My research looks at mood, anxiety, and self-harm in minority and marginalized populations. I am interested in how the unique sociocultural experiences of these groups impact the manifestation and course of psychopathology. I am also interested in testing the assumption that psychopathology and psychotherapy operate similarly across groups.

Jordan A. Coello
Clinical Psychology

 

Interested in how social context contributes to perceptions of stereotype's acceptability, I feel incredibly lucky to be pursuing my doctorate degree at UCLA. As a finalist for the Research Initiative for Diversity and Equity, I am currently focusing on the intersection of race and class among college students. In particular, I want to know how stereotypes about class influence students' sense of belonging and academic performance. In a separate, but related line of work, I am also focusing on how confronting behavior can increase gender parity in fields traditionally dominated by men.

Brianna Goodale
Social Psychology

 

My work broadly examines the experiences of underrepresented groups, including women in men-dominated fields and college students from low-socioeconomic status backgrounds. I focus on how social and environmental cues can affect feelings of belonging and identity fit, particularly when members of underrepresented groups are interacting with majority group members. UCLA is a great place to study diversity issues because of the faculty's expertise in this area and the rigorous scientific research that is conducted here.

H. Wenwen Ni
Social Psychology

 

Ever since beginning my study at UCLA, I have experienced a tremendous amount of support. The richness of the diverse student body has been instrumental for the exploration of important psychological questions. Although subtly noticeable, our cultural background shapes the way we view ourselves and our relationships with others. This view has a tremendous impact on what we do, and how we socialize. I study how we express and control the expression of our emotions based on these cultural self-views. In addition, I examine how these emotional processes predispose or protect us from psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety.

Michael Sun
Clinical Psychology

 

My research focuses on first-generation college, low-income and Latino student populations. I utilize various methodologies to investigate factors that contribute to the academic achievement and well-being of these populations and design interventions that help promote their resilience. One of the things I value the most about UCLA is that it is the epicenter for research that focuses on diverse populations. This has created several opportunities for my peers and I to have conversations that relate to cultural context both in and outside of the classroom.

Yolanda Vasquez-Salgado
Developmental Psychology