Ms. Mickela Heilicher | Psychology | Best Researcher Award
University of Wisconsin, Madison | United States
Ms. Mickela Heilicher is an emerging scholar and community-engaged researcher whose work integrates psychology, neuroscience, and social justice. She has dedicated her academic career to exploring the complex intersections of incarceration, trauma, and mental health. Through her research, she has not only contributed significantly to the scientific understanding of mental health challenges faced by incarcerated populations but has also emphasized the importance of participatory and humanizing approaches in scientific inquiry. Her scholarship reflects both innovation and compassion, seeking to bring evidence-based practices into contexts where they can generate meaningful social change.
Professional Profile
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Education
Ms. Mickela Heilicher began her academic journey with a foundation in psychology and neuroscience, where she developed a strong interest in understanding human behavior through both biological and social lenses. She continued her education at the graduate level, earning a Master’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in mental health and incarceration, and expanded her training through a graduate certificate in community-engaged scholarship. Currently, she is pursuing doctoral studies in Psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where her research focuses on mental health interventions in carceral environments. Throughout her education, she has been guided by leading mentors and has cultivated expertise in community-based and interdisciplinary research methods.
Experience
Ms. Mickela Heilicher’s professional journey reflects a blend of academic research, applied work, and collaborative engagement with communities. She has held roles as a research specialist and graduate researcher in laboratories studying trauma, neuroimaging, and mental health within incarcerated populations. Her contributions include designing and implementing clinical trials that explore the feasibility of trauma-focused therapy in prison settings, leading qualitative studies that center the voices of formerly incarcerated individuals, and developing peer-support programs for re-entry. She has also created research toolkits and reports that guide the integration of mental health services into correctional systems. In addition to research, Mickela Heilicher has taught and mentored undergraduate and graduate students, fostering the next generation of scholars in psychology and community-engaged work.
Research Interest
Her primary research interests lie at the intersection of incarceration, trauma, and community engagement. She is deeply invested in examining how trauma impacts mental health outcomes among justice-involved populations and how evidence-based interventions can be adapted to meet the needs of incarcerated individuals. A significant aspect of her work involves challenging the use of stigmatizing language in academic literature and replacing it with humanizing terms that respect the dignity of individuals impacted by incarceration. She is also committed to exploring participatory models of research that empower communities to shape the design and implementation of studies, thereby ensuring that research outcomes are relevant, accessible, and sustainable.
Awards
Ms. Mickela Heilicher’s dedication to research excellence and community engagement has been recognized through academic travel awards, scholarships, and multiple nominations for excellence in engaged scholarship. Her recognition stems not only from her strong publication record but also from her ability to bridge academic knowledge with real-world application. These awards reflect her growing reputation as a leader in psychology and forensic science research, and her ability to design impactful studies that contribute to both scientific progress and societal well-being.
Publications
Ms. Mickela Heilicher has co-authored numerous articles published in internationally recognized journals. Her work spans topics including stigma in the criminal legal system, neuroimaging of trauma and psychopathy, the reliability of fMRI research methods, and the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions in prison populations. Her publications include:
Title: How reliable are amygdala findings in psychopathy? A systematic review of MRI studies
Journal: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
Published on: 2022
Citation: 55
Title: Functional imaging correlates of childhood trauma: A qualitative review of past research and emerging trends
Journal: Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior
Published on: 2021
Citation: 26
Title: The influence of FAAH genetic variation on physiological, cognitive, and neural signatures of fear acquisition and extinction learning in women with PTSD
Journal: NeuroImage: Clinical
Published on: 2022
Citation: 25
Title: Large-scale neural network computations and multivariate representations during approach-avoidance conflict decision-making
Journal: NeuroImage
Published on: 2022
Citation: 17
Title: Aerobic exercise after extinction learning reduces return of fear and enhances memory of items encoded during extinction learning
Journal: Mental Health and Physical Activity
Published on: 2023
Citation: 14
Title: Test-retest reliability of fMRI during an emotion processing task: investigating the impact of analytical approaches on ICC values
Journal: Frontiers in Neuroimaging
Published on: 2022
Citation: 11
Title: Decision-making for concurrent reward and threat is differentially modulated by trauma exposure and PTSD symptom severity
Journal: Behaviour Research and Therapy
Published on: 2023
Citation: 10
Conclusion
Ms. Mickela Heilicher exemplifies the qualities of a researcher who combines academic excellence with social responsibility. Her work has expanded scientific knowledge of trauma, incarceration, and mental health while simultaneously advocating for more inclusive and respectful approaches to research. By integrating lived experiences into study design, publishing impactful findings, and developing practical interventions for correctional settings, she demonstrates a rare ability to transform research into meaningful practice. Her nomination for the Best Researcher Award highlights her as a scholar whose contributions extend beyond academia, fostering both innovation and humanity in forensic and psychological sciences.
