Stony Brook University's Distinguished Teaching Professor Marci Lobel has been awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Award for the 2025-2026 academic year. This honor, bestowed by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, recognizes her work in stress and coping, particularly concerning reproductive health.
Professor Lobel's research highlights the detrimental effects of stress on pregnant women and their children. Her upcoming role at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic will involve researching stress among pregnant Czech women and teaching a course on women's health psychology.
Joanne Davila, chair of Stony Brook's Department of Psychology, praised Lobel's achievement: “We’re thrilled that Dr. Lobel has received this award. She’s so well deserving of it.”
Lobel emphasizes understanding women's unique health experiences and differences between genders in disease symptoms and outcomes. Her research indicates that high stress during pregnancy can lead to low birthweight and preterm births, impacting long-term health.
“Our research... confirms that high stress during pregnancy increases risk for low birthweight and preterm birth,” said Lobel. She aims to address these issues through her work at Masaryk University.
David Wrobel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Stony Brook, congratulated Lobel: “The prestigious Fulbright program is a fantastic opportunity for Professor Lobel to continue the important work she is doing.”
Lobel directs the Stress and Reproduction Laboratory (STAR Lab), focusing on public health issues like racial disparities in birth outcomes and pandemic-related prenatal stress. With over 300 scientific articles to her name, she also engages in international collaborations.
Fulbright Distinguished Scholar awards are considered highly prestigious within the program, honoring scholars with significant experience who foster mutual understanding through their work.