ALUMNI PROFILES
Ana F. Abraído-Lanza
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Ana Abraído-Lanza completed a post-doctoral training fellowship program in Psychiatric Epidemiology at Columbia University's School of Public Health. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University. She teaches courses on Current Issues in Latino Health, Health Psychology, Theories in Public Health Research and Practice, as well as a course entitled Seminar in Research and Professional Development. Her research focuses on cultural, psychosocial, and socioeconomic factors that affect psychological well-being, adjustment to chronic illness, and mortality and health among Latinos, as well as health disparities between Latinos and non-Latino whites..
View Dr. Abraído-Lanza's Columbia profile here.
e: aabraido@columbia.edu
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterAna Abraído-Lanza completed a post-doctoral training fellowship program in Psychiatric Epidemiology at Columbia University's School of Public Health. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University. She teaches courses on Current Issues in Latino Health, Health Psychology, Theories in Public Health Research and Practice, as well as a course entitled Seminar in Research and Professional Development. Her research focuses on cultural, psychosocial, and socioeconomic factors that affect psychological well-being, adjustment to chronic illness, and mortality and health among Latinos, as well as health disparities between Latinos and non-Latino whites..
View Dr. Abraído-Lanza's Columbia profile here.
e: aabraido@columbia.edu
Jennifer Ayala
PhD, Social Psychology, CUNY
Dr. Ayala is currently an Assistant Professor in the Education Department at Saint Peter’s College in Jersey City, New Jersey. She is actively involved with the CUNY PAR Collective. Her most recent research is a participatory action research project in New Jersey. She is co-principal investigator of the New Jersey Urban Youth Research Initiative.
View Dr. Ayala's PARC page here.
e: jayala@spc.edu
PhD, Social Psychology, CUNYDr. Ayala is currently an Assistant Professor in the Education Department at Saint Peter’s College in Jersey City, New Jersey. She is actively involved with the CUNY PAR Collective. Her most recent research is a participatory action research project in New Jersey. She is co-principal investigator of the New Jersey Urban Youth Research Initiative.
View Dr. Ayala's PARC page here.
e: jayala@spc.edu
Leonard Bickman
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Bickman is a professor of psychology and public policy of Peabody College and a professor of psychiatry at Vanderbilt University. He holds a Betts Chair at Peabody College and is the director of the Center for Evaluation and Program Improvement at Vanderbuilt University and, since 1996, he has been the Editor in Chief of Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental heath Services Research.
Dissertation: Bickman, Leonard B. (1969). The effect of the presence of others on bystander intervention in an emergency. Harold Proshanky & Stanley Milgram, Sponsors. Thesis (Ph.D.) City University of New York.
View Dr. Bickman's website here.
e: leonard.bickman@vanderbilt.edu
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Bickman is a professor of psychology and public policy of Peabody College and a professor of psychiatry at Vanderbilt University. He holds a Betts Chair at Peabody College and is the director of the Center for Evaluation and Program Improvement at Vanderbuilt University and, since 1996, he has been the Editor in Chief of Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental heath Services Research.
Dissertation: Bickman, Leonard B. (1969). The effect of the presence of others on bystander intervention in an emergency. Harold Proshanky & Stanley Milgram, Sponsors. Thesis (Ph.D.) City University of New York.
View Dr. Bickman's website here.
e: leonard.bickman@vanderbilt.edu
Nida Bikmen
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Bikmen graduated from Bogazici University, Turkey and earned her Ph.D. here at the GC. She is interested in studying issues of diversity and intergroup relations. Her research aims at identifying conditions that facilitate endorsement of diversity and multicultural groups and that prevent interpersonal and intergroup conflict. Specifically, she is interested in group identities and their consequences in terms of academic outcomes, representations of group history, intergroup attitudes, and collective action.
e: bikmenn@denison.edu
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Bikmen graduated from Bogazici University, Turkey and earned her Ph.D. here at the GC. She is interested in studying issues of diversity and intergroup relations. Her research aims at identifying conditions that facilitate endorsement of diversity and multicultural groups and that prevent interpersonal and intergroup conflict. Specifically, she is interested in group identities and their consequences in terms of academic outcomes, representations of group history, intergroup attitudes, and collective action.
