Dr. Zinger

RESEARCH STUDY! Professor Jennifer McCabe from Goucher College is recruiting undergraduate participants from a variety of institutions for a new online survey study she is conducting on student perceptions of syllabus excerpts, with a focus on assessment descriptions. This study has been approved by the Goucher College Institutional Review Board (IRB #20141756).
At the end of the main survey, which should take less than 10 minutes, participants can click a link to enter a drawing for one of two $25 gift cards.

See the attached flyer for more info. Here is the study link: https://goucher.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5mRHF8GHGSj3tUW

Reach out with any questions to Professor McCabe at [email protected]

The survey will remain open through the fall semester.

Congratulations to UCI Psychology Post-Bacc alum ('22) Gavin Green, who recently earned his Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Antioch University, Seattle AND just got two job offers for clinical roles at community mental health agencies in the Seattle area! He heard about both the jobs through Washington State's Behavioral Health Workforce Development Initiative. They offer a conditional scholarship that helped him afford his Master's degree, and the condition is working at an approved site for three years post grad. So, both the sites he received offers from were on their list of approved sites. He is currently in the process of deciding which job he will choose.

A little bit about Gavin: Gavin received his B.S. in Political Science with an emphasis in law from the University of Idaho. During his time in the post-bacc program, he worked in Dr. Schueller’s Technology & Mental Health (TEAM) Lab (in the Dept. of Psychology) and in Dr. Garfin’s Resilience, Epidemiology, & Community Health Lab (in the School of Nursing), where he gained research experience and learned more about the roles of mindfulness, community, and technology in treating mental illness. He completed undergraduate courses in Research Design, Clinical Psychology, Forensic Psychology, Applied Statistics, and Social Psychology, and he completed a graduate course in Implementation Science. In addition, he gave a poster presentation at the 2022 Association for Psychological Science conference in Chicago. After completing our program, Gavin moved to Washington state, where he spent some time volunteering at a local youth resource center. Subsequently, he was accepted to the Clinical Mental Health master's programs at George Fox University and Antioch University - Seattle, and he began the Antioch program in Fall 2023.

So proud of you, Gavin!

Congratulations to UCI Psychology Post-Bacc alum ('20) Gloria Gomez, who has had several exciting accomplishments over the last year or so: In May 2025, she completed the Chapman School Psychology graduate program with an MA in educational psychology, an education specialist (Ed.S.) degree, and a pupil personnel services (PPS) credential, then she became a substitute school psychologist at the Anaheim Elementary School District (where she interned while in grad school) upon finishing her graduate program, and now she works as a substitute school psychologist in the Huntington Beach City School District!

A little bit about Gloria: Gloria graduated from California State University, Fullerton in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After completing her degree, she worked as a behavioral therapist and quickly developed a passion for helping children succeed. As a result, she obtained a position as an instructional assistant at an elementary school to aid the academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs of students in full-inclusion classrooms. During her time in the post-bacc program, Gloria worked as a research assistant in Dr. Borelli’s Health, Relationships, & Interventions Lab (where she examined the effectiveness of a strengths-based relationship program for low income Latino parents and youth), and she completed courses in Human Stress, Cross-Cultural Health Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Developmental Psychopathology. Outside of UCI, Gloria was employed as an instructional assistant in special education for the Buena Park School District (serving 3rd and 4th grade classes) and the Fullerton School District (serving Kindergarten students) and as a staff member for the Huntington Valley Boys and Girls Club. After completing our program, Gloria spent some time working in academic settings serving special education students and underserved communities (while also volunteering in Dr. Borelli's lab), and in March 2022, she was accepted to the Ed.S. in School Psychology program at Chapman University (with a scholarship). She began that program in Fall 2022.

So proud of you, Gloria!

Congratulations to UCI Psychology Post-Bacc alum ('18) Ryan Donberg, who has had several major accomplishments over the last 2 years: First, he completed his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Xavier University in 2024, then he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Menninger Clinic in Houston, and finally, he accepted a full-time position as a staff psychologist at the Institute of Living in Hartford, CT, where he is currently helping to develop a mentalization-based treatment-informed intensive outpatient program! He is very pleased with how his career in psychology has unfolded, and we couldn't be happier for him.

