I currently run a number of research labs. Below is a brief highlight of the students in my labs.
Culture and Trauma Lab
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What kinds of traumatic experiences are most closely linked to ataques de nervios, a widely recognized cultural idiom of distress? This project systematically reviews the research on ataques de nervios to clarify how different forms of trauma relate to their onset and occurrence. It examines whether particular experiences, such as interpersonal violence or sexual assault, are more strongly associated with ataques than other types of trauma, and whether traumatic events typically precede their onset.
Eva Konstantinidou is a sophomore at Kenyon College, studying Psychology and English. She is an aspiring clinical psychologist and hopes to pursue her passion for studying the mind and psyche in graduate school. She is currently part of the Culture and Trauma Lab, where she is helping to find and code articles for a scoping review.
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Tsion Adugna (she/her/hers) is a senior majoring in Psychology with concentrations in Neuroscience and African Diaspora Studies. She is currently working in the Culture and Trauma Lab, where she conducts literature reviews on ataques de nervios using PRISMA guidelines, reference harvesting, and organizes sources in Zotero and Covidence. Her responsibilities include developing inclusion and exclusion criteria and screening titles, abstracts, and full-text articles in Covidence. Tsion's career interests center on global mental health, with a focus on culturally sensitive care for immigrant and marginalized communities. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in global mental health
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Global Experiences Research Lab
How do different kinds of global experiences, either mediated or embodied, shape the learning, development, and identity of students? The Global Experiences Lab examines how different forms of global engagement shape learning, development, and identity across the undergraduate years. Currently, we are working on two projects: one examining the developmental and academic impacts of study abroad during the first year of college and another focusing on globally connected courses and virtual exchange.
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STUDY 1. How does starting college in another country shape who students become academically, socially, and professionally over time? Does studying abroad in the very first semester of college strengthen intercultural competence and career direction, or does it come with hidden academic and social costs when students return to campus? This project followed first-year students who spent their first semester abroad, during the 202 COVID outbreak and examined changes in intercultural skills, academic performance, sense of belonging, and future goals, while also asking how students navigate the transition back to their home campus.
Hollen Knoell graduated from Kenyon in 2025 with a major in Psychology and Classics and a minor in Math. She is currently a research assistant at Ohio State University. Despite having a full time job, she still continues to do research in our global experiences lab working on understanding the experiences of students who studied abroad during their first of college.
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Isabella (Basil) Strickland is a senior psychology major with a neuroscience concentration. Her research interests include second language acquisition, online research methodologies, and comparative cultural analysis.
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STUDY 2. Can global learning happen without travel? With this multi-institutional study, we examine how globally connected courses use online and virtual exchanges to support cross-cultural learning in the liberal arts. Drawing on pre- and post-course survey data from over 500 students enrolled in 39 courses across 18 colleges and universities on four continents, we are assessing how different forms of international course connection shape students’ cultural intelligence, global exposure, and engagement with difference. Preliminary findings suggest that when globally connected courses are intentionally designed and well integrated into course goals, online cross-cultural encounters can function as a high-impact pedagogical practice. The study will offer evidence-based guidance for faculty seeking to leverage virtual global experiences to support intercultural learning across different levels of the curriculum.
The Cambridge Handbook of Latine Psychology (forthcoming!)
Edited by Irene López, Jasmine A. Mena & Edil Torres Rivera
Despite being the largest ethnic minority in the United States and central to contemporary psychological science, Latine communities remain significantly underrepresented in psychology handbooks, even as they face heightened risk of harm. To address this gap, this handbook brings together leading scholars across psychology and allied disciplines to examine Latine lives within their social, cultural, and political contexts. Grounded in liberation psychology, decolonial theory, and intersectionality, the volume spans development, mental health, education, migration, language, and social context and is intended as a core reference for advanced undergraduate and graduate teaching, research, and professional training.
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Arianna (Ari) Jalomo (She/Her) is a current senior at Kenyon College, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a minor in Spanish and a concentration in Latine Studies. She is interested in pursuing a career in social work, with a focus on providing clinical care to children who have experienced trauma. Louise (Lulu) Timoney (She/Her) is a current senior at Kenyon College, pursuing a bachelor's degree in Psychology, with minors in Philosophy and Spanish. As a research assistant to Dr. López, she has helped in various capacities and is currently serving as a research and editorial assistant on the first edited undergraduate textbook on Latine psychology. Interested in developmental, clinical, and cross-cultural psychology, she plans on continuing research and graduate study post-grad. In her spare time, she loves taking dance classes and practicing Spanish!
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