Meet the ISTN-3 Grads: Mel McDonald
Mel McDonald (they/them) is a dual MSW/PhD candidate in Social Work at Ohio State University, and was also part of the third cohort of the International Student Training Network (ISTN). We spoke with Mel about their research, their experiences in the ISTN, and the insights they’ll carry into their future work.
Where and what are you currently studying?
I’m pursuing a dual MSW/PhD in Social Work at Ohio State University, where my research focuses on developing interventions for LGBTQ+ communities. Initially, I started with therapeutic approaches, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), as a foundation. As more research comes out using CBT with LGBTQ+ youth and transitional age youth (like with Dr. Shelley Craig’s work on the AFFIRM project) I’ve delved into evidence-based practices with youth, which further shaped my focus. Over time, I’ve become increasingly interested in trauma interventions, like cognitive processing therapy, and how to make them more effective for LGBTQ+ individuals. I’ve also been exploring interventions within schools, particularly those targeting bullying, for example with school counsellors who work with LGBTQ+ students experiencing bullying.
Where did your interest in doing research with LGBTQ+ populations begin?
My drive stems from my personal experiences. I don’t want younger generations to face what I did growing up. My focus on creating mental health and anti-bullying interventions in schools is to help protect and support LGBTQ+ youth, in hopes of leaving my community better than I found it.
Where does the current context of public discourse about queer and trans people—especially trans youth—fit into your research? And what’s that like for you, as a queer researcher?
Living and working in Ohio, I’ve seen the pervasive anti-trans sentiment. For example, during my first spring at Ohio State, there were efforts in my county’s school board to ban trans athletes, as well as to out gender diverse students who might use a different name or pronouns.
I did a scoping review that found this as a prevalent theme with bullying (in-person and online)—the atmosphere in schools has changed. When I was a kid in the south, it used to be that if you didn’t talk about queerness or transness, it was usually fine, and it just wouldn’t be talked about. Now, if someone finds out, it can put a student in extreme danger in school these days. You never know what’s going to happen. It’s an unfortunate circumstance which I believe is motivated by what our politicians are brazenly saying. It has really put a lot of people at risk, especially our youth.
How has your experience in the ISTN impacted your scholarship and research?
The ISTN was a fantastic experience! I loved connecting with people from around the world who share similar goals and interests. Building friendships and a network of like-minded researchers has been phenomenal. I thoroughly enjoyed all the seminars where different folks came in to talk to us about what they were doing, and these sessions gave me some ideas for my research. For instance, many of my thoughts on shifting to trauma interventions were shaped by what I learned during ISTN sessions.
What are some key takeaways from ISTN that you will take into your future work?
The biggest takeaway for me is the importance of network-building. Another big takeaway is the many different ways a researcher can use online formats for research in addition to in-person tactics.
I will also take away the importance of being flexible and learning how to work in multidisciplinary ways. Being able to connect with so many different people from so many backgrounds, with similar goals and interests, has been a lot of fun, and I really want to continue to take that into my practice in the future. I also want to continue to build a strong support system within research, especially for queer-focused research.
