August Wei

August Wei is a second year Ph.D. student in the Human Development and Family Sciences program at the University of Delaware. He conducts developmental research focused on the roles of family and community support for LGBTQ+, especially trans populations. Specifically, he is interested in how Asian-American trans individuals navigate the interplay of their dual ethnic and gender identities. After receiving his B.S. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he completed a post-baccalaureate fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health, where he studied the implementation of suicide risk screening programs.

Recent Publications

• Wei, A.X., Mournet, A.M., Ryan, P.C., Bridge, J.A., Pao, M., Horowitz, L.M. (2025). Suicide Risk and Social Connectedness in Cisgender and Transgender Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer/Questioning Youth in the Emergency Department. Journal of Adolescent Health. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.11.241
• Wei, A., Skolnik, A., Mulkern, P., Price, M. (2025). Gender Identity. SAGE International Encyclopedia of Politics and Gender. Preprint
• Mulkern, P., Wei, A., & Price, M. (2024). Best Practices For Supporting Transgender Youth In Schools. Encyclopedia of Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.1657
• Layland, E. K., Wei, A. X., Maurer, N. M., Brittingham, R., & Bachman, R. (2025). Mental health and substance use disparities by sexual orientation and gender identity among Delaware youth. Delaware Journal of Public Health, 11(2), 26-35. https://djph.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/djph-112-08.pdf

Recent Presentations

• Wei, A. X., Seager van Dyk, I., & Layland, E. K. (2025, May). Timing and pacing of gender identity self-affirmation milestones and associations with positive parental messaging. In E. K. Layland (Chair), Promoting positive LGBTQ+ adolescent development: Understanding psychosocial correlates of sexual and gender identity developmental milestones. Oral presentation at the Society for Research on Child Development 2025 Biennial Meeting. Minneapolis, MN.
• Wei, A. X., Seager van Dyk, I., & Layland, E. K. (2025, March). Queer Joy as Resistance: Reframing Transgender and Narratives. Oral presentation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality Graduate Student Conference. Boston, Massachusetts.
• Wei, A.X., Mournet, A.M., Bridge, J.A., Pao, M., Horowitz, L.M. (2023, April). The association between recency of suicide attempt/ideation and reattempt in pediatric emergency department patients. Oral abstract presented at annual Pediatric Academic Societies conference, Washington, DC. Abstract Slides
• Wei, A.X., Mournet, A.M., Ryan, P.C., Bridge, J.A., Pao, M., Horowitz, L.M. (2023, April). Suicide risk and family and peer support levels among LGBTQ+ pediatric emergency department patients. Oral abstract presented at annual Pediatric Academic Societies conference, Washington, DC. Abstract Slides

Professional Experiences

• Housing Initiative Program Case Manager (2023-2024), Bethesda Cares, Bethesda, MD
• Intramural Research Training Award Fellow (2022-2023), Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD
• Psychological Assessment Support Specialist (2021-2022), Lepage Associates, Durham, NC
• Research Assistant (2020-2022), Department of Psychology, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
• Service-Learning Intern (2021), Carolina Center for Public Service, Chapel Hill, NC

Honors and Awards

• Dean’s Scholar Award, University of Delaware, 2024
• Karen M. Gil Psychology Cohort Member, UNC Chapel Hill, 2021

Past Education

• B.S. Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2021