Since joining Syracuse University, Emily P. Rabinowitz has helped launch a national survey of veterans, expanded research partnerships with the Syracuse VA Medical Center, and created new opportunities for students to study veteran health.
Rabinowitz received the 2026 Vice President for Research Postdoctoral Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Work, one of Syracuse University’s highest honors for postdoctoral scholars. She was recognized by Vice President for Research Duncan Brown at the University’s annual Postdoc Appreciation Dinner on Sept. 25.
Rabinowitz is a postdoctoral researcher jointly appointed in the Center for Health Behavior Research & Innovation (CHB) and the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF). Her research examines how trauma, chronic pain, substance use and mental health intersect, with particular attention to women veterans and the lasting effects of deployment-related injuries.
At Syracuse, Rabinowitz has published first-author studies examining post-traumatic stress and alcohol use among women veterans and the relationship between chronic pain and depression. Additional work on tobacco use among veterans is under review.
Her contributions also extend beyond individual studies. As co-principal investigator and operational lead for the Veterans Health Survey, Rabinowitz helped recruit more than 600 veterans for a project designed to support multiple publications, student research projects and future grant applications. She also secured access to the Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers, known as Army STARRS, for an independent study of deployment-related traumatic injury and psychological distress.
In nominating her for the award, Joseph W. Ditre, professor of psychology and CHB director, cited the breadth of her contributions. “She has advanced important science, built durable research infrastructure, strengthened VA collaboration, and created meaningful opportunities for students.”
Rabinowitz works closely with Ditre and Ken Marfilius, CHB associate director, to expand veteran-focused research, education and training across the University. Their work connects CHB’s behavioral health expertise with IVMF’s national focus on veterans and military families, as well as the clinical and research resources of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
At the Syracuse VA Medical Center, Rabinowitz holds Without Compensation status and serves as an interventionist on the MINDSET clinical trial. The study is testing a brief, remotely delivered motivational intervention to help veterans with cardiovascular disease or diabetes manage their health. Her role places her at the point where behavioral science meets veteran care, while creating stronger working relationships among Syracuse faculty, students, VA clinicians and investigators.
Rabinowitz has also made student mentorship a central part of her work. Working with Ditre and Marfilius, she helped develop the Syracuse University Veteran and Military Learning Scholars Program and its intensive summer program. She has mentored approximately 10 undergraduates, two graduate students, several research coordinators and three student veterans. Students have contributed to active research projects and presented their work at academic conferences.
Her work has already received recognition beyond Syracuse. Rabinowitz received the 2026 Society for Health Psychology Postdoctoral Clinical Award and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science Early Career Mentorship Award.
The University award recognizes the breadth of Rabinowitz’s early impact. During her time at Syracuse, she has moved veteran health research forward through published scholarship, large-scale data collection, VA clinical research and hands-on student mentorship. Her work offers a strong example of how cross-campus collaboration can produce research with direct relevance for veterans and the professionals who serve them.