Dr. Alessi’s research aims to improve understanding of stress and trauma among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) populations and enhance clinical practice with LGBTQ and other marginalized populations. In June 2017, he was named Rutgers Chancellor’s Scholar, an award created to support faculty excellence at the Associate Professor level. His research has been published in journals such as Journal of Traumatic Stress, Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, Psychotherapy, and Psychotherapy Research. Dr. Alessi’s current projects examine how stress and trauma shape the integration experiences of LGBTQ asylum seekers and refugees in the United States, Canada, and Europe. He served as guest editor for the Clinical Social Work Journal’s first special issue on Clinical Practice with LGBTQ Populations. Dr. Alessi has also been recognized for his teaching. He was awarded the Rutgers University Presidential Fellowship for Teaching Excellence in 2017. In addition, he received the Outstanding Professor of the Year Award four years in a row (2013-16). A clinical social worker since 2001, he has worked primarily in outpatient mental health and has been an independent practitioner since 2004.