Our Current Graduate Students
Ayse Duygu Cakirsoy-Aslan
Ayse is from Istanbul, Turkey. She received her bachelor of arts in psychology and her master of developmental psychology from Koc University in Turkey. Her advisor is Dr. Matthew Mulvaney. