Mentoring & Advising


“None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody- a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony, or a few nuns- bent down and helped us pick up our boots.”

~Thurgood Marshall


In my role as a faculty member, I supervise both graduate and undergraduate students engaged in research. Undergraduate students are mentored through the Health Disparities and Cultural Identities (HDCI) Research Lab. Other undergraduate students become my mentees through research fellowship programs like the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, Honors College ARCH, or Global Health Research Study Abroad Programs. Undergraduate students interested in working with me should apply through my HDCI Research Lab

At the graduate level, I serve graduate students' dissertation and theses committees across disciplines, in addition to advising my own doctoral students (see below). I’ve enjoyed contributing to the development of graduate students' research foci across disciplines, including anthropology, education, geography, nursing, public health, sociology, and social work. Students that need expertise in the areas of gender or racial/ ethnic identity development, sexual health, gender based violence, popular culture, health disparities, or qualitative methods typically ask me serve on their dissertation committees.

STUDENTS interested in the doctoral program ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT ME PRIOR TO APPLYING

Information for Potential Advisees

Potential doctoral students interested in working with me in the Developmental Psychology program should contact me before appylying. It is important that we ensure that we have similar interests and goals prior to the review of applications. Further, there are several things to consider and ask prior to applying to work with any faculty advisor. I say this because finding a person with whom you can work is often more important, in my opinion, than finding a person with what you think has the perfect project or exact same research interests. Visit The Grad Cafe, Bold Adulting, and this Stanford Grad School Advice article for questions to ask any potential advisor and their students.



TAKE TIME TO Connect with my CURRENT &
FORMER Doctoral Students

Additionally, I encourage potential applicants to review the research my current students are conducting to get an idea about our broad areas of inquiry. Further, you can also see where my former students are today. You are welcome to contact any of my students to find out more about my mentorship styles, perceptions of our advisor- advisee relationship, and their experiences in the program.

Meet My Graduate Students

FIU Developmental Psychology Program

Developmental Science is the study of nature and basis of change across development.

I serve as the primary faculty advisor for doctoral students in the Department of Psychology. Students interested in applying should contact me in advance of submitting their materials. In addition to the content on this website, students interested in working with me as their primary faculty advisor should review the Developmental Psychology Graduate Program's admission requirements. It is through this track that I primarily mentor students.

Program Info