A little bit about Ryan: Ryan graduated from UC Berkeley in 2008 with a BA in English. During his time at the post-bacc program, he worked as a research assistant in Dr. Martin's Behavior, Emotion, and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Dr. Rinehart's Sexual Victimization Lab, and Dr. Yim's Health Psychology Lab, and he completed courses in Human Stress, Personality, Clinical Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Advanced Research Methods, and Psychodynamic Studies. In January 2018, Ryan accepted a volunteer position at the Crisis Text Line, and in May 2018, he gave a presentation at the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program conference at UC Irvine and attended the Association for Psychological Science conference in San Francisco, CA. In addition, in Spring 2018, he served as a Peer Tutor for Dr. Zinger's Social Psychology course. During his gap/application year, Ryan worked a part-time (paid) position as a Post-Bacc Alum Research Assistant, and in Spring 2019, he was accepted to the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. programs at the University of Detroit - Mercy and at Long Island University, to the Psy.D. program at Xavier University, and to the Marriage & Family Therapy master's programs at Cal State Northridge and at Cal State Long Beach. He accepted the offer at Xavier University and began this program in Fall 2019.

So proud of you, Dr. Donberg!

Artificial intelligence is currently a hot topic. Much discussion has focused on the ethical and sustainability-related aspects of AI use. For example, concerns have been raised regarding changes in job availability resulting from AI adoption, as well as the ecological costs and carbon emissions associated with AI systems, highlighting the need for environmentally responsible use. In her latest Student Feature, Daniela Zibenberg explores how AI could be incorporated in an academic context: https://spsp.org/news/newsletter-articles/using-artificial-intelligence-academia?_zs=EM7eX&_zl=ERl25

It's Walk-a-Mile Wednesday! The school year may be over, but the walks continue! Kick off your summer right by doing a loop around campus with me and some of your fellow Anteaters. We meet on ring road in front of DBH at 8pm, and all are welcome. I hope to see you there!

JOB OPENINGS! Some of you may be interested in applying for one (or both) of the job openings:

1) Laboratory Assistant (SL-1) at Binghamton University / Binghamton NY. Link: https://jobs.chronicle.com/job/38001841/laboratory-assistant-auditory-cognitive-neuroscience-research/ . Salary: $45,372 (full-time, temporary). Description: The Auditory Cognitive Neuroscience Research Laboratory at Binghamton University (PI: Sung-Joo Lim; https://sites.google.com/binghamton.edu/limlab/ ) is seeking candidates for a laboratory assistant position. Our research focuses on understanding the interaction between perception and cognition, with a specific interest in the cognitive and brain mechanisms underlying speech and language processing. We utilize a variety of approaches, including multimodal neuroimaging (EEG and fMRI), behavioral methods, and modeling techniques to study perceptual and cognitive flexibility across multiple timescales, e.g., rapid changes to accommodate diverse listening environments to achieve efficient speech communication as well as the long-term development of expertise with sounds like speech. Responsibilities: The laboratory assistant will be responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the lab; implementing and conducting behavioral and neuroimaging studies (e.g., MRI and EEG); data analysis; and performing administrative duties including coordinating IRBs and other research documentation, purchasing materials, managing lab equipment, and managing participant scheduling and recruitment; the laboratory assistant will also have the opportunity to develop their own research projects; collaborate on publications; attend conferences; participate in research seminars and reading groups; teach and supervising undergraduate researchers. This position is ideal for individuals who are interested in gaining additional research experience before pursuing a doctorate degree in the fields of psychology, cognitive neuroscience, or communication sciences and disorders.