e: bikmenn@denison.edu
David Bimbi
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Bimbi’s dissertation was entitled: “Beyond ‘vectors of transmission’ through commercial sex: Exploring models of sexual risk taking with clients and casual partners among Internet based male sex workers. His 2nd doctoral exam, “Male Prostitution: Pathology, Paradigms and Progress in Research,” was published in the book “Male Sex Workers: The Business of Doing Pleasure.” He and SP Alum Dr. Juline Koken, combined their dissertation data for the chapter “Male and Female Escorts: A Comparative Analyses,” in the 2nd edition of the book “Sex for Sale.” He recently completed a CDC project for transgender women, and plans to continue focusing on this population as well as transgender men. Dr. Bimbi also serves on the Board of Directors of the Pride Connections Center of NJ and is presently an Asst. Professor in Health Sciences at CUNY’s LaGuardia Community College and Faculty Affiliate at the Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST).
View Dr. Bimbi's CHEST profile here.
e: dbimbi@chestnyc.org
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Bimbi’s dissertation was entitled: “Beyond ‘vectors of transmission’ through commercial sex: Exploring models of sexual risk taking with clients and casual partners among Internet based male sex workers. His 2nd doctoral exam, “Male Prostitution: Pathology, Paradigms and Progress in Research,” was published in the book “Male Sex Workers: The Business of Doing Pleasure.” He and SP Alum Dr. Juline Koken, combined their dissertation data for the chapter “Male and Female Escorts: A Comparative Analyses,” in the 2nd edition of the book “Sex for Sale.” He recently completed a CDC project for transgender women, and plans to continue focusing on this population as well as transgender men. Dr. Bimbi also serves on the Board of Directors of the Pride Connections Center of NJ and is presently an Asst. Professor in Health Sciences at CUNY’s LaGuardia Community College and Faculty Affiliate at the Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST).View Dr. Bimbi's CHEST profile here.
e: dbimbi@chestnyc.org
Brian Cassel
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Cassel is now at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center as a Senior Analyst with the Oncology Administration.
View his center's website here.
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Cassel is now at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center as a Senior Analyst with the Oncology Administration.
View his center's website here.
Kenny Foster
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Foster was placed at Texas Women's University.
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Foster was placed at Texas Women's University.
Valerie Futch
PhD, Social-Personality Psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Valerie Futch is now a postdoctoral fellow at Youth-Nex, The University of Virginia's Center to Promote Effective Youth Development, studying adolescent identity development, youth-adult relationships in out-of-school programs, and emerging adulthood. She received her BS in Psychology from Stetson University in 2002 and her PhD in Social-Personality Psychology from The Graduate Center, City University of New York in 2011. Her dissertation documented the developmental impact of participation in a peer-education teen-theatre program called The SOURCE, located in Sarasota, FL. While at CUNY she was also an Instructional Technology Fellow, a Writing in the Disciplines (WID/WAC) Fellow, and a Graduate Teaching Fellow. She is currently involved in The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) and an active member of The Public Science Project.
For more on Valerie, view her personal website here.
e: valerie.futch@gmail.com
PhD, Social-Personality Psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterValerie Futch is now a postdoctoral fellow at Youth-Nex, The University of Virginia's Center to Promote Effective Youth Development, studying adolescent identity development, youth-adult relationships in out-of-school programs, and emerging adulthood. She received her BS in Psychology from Stetson University in 2002 and her PhD in Social-Personality Psychology from The Graduate Center, City University of New York in 2011. Her dissertation documented the developmental impact of participation in a peer-education teen-theatre program called The SOURCE, located in Sarasota, FL. While at CUNY she was also an Instructional Technology Fellow, a Writing in the Disciplines (WID/WAC) Fellow, and a Graduate Teaching Fellow. She is currently involved in The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) and an active member of The Public Science Project.
For more on Valerie, view her personal website here.
e: valerie.futch@gmail.com
Ronni Greenwood
PhD, Social-Personality Psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Greenwood is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Dundee.
PhD, Social-Personality Psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Greenwood is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Dundee.
