BSOS Welcomes 2023 Summer Research Initiative Scholars

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences is proud to welcome a talented cohort of scholars and researchers to our community through the Summer Research Initiative (SRI). For 25 years, the SRI has fulfilled its mission to increase the number of underrepresented minorities pursuing graduate degrees in social, behavioral and economic studies.

Since its founding in 1999, a diverse group of scholars travels to College Park annually to partner with respected faculty members and mentors from BSOS and other units across campus to gain laboratory experience, knowledge and skills in an effort to prepare participants for doctoral-level study in their academic fields.

Learn more about the SRI, and RSVP for the upcoming SRI 25th Anniversary Celebration.

2023 SRI Scholars

HelinaHelina Asfaw is a rising senior at UMD majoring in psychology who has an interest in clinical psychology. Her research interests include minority stress and its psychological impact on minority populations. Additionally, Helina is interested in the role intersectionality plays in these stressors. Her most recent project involved researching the relationship between a lack of parental support and risk-taking behavior.

Helina hopes that her experience with the Summer Research Initiative will equip her with the knowledge and research skills necessary to earn a master’s and doctoral degree. Her goal is to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and conduct research on possible solutions to minority stress.

During the SRI, Helina will be mentored by Dr. Ethan Mereish in the Department of Psychology. 

JensonJenson Castillo is a senior at UMD double-majoring in sociology and geographic information systems (GIS). Jenson has worked on various GIS class projects as an undergraduate, including: analysis of temporal raster images of the Amazon; the school-to-prison ratio in Maryland and related implications; and how implementation of artificial intelligence in traffic systems can help reduce carbon emissions.

Jenson looks forward to working with his mentor and developing key research skills during the SRI. He hopes that this experience will prepare and help him transition into graduate school where he would like to pursue a master’s and doctoral degree.

Jenson will be mentored by Dr. Matthew Hansen in the Department of Geographical Sciences.

MyiaMyia Elum is a senior at UMD. She is completing her B.A. as an individual studies major with areas of interest in music, Black rhetoric, African American studies, and communication. Myia’s SRI placement is in the 1856 Project Track. This placement intersects with her senior capstone project that focuses on African Americans' past, present, and future liberation.

She hopes participation in the SRI will lay the foundation for a critical analysis of American history which will reveal the untold stories of Black life in America. Myia’s future goals include educating people about the injustices of society, especially in Black America, through music as an artist and an activist for Black liberation. Myia intends to explore a career in music with a heavy focus on lyricism and song production in the hip-hop, rhythm, and blues genres.

During the SRI, Myia will be mentored by Lae’l Hughes-Watkins (Universities Libraries), Douglas McElrath (University Libraries), Dr. Barnet Pavao-Zuckerman (Anthropology) and Dr. Christopher Bonner (History). 

ChanelChanel Hamilton is a rising senior at Bowie State University (BSU) majoring in psychology. She is interested in developmental disorders such as ADHD and autism spectrum disorder, specifically in underrepresented communities. She believes in prioritizing early diagnosis and lifetime support to ensure these disorders are not disproportionately affecting different demographics of race and gender. In the past, she has volunteered at the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Trauma Resuscitation Unit.

Chanel is interested in research which not only helps the scientific community, but research which also leaves a lasting beneficial impact for those involved. Her goal for the summer is to learn from the faculty and mentors around her to enrich her journey as an aspiring clinician. In the future, she plans to earn her master’s degree and a possible doctoral degree in clinical psychology.

Chanel will be placed in the Social Justice Alliance Track of the SRI and she will be mentored by Dr. Rashawn Ray (Sociology), Dr. Ayanna Lynch (BSU Psychology) and Dr. Jeanette Snider (Sociology).

JaimynJaimyn Johnson, originally from New Orleans, is a rising senior at Spelman College majoring in psychology. Her primary research interests include the complexities of developmental and intellectual disabilities in children and adolescents, mental health challenges and disparities in college-aged Black women, and cognitive development amongst all humans.

