Faculty

headshot of Leo Wilton

Leo Wilton

Professor

CCPA Human Development

Background

Leo Wilton has research expertise in the areas of health disparities and inequities (HIV and AIDS prevention); Black psychological development and mental health; critical community-based participatory research; and mixed- and multi-methods research. His scholarly research on the HIV epidemic focuses on the intersectionality of race, gender and sexuality, as situated in macro- and micro-level inequities in Black communities, both nationally and internationally.

His research engages the complexities of how socio-structural and–cultural contexts influence people's development and well-being within African and African diaspora communities, with specific implications for addressing social justice and human rights. In this context, the overall objective of his scholarly research program, incorporating an implementation science framework, has been to examine socio-structural and -cultural factors that provide the basis for the development of culturally congruent HIV prevention and care interventions in Black communities.

He is the author of more than 100 academic publications, which have been published in first-tier journals and premier texts in the field. He has served as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Investigator on several National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research studies. He has demonstrated strong leadership in the development of collaborative, multi(in)disciplinary research teams, both nationally and internationally.

Wilton teaches courses on psychology of racism, Black child and adolescent development, Black families, psychology of HIV and AIDS, and research methods.

Wilton had a Postdoctoral research fellowship at New York University and the University of Michigan, Empirical Summer Program in Multi-Ethnic Research. Wilton's Predoctoral clinical psychology fellowship was at Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry (APA accredited program).


Education

  • MA, PhD, New York University
  • MPH, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
  • BA, Binghamton University

Research Interests

  • Health disparities and inequities (HIV and AIDS prevention)
  • Black psychological development and mental health
  • Critical community-based participatory research
  • Mixed- and multi-methods research

Awards

  • Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
  • Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities
  • Provost’s Award for Faculty Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring
  • Michael V. Boyd Educational Opportunity Program Faculty/Staff Recognition Award
  • Binghamton University Exemplary Community Engaged Research Award
  • Binghamton University Council/Foundation Award