Elizabeth Haines
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Haines graduates from the University of Delaware with an Honors in Psychology and a B.A. in English. Haines earned her Doctorate from the Graduate Center in 1999. Dr. Haines is a social and personality psychologist interested in the basic processes underlying social perception. My particular interest in social perception is when people "get it wrong" as in the case of stereotyping. racism, and sexism. Some of my current work is investigating bias against parents in the workplace, the reduction of 'implicit racism' as measured by the Implicit Association Test, working memory and physiological correlates of implicit racism, and women's self perception of power in response to a powerful role. I also have long-standing interests in nonverbal behavior, intergroup conflict, system justification, memory, gender, and social power. I work collaboratively with undergraduate students and run a social psychology lab with several students each semester.
e: hainese@wpunj.edu
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Haines graduates from the University of Delaware with an Honors in Psychology and a B.A. in English. Haines earned her Doctorate from the Graduate Center in 1999. Dr. Haines is a social and personality psychologist interested in the basic processes underlying social perception. My particular interest in social perception is when people "get it wrong" as in the case of stereotyping. racism, and sexism. Some of my current work is investigating bias against parents in the workplace, the reduction of 'implicit racism' as measured by the Implicit Association Test, working memory and physiological correlates of implicit racism, and women's self perception of power in response to a powerful role. I also have long-standing interests in nonverbal behavior, intergroup conflict, system justification, memory, gender, and social power. I work collaboratively with undergraduate students and run a social psychology lab with several students each semester.
e: hainese@wpunj.edu
Juline Koken
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Juline Koken, Ph.D., successfully defended her dissertation “Working in the Business of Pleasure: Stigma Resistance and Coping Strategies Utilized by Independent Female Escorts” on December 10th, 2008. She is presently a post-doctoral fellow in Behavioral Science Training in Drug Abuse and HIV Research at the National and Development Research Institutes (NDRI) and Public Health Solutions. Juline is also continuing her work as a Project Director at the Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST) under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Parsons and Dr. Sarit Golub. Her research interests center around the health impact of social marginalization, particularly for people who are marginalized due to their gender, sexuality, and sexual behavior, such as sex workers, transgender, gay, bisexual and lesbian individuals, and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
e: jkoken@chestnyc.org
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterJuline Koken, Ph.D., successfully defended her dissertation “Working in the Business of Pleasure: Stigma Resistance and Coping Strategies Utilized by Independent Female Escorts” on December 10th, 2008. She is presently a post-doctoral fellow in Behavioral Science Training in Drug Abuse and HIV Research at the National and Development Research Institutes (NDRI) and Public Health Solutions. Juline is also continuing her work as a Project Director at the Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST) under the direction of Dr. Jeffrey Parsons and Dr. Sarit Golub. Her research interests center around the health impact of social marginalization, particularly for people who are marginalized due to their gender, sexuality, and sexual behavior, such as sex workers, transgender, gay, bisexual and lesbian individuals, and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
e: jkoken@chestnyc.org
Sean G. Massey
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Massey's dissertation was titled "Polymorphous prejudice: Liberating the measurement of heterosexuals’ attitudes toward lesbians and gay men." He is now an Associate Professor of Women Studies at SUNY Binghamton. He is also an elected official of the Binghamton City Coucil representing the 5th district and he founded and owns a bar/restaurant in Binghamton, NY called Traquil Bar & Bistro. Dr. Massey is also the co-editor and contributing author of the forthcoming book at Peter Lang Publishers, titiled: LGBTQ Youth in Educational Contexts: Beyond Progress and Marginalization.
View Dr. Massey's Binghamton University faculty profile here.
e: smassey@binghamton.edu
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Massey's dissertation was titled "Polymorphous prejudice: Liberating the measurement of heterosexuals’ attitudes toward lesbians and gay men." He is now an Associate Professor of Women Studies at SUNY Binghamton. He is also an elected official of the Binghamton City Coucil representing the 5th district and he founded and owns a bar/restaurant in Binghamton, NY called Traquil Bar & Bistro. Dr. Massey is also the co-editor and contributing author of the forthcoming book at Peter Lang Publishers, titiled: LGBTQ Youth in Educational Contexts: Beyond Progress and Marginalization.
