Current & Former Doctoral Students



  • Current
    Doctoral Students

  • Juan Sebastian Castillo- Perez

    Applied Social & Cultural Psychology
    Doctoral Student
    Juan entered the doctoral program in Fall 2021. Using mixed methodologies, his research seeks to identify the ways in which Latino masculinity norms inform mental health well-being and healthy relationship formation processes across diverse emerging adult Latine populations. Focusing in both U.S. and Latin American cultural contexts, Juan's work is striving to accurately capture diversitis of Latino masculinity- beyond machismo- through examinations of such factors as nationality, acculturation, ethnicity, race, and other cultural frameworks. He has also been working on systematic reviews as  Centers for Disease Control research intern.
  • Gequasha "GQ" Collins

    Applied Social & Cultural Psychology
    Doctoral Student
    An FIU Inclusion Fellowship recipient, GQ entered the doctoral program in Fall 2021. Her work examines cross cultural constructions of mental illness at individual and community levels across diverse Latine and Black populations. GQ is particularly interested in familial and peer perceptions of severe mental illness (SMI) and how these influence engagement of support systems, stigma challenges, and general well-being. She is using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Additionally, GQ is overseeing a qualitative project examining transitional experiences of young women exiting foster care with  our community partner Girl Power
  • Eduardo DE LA Vega-Taboada

    Developmental Psychology
    Doctoral Candidate
    A Tinker Foundation Field Research Grant Fellow, Eduardo is interested in identifying community safe spaces as sites for adolescent health social and emotional development. His thesis examined rural Afro Colombian adolescents' perceptions of safe spaces. Eduardo's dissertation, funded by the FIU Doctoral Evidence Acquisition Fellowship, extends this work by examining the role of Colombian soccer/ futbol organizations' adult  leaders role in the creation of safe spaces in using dynamic systems and qualitative methods.He is also providing research support for Futbol Con Corazon and Amor Por Baru's community capacity building efforts.
  • Devon Marrett

    Applied Social & Cultural Psychology
    Doctoral Student
    Devon will be entering the ASCP Doctoral program in Fall 2023. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Psychology and master's degree in Community Psychology from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU). Devon's interests broadly encompas the relationships between gender-based violence and masculinity cultural norms across diverse Black populations. Identifying how these are informed by social determinants of health and other health inequities will be a central part of Devon’s work. He will be working closely with our community partner Affirming  YOUth.
  • Hector Peguero

    Applied Social & Cultural Psychology
    Doctoral Student
    A CASE Dean's Distinguished Doctoral Fellow, Hector entered the doctoral program in Fall 2022. His research examines the intersections of health stigma and identity development among sexual and gender minorities (SGM) across global contexts. A former Fulbright Fellow, Hector has conducted research examining well being among Hijra communities in Mysore, India. He is building on this research by identifying shared points of intervention for addressing stigma among  Latine SGM individuals in South Florida and Hirjras in India. He hopes to increase healthcare provider's ability to meet this population's needs.
     
  • Jeffrey Pierre

    Applied Social & Cultural Psychology
    Doctoral Student
    Jeffrey entered the doctoral program in Fall 2022. His research examines cross cultural perceptions of parental disciplinary practices, with a focus on the role of acculturation, national identity, and familial processes. Jeffrey is particularly interested in exploring the ways contextual stressors experienced by diverse Black populations- including racism, acculturation, nation of origin  and language- inform these phenomena and contribute to discipline meaning construction. A Sant La Fellow,  his ultimate goal is to identify culturally appropriate approaches that center Haitian cultural values and socio historical experiences in U.S. contexts.