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Laura Grafe, associate professor of psychology, passed away on May 5, 2025.

Grafe was born on Nov. 20, 1985, to John and Cecile Felgendreger in Red Bank, New Jersey, and was the youngest of three sisters. She earned her B.S. in physiology and neurobiology as well as a B.S. in psychology from the University of Maryland in 2008, and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013. She was a postdoctoral fellow with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

“This is a tremendous loss to the department, to our students, and to the ��Ӱֱ�� community as a whole,” Tim Harte, professor of Russian and then-provost wrote in an email to the campus community on �Ұ����ڱ�’s passing. “Laura was a brilliant scholar, an outstanding teacher, and a dedicated student advisor and mentor. She will be sorely missed.”

Grafe joined the ��Ӱֱ�� faculty in 2018 and was one of the founding faculty of the Bi-Co Neuroscience major. �Ұ����ڱ�’s research focused on how stress affects the brain and how this effect of stress may lead to behavioral phenotypes relevant to mental health. She advanced the understanding of sex differences in hormones, stress, and sleep, all the while contributing to a neuroscience knowledge base that promoted women’s well-being. 

She spearheaded a study highlighted in a Time magazine article about ambient stress with her colleagues Associate Professor of Psychology Laurel Peterson and post-doctoral fellow Andrew Gargiulo. The 2021 study on stress, coping, resilience, and sleep during the pandemic explored how humans have evolved to cope with short-term stressors, but not constant stress. She was a recent recipient of a prestigious National Institute of Mental Health to conduct research on the role of sex hormones in stress processing and mentor students in sophisticated neuroscience methodology.

“Professor Grafe's teaching philosophy epitomized intellectual curiosity, personal integrity, and resilience,” says Varuna Jasodanand ’20. “She embodied ��Ӱֱ��'s commitment to equity and inclusion, fostering a learning environment where students from all backgrounds could thrive. Her intelligence, strength, and unwavering belief in her students' abilities made her an invaluable asset to the ��Ӱֱ�� community. I can safely say that I would not have achieved my goal of pursuing a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience at Boston University without her. As an international, first-generation student, and as a woman in STEM, I could not have asked for a better mentor than Dr. Grafe. She may not realize the profound impact she had on me, and that speaks volumes about her humility and natural inclination to help her students. She had a transformative impact on my life.”

Before her post-tenure research leave during the 2024–2025 academic year, Grafe taught multiple courses including classes on behavioral psychology, introduction to psychology, and stress neuroscience. She built a legacy in her short time at ��Ӱֱ��, creating opportunities for so many students to study and research neuroscience. 

“Returning to campus this fall without Laura is heartbreaking for so many in our community,” Peterson says. “Our brilliant professor, colleague, friend … is gone. From the moment Laura arrived at ��Ӱֱ��, she dazzled us with her intellect, dynamic teaching, dedication to bold scholarship, and her intrinsic commitment to students. Laura had so many gifts and she chose us, this community, to share them with. She built a tremendous legacy in such a short time—creating the opportunity for so many students to study and research neuroscience. We grieve for her and her family and dedicate ourselves to honoring her legacy.”

Grafe is remembered as dynamic, engaged, kind, and accepting. She is survived by her husband, Corey, and two children.  

�Ұ����ڱ�’s colleagues have set up an online memorial book for contributions at .