View Dr. Massey's Binghamton University faculty profile here.
e: smassey@binghamton.edu
Sara McClelland
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Sara McClelland is Assistant Professor of Psychology and Women’s Studies and a Post-Doctoral Scholar in the Society of Fellows at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on the links between sexual health, psychological research methods, and issues of social justice. Current research questions concern the impact that limited sexual rights and stigma have when individuals are asked to appraise the quality of their sexual lives, particularly for youth, women, and sexual minorities. She is interested in developing new methodological approaches to studying sexual health across the life span with a focus on the role of sexual entitlement – what and how much one believes is possible with the sexual domain – and how entitlement varies depending on gender, sexual orientation, and cultural contexts. She has a number of on-going studies, including research on adolescents’ development of early sexual expectations, assessment of sexual satisfaction in adults, and a systematic review of self-report measures used to study sexual quality of life in female cancer survivors.
e: saramcc@umich.edu
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Sara McClelland is Assistant Professor of Psychology and Women’s Studies and a Post-Doctoral Scholar in the Society of Fellows at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on the links between sexual health, psychological research methods, and issues of social justice. Current research questions concern the impact that limited sexual rights and stigma have when individuals are asked to appraise the quality of their sexual lives, particularly for youth, women, and sexual minorities. She is interested in developing new methodological approaches to studying sexual health across the life span with a focus on the role of sexual entitlement – what and how much one believes is possible with the sexual domain – and how entitlement varies depending on gender, sexual orientation, and cultural contexts. She has a number of on-going studies, including research on adolescents’ development of early sexual expectations, assessment of sexual satisfaction in adults, and a systematic review of self-report measures used to study sexual quality of life in female cancer survivors.
e: saramcc@umich.edu
Yasser Payne
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Payne is Assistant Professor of Black American Studies at the University of Delaware. He is interested in exploring notions of resiliency with street life oriented Black men using an unconventional methodological framework entitled: Participatory Action Research. Dr. Payne has worked on several book chapters and journal articles looking at notions of resiliency, racial identity, urban education, and participatory action research as well as co-authored a book publication entitled: Echoes of Brown: Youth Documenting and Performing the Legacy of Brown V Board of Education (Teachers College Press, 2004)0
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[Photo and bio lifted from his faculty website]
PAR Coverage Articles: 11/25, 11/22
e: ypayne@udel.edu
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Payne is Assistant Professor of Black American Studies at the University of Delaware. He is interested in exploring notions of resiliency with street life oriented Black men using an unconventional methodological framework entitled: Participatory Action Research. Dr. Payne has worked on several book chapters and journal articles looking at notions of resiliency, racial identity, urban education, and participatory action research as well as co-authored a book publication entitled: Echoes of Brown: Youth Documenting and Performing the Legacy of Brown V Board of Education (Teachers College Press, 2004)0
.
[Photo and bio lifted from his faculty website]
PAR Coverage Articles: 11/25, 11/22
e: ypayne@udel.edu
Krystal Perkins
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Bio coming soon...
Dissertation Title: "Acceptance of injustice among African Americans as a function of ideology and social comparison processes"
e: KPerkins@gc.cuny.edu
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterBio coming soon...
Dissertation Title: "Acceptance of injustice among African Americans as a function of ideology and social comparison processes"
e: KPerkins@gc.cuny.edu
Eric M. Rodriguez
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Rodriguez received his Bachelor’s degree in psychology Magna Cum Laude from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he also minored in anthropology. He received his Master’s degrees and Ph.D. in Social/Personality Psychology from the City University of New York Graduate Center, where his dissertation was titled “At the intersection of church and gay: Religion, spirituality, conflict and integration in gay, lesbian and bisexual people of faith.” Dr. Rodriguez received additional training as a data manager, data analyst and project director at Winthrop University Hospital, the National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. (NDRI), and the Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST). While he worked as an HIV/AIDS activist and leader in NYC for the past twelve years, Dr. Rodriguez is currently employed as an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Social Science Department at the New York City College of Technology (City Tech, CUNY). Drawing on his ongoing interest in the Psychology of Religion, Dr. Rodriguez’s current research builds upon his dissertation work and focuses on the concepts of identity conflict and identity integration as they relate to issues of sexual orientation, spirituality, political ideation, individual empowerment, and the “Big Five” personality factors.
