My experiences as a first-generation Latino immigrant and college student have made me aware that identity formation occurs at the crux of development and culture: identity options, trajectories, and outcomes are only meaningful in relation to a cultural setting. What constitutes "normative development" varies widely across different cultures. UCLA's faculty, programs, and support for diversity research have been essential for my development as a researcher in this area.

Oscar Baldelomar
Developmental Psychology

 

Being at UCLA with access to the faculty, students, and other resources on campus, has been invaluable to my research in the relationship between where we live and our mental health.

How are the social, structural, and economic realities of a neighborhood associated with the mental health of residents? What are the mechanisms that explain the relationship between concentrated poverty, neighborhood disorder, other forms of disadvantage, and higher rates of mental illness?

Ayesha Delany-Brumsey
Clinical Psychology

 

There are dozens of different cultures represented, yet this diversity often goes unnoticed. What happens when these rich differences are devalued? My interests in the diversity within groups brought me to UCLA- not just because of the expertise of the faculty, but because of the cultural richness of the campus and the city of Los Angeles.

Natalia Flores
Social Psychology

 

As a Middle Eastern woman from an immigrant Muslim family living in the United States, I often find myself at the intersection of worlds at odds with each other. I realize I cannot truly understand my experiences unless I consider the role of my ethnicity, gender, and my religion, simultaneously. My research, teaching, and community involvement are dedicated to understanding how the intersection of multiple social identities affect us.

Negin Ghavami
Social Psychology

 

As a Chinese and Vietnamese first generation college student, I identify with immigrant and refugee families who face cultural and economic transitions to a new country. Growing up in a white social and educational environment made me aware of people's unfair assumptions about my interests and abilities based solely on my ethnicity. Thus, my research examines the development of minority youth, with a focus on discrimination experiences.

Virginia Huynh
Developmental Psychology

 

I have enjoyed extraordinary support from throughout the university since coming to UCLA last year. My research interests surround the performance of masculinity; particularly as such performances are informed by racial identity.

My current research explores the intersections of race and gender in the help-seeking behaviors of students. I am also interested in the performance of masculinity within organizations, with a particular focus on police departments.

Matthew Jackson
Social Psychology

 

My research examines how a phenomenon known as stereotype threat — the distracting concern that one will be viewed through the lens of a negative stereotype — affects individuals' interest and performance in academic and organizational settings. I also examine various interventions that can protect against different types of stereotype threats. One of the things that I value most about UCLA is that all members of the campus community are invited to engage in dialogues and research focused on diversity-related issues.

Amy Williams
Social Psychology