2002), and as a faculty staff member of the Research Group for Behavioral Sciences at the Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research (ACECR), Shiraz (1998–1999). Prior to that, from 1994 to 1997, he was a contractual faculty member in the Psychology Department at Chamran Ahwaz University, Ahwaz, and contributed to the Research Group for Social Psychology at ACECR, Ahwaz.

Dr. Khodarahimi’s leadership experience includes serving as the Dean of the Research Center for Psychological Services in Shiraz, Fars, from 1990 to 1992, highlighting his longstanding commitment to psychological research and education.

Teaching Experience

Dr. S. Khodarahimi has an extensive teaching and training background, spanning multiple universities and covering a wide range of psychology courses.

From 1993 to 1997, at Chamran Ahwaz University, he taught courses such as Mental Health, Personality Theories, Principles of Clinical Psychology, Psychopathology (1), Theories of Psychotherapy, and Introduction to Diagnostic and Therapeutic Methods.

Between 1999 and 2002, at Payam Nour University – Bavanat Center, his teaching portfolio included Psychology of Development (1 & 2), Psychology of Personality, Social Psychology, Experimental Psychology, Individual Research Projects in Psychology, Introduction to Neuropsychology, Abnormal Psychology, Psychology Texts in English (1 & 2), Research Method in Psychology, and Psychology of Work.

From 2000 to 2022, at Islamic Azad University – Eghlid Branch, he instructed courses such as Introduction to Psychology, Educational Psychology, Social Psychology for Nursing, Psychology of Learning, Developmental Psychology (1 & 2), Counseling Methods and Outlines, Child Counseling, Exceptional Psychology, and Introduction to Practical Research.

Dr. Khodarahimi’s diverse teaching experience reflects his expertise in various psychological disciplines, ranging from clinical and developmental psychology to research methodology and neuropsychology.

Research interests

1. Positive Psychology, Mental Health, Cross Cultural, Psychotherap and
Interdiciplinary Reaserch.
2. Investigation in psychosocial interventions and psychopathological issues
among adolescents, youth, adults and women.
3. Research in anxiety disordres, worry, emotions, and high risk behaviors with
focus on psychological interventions at individual and collective levels.

Publication

Crhistiane Andressa da Silva | Chronobiology and Memory | Neurocognitive Breakthrough Award

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Dr. Crhistiane Andressa da Silva | Chronobiology and Memory | Neurocognitive Breakthrough Award

 

Estúdio Amanhecer, Brazil

Profile

Education

She earned her Doctorate in Psychology from the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, Brazil, in 2012, with a Sandwich Doctorate at the Universitat de Barcelona under the supervision of Antoni Díez-Noguera. Her doctoral research, titled SAGUIS (Callithrix jacchus) SOB CICLO CLARO-ESCURO DE 21 H: UM MODELO DE DESSINCRONIZAÇÃO FORÇADA EM PRIMATA DIURNO, was conducted under the guidance of John Fontenele Araujo, with Carolina Virgínia Macedo de Azevedo as a co-advisor. She received a scholarship from the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Brazil.

She completed her Master’s in Pharmacology at UFRN in 2007, with a thesis titled EFEITOS DE VOCALIZAÇÕES DE CO-ESPECÍFICOS E DO ESCURO SOBRE O RITMO CIRCADIANO DA ATIVIDADE MOTORA EM SAGÜIS (Callithrix jacchus), under the supervision of Carolina Virgínia Macêdo de Azevedo. Her research was supported by a CAPES scholarship.

She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from UFRN in 2003, with a thesis titled Perfil Diário do Comportamento de Autocatação Durante Um Ciclo Ovariano em Díades de Saguis (Callithrix jacchus), under the supervision of Carolina Virgínia Macêdo de Azevedo. She received a scholarship from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Brazil.

Work experience

She worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB) from 2014 to 2017 under a full-time and exclusive contract. She then continued her postdoctoral research at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE) from 2017 to 2018 under the same work scheme.

In 2018, she served as a part-time Professor at Faculdade Escritor Osman da Costa Lins (FACOL), where she taught the course Práticas Integrativas Complementares em Saúde for the Physiotherapy program.

Since 2021, she has been the owner and full-time instructor at Estúdio Amanhecer, where she teaches yoga.

Areas of Expertise

She specializes in Public Health within the broader field of Health Sciences, as well as Physiology and General Biology within Biological Sciences. Her expertise also extends to Zoology, with a focus on Animal Behavior.

Scientific, Technological & Academic Production

She has contributed to bibliographic research and publications in her fields of study.

Citations

Her research has been cited in various academic databases:

  • Web of Science: 44 citations across 3 articles (as of June 2, 2024), with an H-index of 3.
  • Google Scholar: 26 citations across 9 articles (as of January 17, 2017).

The citation search included variations of her name: Silva, C.A.; da Silva, C.A.; CA da Silva; CA Silva; C da Silva, Crhistiane Andressa da Silva; Christiane Andressa da Silva; da Silva, Christiane Andressa; da Silva, Crhistiane Andressa

Awards & Recognitions

  • 2023 & 2024: TOP MASTER GOLD award by popular vote, recognized as a distinguished professional in her field in Rio Grande do Norte for her contributions to local development.
  • 2022: Named Best Yoga Teacher of 2022 in Natal and awarded Best of the Year in Natal.
  • 2017: Secured second place in the Banner category on the theme Chronobiology at the IX Symposium of Psychobiology.

Publication