One of Jaimyn’s recent research projects explored the interrelationship between job satisfaction, depression, and general health. She hopes her experience within the SRI will strengthen her research skills and abilities to prepare her for graduate school. After graduation, Jaimyn plans to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical or developmental psychology. Jaimyn also intends to develop beneficial programs, deliver therapy to those negatively affected by her areas of interest, and return to academia as a professor and researcher.

Jaimyn will be mentored by Dr. Fanita Tyrell in the Department of Psychology.

JanaeJanae McDowell is a junior psychology major in the research track at Morgan State University (MSU) and a proud native of Rochester, New York. She serves as executive director of the NAACP chapter at MSU. She is also a member of the National Council of Negro Women as well as EVOLVE (Elevating Voices of Leadership Virtue and Excellence,) where she has the pleasure to learn from and grow within a sisterhood. Janae is also a scholar in the NIH-funded ASCEND program (A Student-Centered, Entrepreneurship Development Training Model), in which she plans to study health disparities in the African American community. Through ASCEND, Janae has been exposed to the possibilities of research and its importance.

Janae is researching the access to quality healthcare for individuals with Down Syndrome and the existing attitudes and knowledge surrounding this intellectual disability for racial minorities. Janae plans to attend graduate school to obtain her master’s degree and eventually, a doctoral degree in occupational therapy.

Janae will be mentored by Dr. Heather Yarger in the Department of Psychology.

BrookeBrooke Mengistu, who hails from Gaithersburg, Md., is a second-year student at UMD. She is a sociology major and a Black women’s studies minor on the pre-med track. She’s excited by the opportunity to work with faculty at UMD to further explore the extent to which she can contribute to making a difference in her local, university, and state communities.

Brooke has a special interest in developing an understanding of marginalized communities and how our greater society can be altered to form a better world for all. She hopes the SRI will prepare her for graduate school; she hopes to eventually earn an M.D.

Brooke will be placed in the Social Justice Alliance Track of the SRI, and she will be mentored by Dr. Rashawn Ray (Sociology), Dr. Ayanna Lynch (BSU Psychology) and Dr. Jeanette Snider (Sociology).

NicoleNicole Noguera is a junior attending UMD. She is a double major studying criminal justice and psychology. Her research interests include rehabilitation and reintegration, justice reform, community-oriented policing, and victimization risk. Nicole has worked on research aimed at creating a hate crime hotline to connect victims to necessary legal services and support.

Nicole plans to pursue a master’s in criminology and criminal justice at UMD and is looking forward to gaining valuable research skills through the Summer Research Initiative. Her goal is to help bridge the gap between the legal system and underrepresented neighborhoods, advocating for the rights of marginalized communities.

Nicole will be mentored by Dr. Maria Vélez in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

AlejandraAlejandra Quiñones is a senior at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras. She is a political science major with a double emphasis on international relations and comparative politics. Her primary research interests are political violence such as coups, political repression, and political psychology. Alejandra’s research leads her to the intersection of political science and history.

She has previously worked as a data analyst in a joint project between the University of Puerto Rico and the University of Michigan. Alejandra’s career goal is to attend graduate school and earn a Ph.D. in political science with a double major in international relations and comparative politics. In addition to attending graduate school, Alejandra plans to become a researcher on political violence.

Alejandra will be mentored by Dr. William Reed in the Department of Government and Politics.

NataliaNatalia Reyes is a rising senior at UMD. She is an economics major with a minor in sustainability studies. Natalia is an honors student in the Honors Humanities program. Her research interests include comparative economic institutions, development economics, and international political relations. Natalia is working on a research project using cultural analysis to explain cross-country differences in COVID-19 prevention.

She is a member of IGNITE, a nonpartisan national organization that aims to empower women as leaders in government and politics through professional development efforts, community service, and policy workshops. Natalia ultimately seeks to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree in public policy or economics with the hope of conducting policy research and analysis.

