RESEARCH LAB
We have an active research team that is presently working on several different projects related to social justice and education. Some studies focus specifically on school psychology as a field and ways that school psychologists can operationalize and put social justice principles into practice, whereas other studies involve related topics like school discipline, positive behavioral supports, and minoritized students . Student research team members include:
OUR TEAM
Jordan Amor
Jordan is a fifth year PhD student at Indiana University. She is from Bainbridge, Indiana and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Indiana in elementary education and is a licensed teacher in Indiana. She also received her Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from Ball State University. Her research interests include social justice in school psychology, academic interventions, and mental health efforts. Jordan looks forward to a career in school psychology that allows her to make improvements on the mental health and academics of students through school-wide intervention programs as well as help in implementing changes in schools due to social injustices.
Tiondra Little
Tiondra is a second-year student in the School Psychology Doctoral Program at Indiana University. She is from Chicago, Illinois and received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Illinois State University, along with minors in African American Studies, Children’s Studies, and Sociology. Tiondra’s research interests lie in expanding our knowledge and understanding of biracial youths’ experiences as
different factors shape and influence academic, social, behavioral, and emotional development and well-being. Her specific interests surround identity formation, perceptions of self, and impressions of social belonging in relation to familial and societal expectations and trauma. Along the way of accomplishing her goals, she looks forward to learning and growing professionally as well. Ultimately, Tiondra is
determined to make a difference in the lives of students by promoting healthy practices, supporting and advocating for diverse learners, creating a safe and positive school climate, and engaging in challenging endeavors to improve student progress and school outcomes.
Liz Melfi
Liz is a fifth year school psychology graduate student at Indiana University. She is from Cleveland, Ohio and received her BA in psychology from Denison University. Her research interests are education equity and evidence-based interventions. In her free time, Liz loves trying new restaurants with friends. Ultimately, Liz hopes to have a career as a school psychologist, implementing interventions to improve the academic performance of minoritized students.
Karina Mojica
Karina is a first-generation fourth-year student in the School Psychology doctoral program at Indiana University. For her undergrad, she majored in Psychology and Spanish at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. Before pursuing graduate school, she worked as a research assistant and lab manager in Dr. Susan Levine’s Cognitive Development lab at the University of Chicago. Her research interests include mental health, specifically pertaining to minoritized youth. She would like to continue looking at how access to resources and supports helps students. Additionally, she is interested in learning of new ways to uplift the voices of youth to get a better sense of what they believe is needed in their schools and communities. She is also interested in providing resources in the Spanish language so as to provide more awareness to Spanish-speaking individuals and their families. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, she hopes to return to work with Black and Brown Latinx communities in schools and their neighborhoods to better support the implementation of mental health interventions and other resources.
Carissa Serratos
Carissa Serratos is a fourth-year student in the School Psychology doctoral program at Indiana University. She is from Hammond, Indiana and received a Bachelor of Science at Purdue University in Lafyette Indiana. Following graduation, she worked as a Registered Behavior Technician where she provided Applied Behavior Analysis therapy services for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She also attended Valparaiso University, earning a graduate certificate in Trauma-Informed Care. Carissa’s research interest includes knowledge and training in trauma-informed care and practice among public school special education teachers. She ultimately wants to provide consultation services for teachers and other school staff on implementing culturally responsive trauma-informed school practices.
Ciara Thomas
Ciara is a fourth-year doctoral student in the School Psychology program at Indiana University-Bloomington. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she served as a research assistant for multiple labs. Her work there focused on African American youth’s perception of the systemic factors that contribute to gun violence in their community, analyzing
the language development of children using eye-tracking software, along with presenting a hypothetical research proposal on the neurological impacts of visual learning.
Ciara’s research interests involve socially just advocacy that precipitates effective unbiased assessments for students of color. A subsequent line of interest for
Ciara is neuropsychology and neuropsychological assessments within the intersection of the field of School Psychology. She is excited to work towards alleviating disparities for minoritized youth in areas where psychological services are scarce.