View Dr. Rodriguez' City Tech faculty profile here.
e: erodriguez@citytech.cuny.edu
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Rodriguez received his Bachelor’s degree in psychology Magna Cum Laude from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he also minored in anthropology. He received his Master’s degrees and Ph.D. in Social/Personality Psychology from the City University of New York Graduate Center, where his dissertation was titled “At the intersection of church and gay: Religion, spirituality, conflict and integration in gay, lesbian and bisexual people of faith.” Dr. Rodriguez received additional training as a data manager, data analyst and project director at Winthrop University Hospital, the National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. (NDRI), and the Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST). While he worked as an HIV/AIDS activist and leader in NYC for the past twelve years, Dr. Rodriguez is currently employed as an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Social Science Department at the New York City College of Technology (City Tech, CUNY). Drawing on his ongoing interest in the Psychology of Religion, Dr. Rodriguez’s current research builds upon his dissertation work and focuses on the concepts of identity conflict and identity integration as they relate to issues of sexual orientation, spirituality, political ideation, individual empowerment, and the “Big Five” personality factors.
View Dr. Rodriguez' City Tech faculty profile here.
e: erodriguez@citytech.cuny.edu
Eric W. Schrimshaw
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Schrimshaw is now an Assistant Professor of Sociomedical Sciences in the Center for the Psychosocial Study of Health & Illness at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University. Dr. Schrimshaw’s work focuses on the role of interpersonal factors on health and well-being. Much of this work, including his dissertation, has examined the beneficial role of supportive relationships and the negative impact of conflict and rejection on various health outcomes among stigmatized populations. More recently, Dr. Schrimshaw’s work has addressed the health implications of the non-disclosure of stigmatized identities. Specifically, his work has documented the negative health implications that a lack of disclosure can have for mental health, substance use, and sexual risk behavior.
e: es458@columbia.edu
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Schrimshaw is now an Assistant Professor of Sociomedical Sciences in the Center for the Psychosocial Study of Health & Illness at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University. Dr. Schrimshaw’s work focuses on the role of interpersonal factors on health and well-being. Much of this work, including his dissertation, has examined the beneficial role of supportive relationships and the negative impact of conflict and rejection on various health outcomes among stigmatized populations. More recently, Dr. Schrimshaw’s work has addressed the health implications of the non-disclosure of stigmatized identities. Specifically, his work has documented the negative health implications that a lack of disclosure can have for mental health, substance use, and sexual risk behavior.
e: es458@columbia.edu
Jana Sladkova
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Sladkova is an Assistant Professor at UMass, Lowell in the Psychology Department. She graduated from the GC in 2007 and has published her dissertation: "Journeys of Undocumented Honduran Migrants to the United States" (LFB Scholarly Publishing, August 2010).
e: Jana_Sladkova@uml.edu
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Sladkova is an Assistant Professor at UMass, Lowell in the Psychology Department. She graduated from the GC in 2007 and has published her dissertation: "Journeys of Undocumented Honduran Migrants to the United States" (LFB Scholarly Publishing, August 2010).
e: Jana_Sladkova@uml.edu
Harold Takooshian
PhD, Social-Personality Psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Takooshian graduated from the SP program in 1979. His dissertations was on helping behavior as a social indicator (Stanley Milgram, mentor). He is now a professor of Psychology & Urban Studies at Fordham University, Director of the Organizational Leadership program, and is chair of the NY Committee of SPSSI--the Society for Psychological Study of Social Issues. Like most SP alumni in his cohort, he has great memories working with inspired and inspiring professors whose peerless teaching matched their research, and who put aside their own full plates each Wednesday at noon to join their students at the weekly colloquium. He worked with professors Milgram, Denmark, Bard, Dohrenwend, Messick, Borgatta.
View Dr. Takooshian's faculty website at Fordham here.
e: takoosh@aol.com
PhD, Social-Personality Psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Takooshian graduated from the SP program in 1979. His dissertations was on helping behavior as a social indicator (Stanley Milgram, mentor). He is now a professor of Psychology & Urban Studies at Fordham University, Director of the Organizational Leadership program, and is chair of the NY Committee of SPSSI--the Society for Psychological Study of Social Issues. Like most SP alumni in his cohort, he has great memories working with inspired and inspiring professors whose peerless teaching matched their research, and who put aside their own full plates each Wednesday at noon to join their students at the weekly colloquium. He worked with professors Milgram, Denmark, Bard, Dohrenwend, Messick, Borgatta.
