Background Information

I am currently a first-year student working with Drs. Carl Lejuez and Laura MacPherson. While completing my undergraduate education in Florida International University, I worked in the Youth and Family Development Project under the supervision of Dr. Marilyn Montgomery and in the Industrial and Organizational Lab under the supervision of Dr. Ram Aditya. After graduating in 2004, I spent 4 years working in a NIH-funded research and development company whose main focus was to develop technologies to address unhealthy behaviors. I had the opportunity of managing studies on smoking, HIV, insomnia, real-time data collection methods, and the development of training manuals for substance abuse counselors.

Research Interests

My graduate interests are a reflection of both my undergraduate and work experiences. I hope to research the differences between minority groups and their dominant culture counterparts with regard to addictions, mental illness, and intra- and interpersonal relationships. Related to these efforts, I am interested in translating assessment instruments to Spanish, testing their validity with diverse Latino populations, and modifying intervention strategies or creating alternative approaches for treatment to fit the needs of minority populations. Additionally, I am interested in the use of technology (e.g. ecological momentary assessment) to assist young smokers with cessation and to understand the emotional and physical states and processes that may contribute to relapse.