Patrick Wilson, PhD

Patrick Wilson is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and the Director of the SPHERE (Society, Psychology, and Health Research) Lab at Columbia University.  

Dr. Wilson earned his PhD in community psychology from New York University and completed an NIMH Postdoctoral Fellowship at Yale University.  In addition to teaching at the Mailman School of Public Health, Dr. Wilson specializes in exploring the psychological, social, and cultural contexts that shape individual and community-level health outcomes.  He conducts his work with the overall goal of improving the lives of those who are disproportionally affected by HIV and other health disparities.  

Dr. Wilson’s recent work includes examining institutional and community responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, designing and testing culturally appropriate behavior change interventions, developing novel technology-based methods for investigating health behaviors, and increasing cultural relevance in HIV/AIDS research.  Specific topics of interest also include trauma, stigma and discrimination, religion, engagement in care, and personal factors including self-efficacy and empowerment.  Dr. Wilson holds membership in several research centers and networks within and outside of Columbia University and conducts national and local studies that involve the participation of a diverse set of collaborators and community members.  His research is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.