By Jill Pease
Rebecca Pearl, Ph.D., an associate professor in the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions’ department of clinical and health psychology, has been named a 2024 Rising Star by the Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine of Florida, or ASEMFL.
Pearl is among 19 Rising Stars who were recognized at the ASEMFL annual meeting held November 1 in Orlando. Pearl was honored for her work identifying the harms of weight- and health-related stigma and forging new paths to reduce stigma and its adverse effects on health.
Pearl directs the Body Image and Stigma Lab, which investigates appearance- and health-related stigma and associated health outcomes. Her research primarily focuses on weight stigma, with a particular interest in understanding and reducing internalized or self-directed stigma. Her work has been recognized with national awards, including the National Institutes of Health Director’s New Innovator Award and the American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contribution to Psychology. She is also the recipient of the College of Public Health and Health Professions’ Early Career Innovator Award.
“ASEMFL recognizes the importance of new investigators whose work shows great promise in addressing critical issues towards ensuring the growth and success in its mission,” said Angela Laird, the ASEMFL secretary and a Distinguished University Professor at Florida International University, in a news release. “These Rising Stars have made significant contributions to science, engineering and medicine and are on the cusp of consideration for full membership in ASEMFL. Through the Rising Stars program, ASEMFL hopes to engage with mid-career researchers more actively throughout the State of Florida, anticipating that these individuals will provide valuable insight for how to grow the society and ensure its continued relevance for current and future generations.”