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Meet our graduate students and alumni . . .

Danielle Jahn

Clinical Psychology

Danielle Jahn came to Texas Tech University as a graduate student in 2008, after completing a B.S. in psychology and a B.A. in religion at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. She is a doctoral student in clinical psychology, and received her master's degree in psychology from Texas Tech University in the summer of 2011. Her research focuses on preventing suicide in older adults, with a specific interest in how perceptions of being a burden on others contribute to the desire for suicide. Under the mentorship of Dr. Kelly Cukrowicz, Director of the Suicide and Depression Research Clinic at Texas Tech University, she completed a master's thesis entitled, The impact of the nature of relationships on perceived burdensomeness and suicide ideation in a community sample of older adults. She has also published two other scholarly articles with Dr. Cukrowicz and has presented research fifteen times at professional conferences.

Danielle collaborates with researchers at TTU and around the country. She is currently leading a project that involves seven other students from a variety of institutions and examines the availability of graduate training in suicide prevention; this project surveyed department chairs from around the country. She also is working with a researcher from another university on a project looking at the most important moments in the history of suicidology. Additionally, she is working with researchers at the TTU Health Sciences Center and within the TTU Department of Psychology on a variety of research and writing projects.

Danielle has also been active at Texas Tech University and in the Lubbock community, serving as an officer of the Clinical Psychology Graduate Student Council, chairing TTU's events for National Suicide Prevention Week in 2010, and competing in the 2010 TTU Annual Graduate Research Poster Competition. She is a therapist in the Texas Tech Psychology Clinic, a therapist at the Veterans Affairs Lubbock Outpatient Clinic, and conducts assessments for the Lubbock site of the Texas Alzheimer's Research Consortium.

In addition to her work at TTU and in the local community, Danielle is involved in a number of organizations nationally. She serves as the only student member of the Independent Scientific Peer Review Committee for the Military Suicide Research Consortium, and is the only student member of the Task Force for Improving Competency with Mental Health Regarding Suicide Assessment and Treatment. She chairs the American Association of Suicidology's board subcommittee regarding student involvement and also leads the AAS student involvement group. Finally, she is the founder and editor of the AAS Student E-Newsletter. Danielle also volunteers as an online suicide intervention specialist for IMAlive.org, engaging in online chats with people in crisis to reduce their suicide risk.

Danielle has been recognized for her research and suicide prevention efforts. In August of 2011, she received the Student Research Award from the American Psychological Association Division 12, Section VII (Clinical Emergencies and Crises) for her master's thesis. Additionally, she received the Diversity in Psychological Science award from TTU's Department of Psychology for one of her published articles, and placed second in TTU's 9th Annual Graduate Research Poster Competition. She was also an AT&T Chancellor's Fellow during her first three years at TTU, and she has been recognized with a letter of commendation from the Florida Governor's Office for her work in suicide prevention.

After graduating with her Ph.D., Danielle hopes to obtain a job in a university setting where she can continue to focus on suicide prevention through research and collaboration, as well as clinical supervision, professional involvement, and teaching. Her time at Texas Tech University has been invaluable in providing opportunities for Danielle to further her education and research, as well as shaping her passion for the field of suicidology and her desire to continue her work in suicide prevention.