During the SRI, Natalia will be mentored by Dr. Peter Murrell in the Department of Economics. 

RichardRichard Sellers is a rising senior at Hampton University. Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, Richard is a psychology major interested in pursuing his doctoral degree in sports psychology or clinical psychology. He was awarded the Paul Robeson Award for Versatility Achievement by the Iota Upsilon Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. for both 2016-17 and 2017-18. In 2017, he received the NAACP African American Academic Excellence Award.

Richard’s research interests include studying the relationship between anxiety and sports. He is drawn to this research because he is a former athlete and has experienced, first-hand, the stress that athletes experience, especially while in school. However, Richard is also interested in clinical psychology and in particular, research related to depression and ADHD. He is also interested in “how therapy can help make a difference in couples, communities and especially people’s lives.” This will be Richard’s first formal research experience as an undergraduate.

Richard will be mentored by Dr. Kris Marsh in the Department of Sociology, who is beginning an examination of golfers in the African American community.

MarlinMarlin Stewart attends Bowie State University at which he is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in general history. Marlin’s SRI placement is in the1856 Project Track. Marlin says his course  work and internship experiences have increased his interest in studying African American history. Recently, Marlin interned for the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission’s (MNCPPC) Black History Program. Marlin worked at the Ridgeley Rosenwald School site in Capitol Heights, Maryland. There, he conducted an oral history project related to the education of African Americans in Prince George’s County. This project helped to expand his interest in the education of Black Prince Georgians after emancipation. Marlin’s own family is linked to the education of Black children in Prince George’s County. One of his ancestors taught and served as a principal at the Mount Nebo Colored School in the late 19th and early 20th century. Marlin says the Summer Research Initiative will help prepare him for graduate school as he seeks to further his education in order to continue the important work of documenting and preserving history.

Marlin will be mentored by Lae’l Hughes-Watkins (Universities Libraries), Douglas McElrath (University Libraries), Dr. Barnet Pavao-Zuckerman (Anthropology), and Dr. Christopher Bonner (History).

FranceFrance Tomgambo-Kaye is a junior attending the University of Miami as a Foote Fellows Honors Student and a Singer Scholar. She is majoring in global health studies on the pre-medical track. She is also working towards minors in chemistry, Spanish, and international studies. Her research interests include the studies of health disparities, social determinants of health, sustainability, and analyzing the spread of disease and emergence of pandemics and epidemics among different populations. As a Cameroonian-American woman, France aims to focus on the disparities that lie within Black or minority populations around the world in order to bridge the gaps between Western and non-Western health practices. She plans to pursue a joint M.D. and M.P.H. or Ph.D. in her fields of interest. In the future, she hopes to work as a global health practitioner with an overall goal of improving health outcomes all around the world.

France hopes that her experience in the SRI will open her up to more knowledge about doctoral programs. She is also excited to gain more exposure to research and to dive deeper into population research which will continue to guide her through her future work. F

France will be mentored by Dr. Sangeetha Madhavan in the Department of African American Studies and Dr. Kirsten Stoebenau in the School of Public Health. 

AveryAvery Vess is a rising senior at UMD majoring in hearing and speech sciences (HESP). Her research focuses on how domain-general cognitive mechanisms impact language processing. She is a research assistant for the Cognition and Language Processing Lab and a member of the HESP Honors program. Avery is also the HESP representative for the BSOS Dean’s Student Advisory Council. Previously, she was an intern at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, researching the molecular underpinnings of the obesity link to the N221D polymorphism.

Avery hopes to pursue a clinical degree as well as a Ph.D. so she can conduct research that informs future clinical practices in the field of communication science and disorders.

During the SRI, Avery will be mentored by Dr. Jared Novick in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences and Kelly Marshall, a graduate student in the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program.

 

Published on Wed, Jun 7, 2023 - 11:14AM