Robin Mermelstein

Robin Mermelstein — Photo: Jenny Fontaine

Despite the well-known dangers of tobacco, an estimated 46 million Americans still smoke.

Understanding why young people smoke and what interventions work best to help them kick the habit is the focus of Robin Mermelstein’s research.

A psychologist and health-behavior researcher, Mermelstein studies the progression of smoking behavior from start to quit, the link between adolescent smoking and problem behaviors, and the social and emotional factors that influence smoking behavior.