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Tom F

- Research Program Mentor

PhD candidate at Columbia University

Expertise

Clinical Psychology, Social Psychology, Religion and Spirituality

Bio

My name is Tom Ford and I am a PhD student studying clinical psychology at Columbia University. My research interests lie at the intersections of clinical psychology, spirituality, religion, positive psychology, and neuroscience. I have expertise in research methodology and have a wide breadth of knowledge pertaining to my interests above. I love mentoring because I am passionate about helping students develop and find joy in learning and knowledge. I love building meaningful relationships with my students, propelling them toward their growth, and sharing what I have gained from my many years in academics. In my free time I like to play music, to read, to exercise, and explore the outdoors.

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.

Design a Clinical Trial

You will present a rationale for and design a clinical trial to investigate the impact of a particular psychological intervention in a mental disorder of your choosing. For example, "Does daily meditation decrease anxiety in adolescent girls?" In this project, you will conduct a literature review, explain the methodology of your study, and present hypothetical results and their potential implications. Through this project, you will learn how to develop an experiment like a professional clinical psychologist!

Correlational Study from Public Data

In this project, you will find a data set online that is available for public viewing. You will identify variables or constructs that interest you, and then use statistical techniques to identify if they are related. For example, you may be interested to how daily exercise might relate to subjective wellbeing. Through any number of statistical techniques and software applications, you will learn to conduct your own analysis which ultimately may be publishable!

Languages I know

Spanish

Teaching experience

I began tutoring and mentoring young students while I was running middle school - splitting time between coaching basketball and helping them with their elementary school work. I was an athletic mentor and tutor in high school at the Riekes Center for Human Development, a local nonprofit near my hometown. Finally, I have just spent a wonderful first semester of my PhD program tutoring undergraduate psychology students in a virtual format.

Credentials

Work experience

Columbia University (2020 - present)
Doctoral Student Researcher
Bright Heart Health (2020 - 2020)
Project Manager
Varsity Tutors (2020 - present)
Tutor

Education

Stanford University
BA Bachelor of Arts
Psychology
Columbia University
MA Master of Arts (2019)
Clinical Psychology
Columbia University
PhD Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Clinical Psychology

Interested in working with expert mentors like Tom?

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