Trained in social epidemiology and global health at Harvard University, her research focuses on the health impacts of relationship violence and sexual assault among marginalized adolescents and young adults, including system-based youth and sexual and gender minority populations. She is Principal Investigator on a NICHD-funded mixed methods study to understand the contexts of sexual minority women's abusive relationships and Co-Investigator on a NIAAA-funded cluster randomized controlled trial in 30 college health centers evaluating a brief clinical intervention addressing alcohol and sexual assault. Dr. McCauley serves on the Board of Trustees at St. Lawrence University (Canton, NY).