Angela S
- Research Program Mentor

PhD candidate at Columbia University

Expertise

1) Examinations of mental health; 2) Applications of clinical psychology; 3) Projects that approach diagnosis from a neuroscience perspective

Bio

I am a 4th year doctoral student at Columbia University studying Clinical Psychology in a lab focused on applied research skills. I also have real world experience in the field having spent 3 years as a research coordinator at the Veterans Administration. During this time, I have initiated and contributed to multiple independent projects throughout my professional career, including co-authoring 16 published manuscripts, co-authoring one book chapter, and serving as a peer reviewer for multiple journals. In my free time I love hanging out with my miniature dachshund, Walter and practicing yoga. I received my 200 hour yoga teacher certification (RYT) in 2019 so I also enjoy teaching yoga classes to family and friends. As a current student myself I love sharing my resources and would love to help you explore your area of interest!

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

Conversations With Friends: A Literature Review of Communication Among Suicidal Adolescents

Engaging in a systematic approach, mentees will acquire the skills to effectively gather relevant scholarly sources pertaining to their area of interest. They will then proceed to establish a comprehensive framework and compose a literature review with the objective of publishing it in an academic journal. As an illustrative example, we can consider a literature review that delves into the impact of communication between adolescents on their propensity for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The primary aim of this literature review is to comprehensively encompass a broad spectrum of previous research, providing concise summaries and identifying potential avenues for future investigation. Within this review, potential mechanisms that may account for the relationship between prosocial behaviors and a decrease in suicide rates could be explored, such as the alleviation of feelings of isolation and the overall influence of social support on mental well-being. One of the key advantages of this project is that prior expertise in the topic is not a prerequisite, as it facilitates the development of specialized knowledge in a specific area of the field. Additionally, it serves as an excellent introduction to the conventions and nuances of scientific writing, while also negating the need for access to statistical software. Ultimately, this undertaking fosters a sense of scientific curiosity and nurtures critical thinking on a topic of immense significance.

A Daily Diary Study of Yoga's Effects on High School Students

Research suggests that yoga classes have positive psychological effects for high-school students. In this project the student would find friends (volunteers) to participate in yoga classes 3x/week. Every day these volunteers would rate their mood, degree of mindfulness, and connection to their body. After a month the student would collect these "daily diaries" and examine if the data changed overtime. Based on these results the student could share a proposal with their school about incorporating yoga into the curriculum.

Languages I know

American Sign Language, Beginner

Teaching experience

I have been the recipient of invaluable mentorship, which has further encouraged me to seek out similar ways that I can potentially impact people interested in the field. My first experience mentoring other students of psychology was in Dr. Anil Chacko’s lab at NYU. During 2016-2017 I helped train incoming undergraduate students to become volunteer RAs. After my time at NYU I continued to mentor graduating seniors as they transitioned into the job market. Specifically, I was nominated by the faculty in the psychology department to return each year (2017-2022) and speak on a panel about life after college with a psychology degree. On these panels I would answer questions by the department and from individual students. As a third-year graduate student, I have mentored multiple students interested in applying to PhD programs. Along with my mentor Dr. Christine Cha, I yearly speak to current master’s students about strategies for applying to PhD programs. Autonomously, as a part of the program America Needs You, I have also mentored a students as they prepare their application for college and graduate school. In this role I provided individual feedback on writing, interview techniques and more. Working as a leader and mentor has further fortified my desire to pursue the advancement of knowledge within the field. Since mentorship is an important part of pursing an academic research career, these experiences have been invaluable in preparing me to work in higher education.