BSOS Welcomes 2024 Summer Research Initiative Scholars
The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences proudly welcomes the 2024 Summer Research Initiative (SRI) cohort to campus. The 8-week, intensive program is designed to encourage and enhance the diversity of scholars working in social and behavioral science, practice, teaching, and policy fields.
The 2024 SRI scholars and their mentors were honored at a special reception on June 3 in McKeldin Library, featuring remarks by Director Kim Nickerson.
Meet the 2024 SRI Scholars
Maria Benito Correa is a rising senior at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is an economics major with a research interest in agricultural economics. She is from St. Paul, Minnesota and is a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon and a Wallin Scholar. Maria is particularly interested in greenhouse gas emission mitigation, water conservation, and gender parity in agriculture around the world. She hopes to pursue a graduate degree in agricultural economics to do research at a nonprofit organization. Maria will be mentored by Dr. Judith Hellerstein in the Department of Economics.
Bethany Bonney (she/her) is a rising senior psychology major at Bowie State University. Her research interests include chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), brain injuries, and autism. Her ultimate goal is to publish a research study discussing the various differences in autism in Black women and cultural differences that may be the cause of misdiagnosed and late-diagnosed Black individuals. Bethany is a disability advocate and the president of the Delta Alpha Pi honor society. Bethany will intern with the Social Justice Alliance Track, where she will be mentored by Dr. Melissa Duchene-Kelly (BSU Psychology), Dr. Rashawn Ray (UMD Sociology), and Dr. Jeanette Snider (UMD Sociology).
Olivia P. Blucker is a rising senior at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is an anthropology and African American & Africana studies double major. Her primary research focus is the cultural contributions of West African influence on afro-diasporic methods of survivability, as well as the archeology of slavery. She is a member of the board at the Sandy Spring Slave Museum & Art Gallery, Inc. Upon completing her undergraduate studies, she intends to pursue a PhD to further her knowledge of anthropology as she advances toward a career as a researcher. Olivia will intern with The 1856 Project track, where she will be mentored by Dr. Barnet Pavao-Zuckerman (Anthropology), Lae’l Hughes-Watkins (Universities Libraries), and Douglas McElrath (University Libraries).
Matthew Bloom-Takeda is a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is a double major in sociology and family sciences. Matthew is interested in studying the intricacies of family dynamics, and their impact on individuals and lives. He has completed mental health first aid training and aspires to pursue a career in the mental health field. Matthew ultimately aims to earn a master’s degree in couples and family therapy, envisioning a career dedicated to facilitating positive transformations within familial relationships. He sees the SRI as a pivotal opportunity to deepen his understanding of high-quality research and to cultivate the skills necessary to effect meaningful change within communities. Matthew will be mentored by Dr. Jeff Lucas in the Department of Sociology.
Crystal Hilaire is a senior psychology major at Morgan State University hailing from Queens, New York. Crystal aspires to pursue a doctorate degree in psychology so that she can start her journey of becoming a forensic psychologist. Her most recent research experience involved program evaluations on organizations in Baltimore city that targets victims of child abuse and victims of inter-partner violence. She presented this research at the Mae P. Claytor Conference hosted at Morgan State University. Currently, Crystal's primary research interest is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and its impact on individuals' daily lives. Crystal views her participation in the SRI as instrumental to equipping her for the challenges of graduate school. Crystal will be mentored by Dr. Tracy Riggins in the Department of Psychology.
Kayla Jarppi attends Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. She is a rising junior, double majoring in gender studies and psychology. Kayla’s research interests are interdisciplinary, broadly focusing on the intersections between mental health, gender and sexual minority identity. Currently, her primary research interests include mental health disparities in marginalized communities, mental health experiences in gender and sexual minority populations, and the role of socio-cultural factors in relation to substance use. Kayla is a member of the Lambda Sigma and Psi Chi honor societies and is currently an assistant Child and Adolescent Research in Emotion (CARE) Lab. Kayla hopes to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology or a related humanities/social sciences field after undergrad. Kayla will be mentored by Dr. Andrea Lopez in the Department of Anthropology.
Onias Larios is a rising senior at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is majoring in environmental science and policy with a focus in land use. Onias’s research interests are in land use monitoring methods to find land use changes, such as deforestation and urbanization, and their impact on changing environments. Onias hopes that the SRI will give him the skills to pursue postgraduate research in this field. In the future, Onias Larios plans to earn a graduate degree in geospatial information science (GIS), remote sensing and earth observation, or an adjacent study area in geographical science. He hopes to build a career which examines land cover and land use changes. Onias will be mentored by Dr. Matthew Hansen in the Department of Geographical Sciences.
