Three Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare (SSW) PhD students had their research featured at the second-annual BRIDGES Conference on February 19.
Epiphany Adams, Courtney Kidd, and Xiao Liang were among the 90-plus research poster presenters. More than 40 Stony Brook University (SBU) academic departments were represented at the event, which was organized by the SBU Graduate Arts & Sciences Magazine (GradMag) and held in the Student Activities Center.
An inspiring, interdisciplinary experience
“This was my second year attending BRIDGES, and I think the conference really speaks to the culture of SBU and how students want to come together in their work,” said Kidd, who presented her poster, titled “How Does That Make You Feel?: A.I. Simulation Training in Social Work Practice - a Pilot Study.”
“As someone whose research is interdisciplinary, it is a great way to meet students from different areas who could be future collaborators,” Kidd added.
Liang also presented at BRIDGES for the second straight year. Her poster focused on how adolescent cigarette use is associated with different stages of suicidal behavior.
“The conference was a great opportunity for me to share my research and exchange ideas with scholars from different disciplines,” Liang said, echoing Kidd’s sentiment. “This conference encourages me to think about how research can support more effective prevention strategies for adolescent mental health risks.”
Adams’ research centered on the importance of cultural and diversity centers and their vital role in supporting the well-being of marginalized students on college campuses. It examined how these spaces shape students' sense of belonging and their experiences of loneliness.
“It was inspiring to see all the different research that people were doing on their own or with a team,” said Adams of her experience.
“It was thought-provoking and left me speechless,” she added. “After the conference, I began thinking about how to make my research more rigorous, deep, and unique. I want to do this again and come back stronger with a more cohesive, interdisciplinary approach.”
Highlight the strength of Stony Brook
BRIDGES: A Cross-Departmental Graduate Student Conference connects research, creativity, and innovation at SBU. Established in 2025 as Stony Brook’s first graduate-only conference, BRIDGES seeks to highlight the strength of graduate research and collaboration across the institution.
This year, the conference also featured live musical performances, art exhibitions, student film screenings, interdisciplinary seminars, and more.
SSW Associate Professor R. Anna Hayward, PhD, MSW, served as a poster presentation judge.
