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.

I WILL BE accepting students seeking to enter/ start the program in Fall 2021.

Information for Potential Advisees

Potential doctoral students 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. Finding a person with whom you can work is often more important, in my opinion, than finding a person sharing your same research interests; quality mentorship involves more than simply providing field training and discipline advising. Read these articles from The Grad Cafe, Inside Higher Ed, and Stanford Grad School for insights into what to consider when seeking a mentor for your graduate journey.



TAKE TIME TO Connect with my CURRENT &
FORMER Doctoral Students

Potential doctoral program applicants are strongly encouraged to contact any of my current and former graduate students to find out more about their experiences both as a student at FIU and working under my supervision. Questions you may want to consider asking include my mentorship style, opportunities for career development, and their general graduate school experiences.

Meet My Graduate Students

FIU Developmental Psychology Program

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

I am currently the faculty advisor to several doctoral students in the Department of Psychology. Students interested in working with me should contact me in advance of submitting their materials to discuss their interests. In addition to the content on this website, potential applicants must review also the Developmental Psychology Graduate Program's admission requirements; I primarily mentor students through this program track.

Program Info