View Dr. Takooshian's faculty website at Fordham here.
e: takoosh@aol.com
Julia C. Tomassilli
PhD, Social-Personality Psychology, CUNY Graduate Cetner
Dr. Tomassilli's dissertation was titled “Navigating sexuality in the stigmatized context of HIV/AIDS: A study of HIV positive men and women in New York City” which which focused on the unique way in which HIV stigma is linked to HIV-positive individuals’ sexuality and can therefore have a negative effect on their psychosexual well-being. Further, Dr. Tomassilli's dissertation explored the way the relationship between HIV stigma and psychosexual well-being impacts individuals’ general psychological well-being. Her research interests focus on sexual stigma, examining the ways in which people are stigmatized for their sexual identity, orientation, and behavior, and other sexuality related issues (e.g., STIs), and how that stigmatization affects their psychosexual well-being. Julia currently still works for the Center for HIV Educational Studies and Training as a project director conducting research on HIV risk behavior, substance use, and sexuality.
e: jtomassilli@chestnyc.org
PhD, Social-Personality Psychology, CUNY Graduate Cetner Dr. Tomassilli's dissertation was titled “Navigating sexuality in the stigmatized context of HIV/AIDS: A study of HIV positive men and women in New York City” which which focused on the unique way in which HIV stigma is linked to HIV-positive individuals’ sexuality and can therefore have a negative effect on their psychosexual well-being. Further, Dr. Tomassilli's dissertation explored the way the relationship between HIV stigma and psychosexual well-being impacts individuals’ general psychological well-being. Her research interests focus on sexual stigma, examining the ways in which people are stigmatized for their sexual identity, orientation, and behavior, and other sexuality related issues (e.g., STIs), and how that stigmatization affects their psychosexual well-being. Julia currently still works for the Center for HIV Educational Studies and Training as a project director conducting research on HIV risk behavior, substance use, and sexuality.
e: jtomassilli@chestnyc.org
Rafael A. Torruella
PhD, Social-Personality Psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
Dr. Torruella is interested in the lives of injecting drug users who are relocated from Puerto Rico to the United States for drug treatment. He studies the social and political context that influences this migration and its effect on people who use drugs. The title of his dissertation was "¿Allá en Nueva York Todo es Mejor?: A Qualitative Study on the Relocation of Drug Users from Puerto Rico to the United States"
e: rafi8@yahoo.com
PhD, Social-Personality Psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterDr. Torruella is interested in the lives of injecting drug users who are relocated from Puerto Rico to the United States for drug treatment. He studies the social and political context that influences this migration and its effect on people who use drugs. The title of his dissertation was "¿Allá en Nueva York Todo es Mejor?: A Qualitative Study on the Relocation of Drug Users from Puerto Rico to the United States"
e: rafi8@yahoo.com
Corina Lelutiu-Weinberger
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate Center
As a doctoral student, Dr. Wienberger developed research blending traditions of human development and social theory. Dr. Wienberger’s work at the Graduate Center advocated for change towards alternative pedagogies that can potentially empower students. Her master’s thesis inquired about emerging systems of education in post-communist Romania that fostered student independent thinking in the new “democratic” political climate. In her dissertation, Corina examined the outcomes of student curriculum design and advocated for student official participation in their own education. The students were New York City public school youth of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Her findings were in favor of incorporating a priori youth concepts into formal curriculum, given their importance and critical outlook on adult-created curricula. Consequently, Corina outlined the specifications of an alternative pedagogy of ‘permeability’ that has the potential to foster diversity and more efficient learning. She now works as Project Director for the Young Men’s Health Project (YMHP) at the Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST).
e: cweinberger@chestnyc.org
PhD, Social-Personality psychology, CUNY Graduate CenterAs a doctoral student, Dr. Wienberger developed research blending traditions of human development and social theory. Dr. Wienberger’s work at the Graduate Center advocated for change towards alternative pedagogies that can potentially empower students. Her master’s thesis inquired about emerging systems of education in post-communist Romania that fostered student independent thinking in the new “democratic” political climate. In her dissertation, Corina examined the outcomes of student curriculum design and advocated for student official participation in their own education. The students were New York City public school youth of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Her findings were in favor of incorporating a priori youth concepts into formal curriculum, given their importance and critical outlook on adult-created curricula. Consequently, Corina outlined the specifications of an alternative pedagogy of ‘permeability’ that has the potential to foster diversity and more efficient learning. She now works as Project Director for the Young Men’s Health Project (YMHP) at the Center for HIV/AIDS Educational Studies and Training (CHEST).
e: cweinberger@chestnyc.org