McNair Scholars

Scholars - Top Page

Andre Braga
Majors: Statistics and Data Science
Expected Graduation Date: June 2026
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Yan Xifeng

Faculty Mentor's Department: Computer Science
Research Interests: AI and Large Language Models; training AI to learn and make accurate market predictions
Mayra Canseco 
Majors: Sociology and Chicana/o Studies
Expected Graduation Date: June 2025
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jennifer Kam

Faculty Mentor's Department: Communication
Research Interests: Undocumented immigrant responses to environmental disaster
Chiara Cimarusti 
Major: Biological Sciences
Expected Graduation Date: June 2025
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Matthieu Louis, Dr. Ron Keiflin

Faculty Mentors' Departments: Moleculer, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Psychological and Brain Sciences
Research Interests: Virology, STEM cells, regenerative medicine
Rocio Curiel 
Majors: Spanish and Linguistics
Minor: Translation and Interpretation Studies
Expected Graduation Date: June 2025
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Daina Sanchez

Faculty Mentor Department: Chicana and Chicano Studies
Research Interests: Mixteco language revitalization among indigenous farm workers
Andrea Gomez 
Major: Biology
Expected Graduation Date: June 2024
Faculty Mentor:
 Dr. Hilary Young
Faculty Mentor's Department: Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology
Research Interests: Movement and foraging of terrestrial consumers within intertidal habitats
Karen Gonzalez-Salazar 
Major: Sociology
Expected Graduation Date: June 2025
Faculty Mentor:
 TBD
Faculty Mentor's Department: TBD
Research Interests: How children of indigenous Mexican immigrants relate to their identity
Citlali Ibarra
Major: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Expected Graduation Date: June 2026
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Karen Szumlinksky
Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Research Interests: mTOR inhibition in taming methamphetamine craving; neuroscience of addiction
Angeles "Jasmine" Labastida
Majors: Film and Media Studies, Pre-Sociology
Expected Graduation Date: June 2025
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Laila Sakr
Faculty Mentor's Department: Film and Media Studies
Research Interests: Algorithms, digital decolonization in Latin America
Laila LoRe
Major: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Minor: Applied Psychology
Expected Graduation Date: June 2025
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Erika Felix
Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Research Interests:Intra/interpersonal dynamics with respect to personality pathology; Dimensional assessment models and treatment for personality disorders; Developmental psychopathology
Zeena Omer 
Majors: Cultural Anthropology, Global Studies
Expected Graduation Date: June 2025
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Nadège Clitandre
Faculty Mentor's Department: Global Studies
Research Interests: Extractive colonialism and global capitalism in Africa and the Middle East
  Eliza Pasha
Major: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Expected Graduation Date: June 2025
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Daniel Conroy-Beam
Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Research Interests: Evolutionary psychology of reproductive strategies
Breeanna Pernas
Major: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Expected Graduation Date: June 2025
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Nolan Krueger
Faculty Mentor's Department: Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology
Research Interests: Involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations in overpoliced communities
Natalia Rodriguez Martinez
Major: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Expected Graduation Date: June 2025
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Miya Barnett
Faculty Mentor's Department: Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology
Research Interests: Engagement in PCIT within Latino immigrant families
Melissa Romero 
Majors: Linguistics and Sociology
Expected Graduation Date: June 2025
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mayra Puente
Faculty Mentor's Department: Education
Research Interests: Rural Latinx student success and aspirations in STEM
Isabel "Isa" Ruacho 
Major: Biopsychology
Expected Graduation Date: June 2025
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Barry Giesbrecht
Faculty Mentor's Department: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Research Interests: Vigilence decrement in measurements of performance