​2) Full-Time Research Assistant at Harvard University / Cambridge MA. Link: https://jobs.chronicle.com/job/38002032/research-assistant-i-lab/ . Job Summary: The Laboratory for Developmental Studies in the Psychology department has a position open for a full-time research assistant. Research in the lab is focused on exploring the cognitive development of infants and children, with an emphasis on perception and knowledge of objects, numbers, places, geometry, and people. Further projects in the lab include the development of numerical, geometrical, social-cognitive, and reading abilities in preschool and elementary school-aged children, with a focus on testing interventions to enhance children's readiness for learning across such domains. The candidate will report directly to the P.I., a Professor of Cognitive Developmental Psychology, and will be responsible for managing and overseeing the daily activities of two lab spaces dedicated to running research studies with infants, toddlers, and children, and coordinating lab-wide remote testing. Job-Specific Responsibilities: Responsibilities include supervising undergraduate research assistants, coordinating testing spaces and study schedules, assisting with preparation of grant applications and progress reports, maintaining the lab manual, executing specific research experiments, assisting in quality data collection and management, and ensuring compliance with all regulations regarding testing human subjects. In addition, the candidate will act as the primary liaison between the lab and both the Psychology Business Office and the Harvard IRB as well as lab-related courses, coordinating all lab purchases, applications for human subjects research approval, and updating websites. Further, the candidate will work actively with the Open Science Framework to register studies, methodology, and data. The candidate will perform other related duties as well, depending on the needs of the lab, including interacting with families of participants, visiting students, and others.

Congratulations to UCI Psychology Post-Bacc alum ('20) Caroline Campama, who recently earned her Psy.D. in Clinical Forensic Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Anaheim, CA! In the coming months, Caroline will finish up her internship at Universal Psychological Services, Inc. and will then start working toward becoming a licensed clinical forensic psychologist (i.e., studying for and then taking the licensing exams).

A little bit about Caroline: Caroline earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Cal State University, Long Beach, and her primary areas of interest within the field of psychology are in forensic psychology and psychology and the law. During her time in the post-bacc program, Caroline conducted research in Dr. Scurich’s and Dr. Loftus' labs (where she launched an independent research study related to COVID-19 and how race may affect conviction rates), and she completed courses in Forensic Psychology, Eyewitness Testimony, Applied Statistics, and Deviance; outside of UCI, she worked part-time as a nanny. After completing our program, Caroline completed a (remote) internship where she conducted research for the Michigan Justice Advocacy nonprofit - and in March 2021, she was accepted to the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Anaheim, CA for their Clinical Forensic Psychology Psy.D. program. She began this program in Fall 2021, earned her master's degree (en route to the Psy.D.) in July 2024, and successfully defended her dissertation in June 2025 (after which she began her pre-doctoral internship).

So proud of you, Dr. Campama!

JOB OPENING! Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center / New York NY

https://msk.wd108.myworkdayjobs.com/MSKCC_Careers_Primary/job/New-York-NY/Research-Project-Associate---Myeloma-Service_100062-1

Exciting Opportunity at MSK: Join the research team of Dr. Urvi Shah in the Myeloma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). This group conducts innovative clinical trials investigating the role of nutrition, metabolism, and the microbiome in patients with multiple myeloma and related blood disorders.

They are seeking a highly motivated, patient-centered Clinical Research Project Associate to support prospective dietary intervention studies, including trials in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and clonal hematopoiesis. This is an exciting opportunity to work directly with patients, collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, and contribute to research that has the potential to improve cancer outcomes and quality of life.

Role Overview:

The Clinical Research Project Associate will serve as a primary coordinator for clinical research studies and will be responsible for participant recruitment, screening, enrollment, retention, study visit coordination, biospecimen collection oversight, data collection, and study operations.

Key responsibilities include:

Identifying and recruiting eligible participants for clinical research studies.

Conducting screening, consent, and enrollment activities.

Coordinating study visits, questionnaires, dietary assessments, and biospecimen collection.

Maintaining communication with participants throughout study participation.

Tracking recruitment, enrollment, and study progress metrics.

Managing study databases, documentation, and data quality activities.

Supporting regulatory submissions and protocol compliance.

Collaborating with physicians, nurses, dietitians, laboratory personnel, and other research staff to ensure successful study ex*****on.

Assisting with abstracts, manuscripts, presentations, and other research-related activities as appropriate.

