Congratulations to Eyram Bossiade, Isabel Bravo, Elizabeth Kim, Erin Robinson, and Margret Wong for receiving Honorable Mentions for the 2021 J. Steven Reznick Diversity and Psychological Research Grant.
The J. Steven Reznick Diversity and Psychological Research Grant honors Dr. Reznick, a close friend and colleague in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. He earned his B.A. in Psychology from UNC Chapel Hill, M.A. from Wake Forest University, and Ph.D. from University of Colorado. He was a proud alumnus of UNC Chapel Hill and served on our faculty from 1998 until his death in 2016. Dr. Reznick made many contributions to enriching diversity in student experiences at UNC Chapel Hill and we thank him for his lifelong commitment to education, research, and Carolina. The Reznick Research Fund honors Dr. Reznick and encourages undergraduate students who conduct exemplary research on topics of concern to diverse populations as well as undergraduates from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in psychological research.
Eyram is a second-year Psychology major who works with Dr. Stacey Daughters. He is studying the impact of early traumatic experiences on distress tolerance among individuals with substance use disorders, with a particular emphasis on communities of color.
Isabel is a fourth-year Neuroscience/Biology double major who works with Dr. Zoe McElligot in the Department of Psychiatry. Her research focuses on mapping the brain systems with heightened responsivity to morphine challenge in male and female animals, with the hopes of discovering the underlying differences that accompany vulnerability to drug use relapse.
Elizabeth is a second-year student at UNC. She is interested in conducting research that specifically focuses on links between Islamophobia and the well-being of Muslim American communities, especially amidst the current political climate and the intragroup perceptions of mental illness.
Erin is a third-year Neuroscience major. Through her research, she hopes to gain a better understanding of how racial implicit biases affect the visual pathways of the brain, which could impact how criminal trials are prosecuted and past offenses are reevaluated.
Margaret is a second year Neuroscience/Media & Journalism double major. Her research tests competing solutions to address the portrayal of Black people in the media that leads to unwarranted negative stereotypes of Black individuals.