Katrina S
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at Columbia University
Expertise
child development, brain development, poverty (micro-level aspects) and the impact on child development, brain plasticity, family outcomes, early childhood interventions, MRI, EEG
Bio
Hi all! I am a doctoral student in Developmental Psychology at Columbia University. I am from the New York City metropolitan originally. I attended high-school in Elmont, NY and finished my undergraduate degree in Human Development and Education at Cornell University. I have also worked at University of Pennsylvania as a research coordinator where I worked on projects related to child and young adult brain plasticity and development. I am passionate about research, child and family well-being, and understanding how the environment helps shape who we are. I hope to use research to inform policy and interventions aimed at improving outcomes for children and families. As a child of immigrants, I am passionate about mentoring and helping others from similar backgrounds grow and thrive. In my free time, I love to read fiction novels, listen to podcasts, and I also am learning how to sew my own clothes. Project ideas
How might family socioeconomic circumstances impact child development?
Help contribute to the understanding of ways poverty might impact different aspects of child development. In this framework, we would look at broader-level factors, such as the policies around family poverty, and micro-level factors, such as parenting style, local school quality, exposure to environmental toxins, etc.
What are the psychological effects of practicing mindfulness?
Mindfulness is defined as a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Mindfulness is often used as a therapeutic technique for children, adolescents, and adults. What are the psychological benefits of practicing mindfulness? In this project, we can explore things like qualitative aspects that individuals report after beginning mindfulness training, such as reports of "feeling good" and "feeling more at one with oneself", and we can also examine quantitative aspects, such as reductions in standardized stress measures. There are a variety of psychological effects we can study in relation to practicing mindfulness!