SOCIAL ECOLOGY AWARDS! Last week, several top-performing graduating seniors and post-bacc students received awards at the UCI Social Ecology Honors Convocation. A great big congratulations to the following students:

Dean's Award for Exceptional Achievement in Field Study: Hanna Marceau

Dean's Scholar Award: Taylor Nguyen and Hannah Regan

Excellence in Field Study: Mo'nique Bowers, Celeste Calderon-Reyes, Annabel Darden Lind, Giselle Garcia, Diana Ghaffari, Daisy Gomez, Isabella Gonzales, Lizbeth Gudino, Amy Huang, Adilene Lara, Rossi Ledezma Zendejas, Jiaxin Li, Zoey Mahl, Hanna Marceau, Jesus Marquez, Jayce Miao, Regina Nguyen, Valerie Nguyen, Lorena Piche Garcia, Gabriella Saidara, Abeer Samawi, Chanon Sanglimsuwan, Desiree Tovar, and Katie Vo

Exceptional Achievement in Undergraduate Research: Desirae Aldana, Michelle Alejo-Zamora, Melissa Andrade, Austin Ashizawa, Ivan Barajas, Kirsten Beverly, Tara Blanco, Mia Bolanos-Teque, Lehli Burke, Alondra Camacho-Tay, Emily Cervantes, Julia Chu, Jamie Damonti, Laura Del-Rio, Nicholas Diaz Ramon, Liora Eiger, Zeeba Fatehimanesh, Clover Hastings, Brielle Kelley, Kristina Kleveland, Chrysti Kohana Takayesu, Vy La, Isaac Li, Elizabeth Lim, Kathleen Macy, Chloe Markowitz, Emily Martirosyan, Amanda-Ann Mean Lee, Roger Nguyen, Kathryn Nino, Mia Noergaard, April Park, Diya Patel, Lorena Piche Garcia, Natalia Pilavian, Daphne Ramirez, Daya Ramirez-Venegas, Hannah Regan, Mackenzie Rose Scott, Shannon Viele, and Bella Yu

Outstanding Contribution to the Community: Sonja Devries

Outstanding Contribution to the School of Social Ecology: Desirae Aldana, Jocelyn Alvarado, Melissa Andrade, Emily Baker, Destiny Bowman, Madeline Bruhn, Xiomara Camacho, Alexis Carrillo,, Linger Chen, Esmeralda Coeto-Medina, Athena Crescibene, Jamie Damonti, Jayda Davis, Sampson Deaton, Jennifer Devoto, Kahle Downs, Dana El-Mouzzaen, Kelsey Fish, Nayeli Guerrero, Elise Joseph, Austin Kim, Kristina Kleveland, Megan Leiker, Alondra Lopez, Betsabe Marcelo, Ashley Marin-Jara, Alejandra Mendoza, Kayla Moss, Jad Mukaled, Regina Nguyen, Valarie Nguyen, Taylor Nguyen, Mia Noergaard, Kiara Olivares, Manuel Paz, Krystal Reynoso, Frannette Sandoval, Heidi Sek, Matthew John Uy Basilio, and Rachel Wan

Social Ecology Excellence in Research Distinction: Joseph Martinez II

Successful Completion of Advanced Field Study: Josie Bitnes, Jazmin Castellanos, Sonja Devries, Ria Gupta, Kiana Harris, Alex Huang, Isabella Jiang, Paul Jung, Yu Min Kim, Emily Lai, Matt Lam, Charlene Ng, Anastasiia Shamanaeva, Xieyu Tang, Phoenix Tat, Chloe Vu, Mackenzie Wantz, Zoe Wu, Lareina Xing, Karla Yanez, Samantha Zamora, Eric Zhang

Successful Completion of the Social Ecology Honors Program: Desirae Aldana, Melissa Andrade, Madeline Bruhn, Lehli Burke, Alexis Carrillo, Jamie Damonti, Aidan Ermisch, Samuel Goulart, Ryan Hansen, Brielle Kelley, Chloe Ku, Sana Labanieh, Kathleen Macy, Joseph Martinez II, Taylor Nguyen, Josephine Nguyen, Nicholas Nguyen, Nicole Obasohan, Devenee Ortega, Diya Patel, Maria Rama-McCain, Hannah Regan, Anahy Sarmiento Rosero, Samantha Sharp, and Issac Young

The Law Offices of Adrienne D. Cohen Excellence in Field Study Award: Phoenix Tat

Congratulations to all these amazing students - and to everyone who graduated this past weekend! Zot zot zot!