Saron Melaku is a second year student at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is a neuroscience major on the pre-medicine track. Saron is a Ron Brown scholar and recipient of a Ron Brown Scholarship. Saron aims to pursue a career as a physician-scientist in neurology by completing a joint PhD/MD program. Saron plans to specialize in epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disorders. Research topics of interest to her include physiological and behavioral implications of addiction, as well as neurobiology and neurodevelopmental disorders. Saron currently works as a research assistant for the Growth and Resilience Across Development (GARD) Lab. Saron will be a NACS intern and will be mentored by Dr. Ariana Gard, Department of Psychology and faculty affiliate in the Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Neuroscience (NACS).
Khadija Ndiaye is a rising senior at the University of Maryland, College Park majoring in criminology and criminal justice. Khadija’s research interest focuses on gender and age inequalities within the Black community, with a particular emphasis on Black children. She has volunteered with the Petey Greene Program in Washington, DC, where she tutored incarcerated juveniles. Khadija intends to earn a master's degree in social work in the future. Her goal is to help the youth in her community by enhancing their self-representation and confronting significant racial disparities. Khadija will intern with the Social Justice Alliance Track, where she will be mentored by Dr. Rashawn Ray (UMD Sociology), and Dr. Jeanette Snider (UMD Sociology), and Dr. Melissa Duchene-Kelly (BSU Psychology).
Shane Noel is a rising senior from Brooklyn, New York attending Howard University in Washington, D.C. He is a psychology major interested in childcare, counseling, and clinical psychology. His primary research interest is in ADHD and finding ways to improve the well-being of those affected by it. He is on the dean’s list at Howard University and a member of the Psi Chi Honor Society. Currently, he works as a registered behavioral technician. Shane has plans to become a licensed professional counselor in his own private practice. Additionally, Shane would like to teach psychology at the college level. Shane will be mentored by Dr. Andrea Chronis-Tuscano from the Department of Psychology.
Dami Ogunmola is a rising senior at the University of Maryland, College Park majoring in government and politics with a concentration in international relations and minoring in Chinese language. Dami is a member of the National Political Science Honor Society and has interned at TechnoServe, an international development NGO. She studied abroad in Taiwan through the U.S.Department of State's Critical Language Scholarship program. Her research interests include international development, trade policy, and economic diplomacy. She intends to pursue a PhD in international relations, concentrating on international development and international economic relations. She plans to pursue a career working for multilateral organizations conducting research on sustainable development and economic prosperity for developing countries. Dami will be mentored by Dr. Margaret Pearson in the Department of Government and Politics.
Danielle Ridgeway is a rising senior at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. She is a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Her research interests lie at the intersection of criminology and racial studies. Danielle is interested in the interaction of identities and how it impacts sentencing, experiences in the prison industrial system, and life after imprisonment. She is also interested in the punitive nature of the criminal justice system and how it impacts the mental health of those who have served time in prison. Danielle plans to pursue a PhD in criminology. Danielle will be mentored by Dr. Wade Jacobsen and Dr. Rachel Ellis from the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Vanessa Schor Guerrero is a rising senior at Vanderbilt University double majoring in Latino and Latina studies & child studies. She has been involved in language development and literacy intervention research focusing on linguistically diverse students. Her experience as an intern for Voz Speech Therapy in Washington, D.C., sparked her interest in supporting bilingual (English/Spanish) children through culturally responsive care. She is particularly interested in supporting linguistically diverse students with interventions to combat disproportionality in special education. Vanessa hopes to explore the mechanisms of bilingual language development and how bilingual infants’ cognition may differ from monolingual infants. She hopes to graduate degrees in speech-language pathology and open a diverse speech therapy practice that aims to support children of all linguistic backgrounds. Vanessa will be mentored by Dr. Rochelle Newman in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences.
Alejandro M. Vargas-Rosario is a rising junior at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) majoring in psychology. He is the incoming president of the International Honor Society in Psychology (PSI CHI) chapter at UPRM, member of the Puerto Rico Psychology Association, peer mentor in the Guide Students program and the Orientation and Resources Program for Transition and Immersion to University. His research interests are in clinical assessment tools, psychopathology, evidence-based interventions and developmental processes, specifically in children and adolescents population. Alejandro plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology. He plans to work with children and adolescents in Puerto Rico while also working in an academic setting as a psychology professor and researcher. Alejandro will be mentored by Dr. Heather Yarger in the Department of Psychology.
Imani Williams is a rising senior, double majoring in psychology and literature at New York University, Abu Dhabi. She was born in Maryland and is eager to return after 19 years. Her research interests lie in African American studies and developmental psychology. Imani is analyzing the overmasculization of African American men and the limitations this poses on their identity. She volunteered in The Representations of Early Experience Lab at NYU where she collaborated with others on projects regarding infant attachment styles in China. Imani was drawn to the Summer Research Initiative because “students are provided with experiences that enhance their basic research knowledge and skills.” She plans to use these experiences to ultimately pursue a doctoral degree in psychology. Imani will be mentored by Dr. Ashley Newby in the Department of African American and Africana Studies.
Published on Mon, Jun 3, 2024 - 1:29PM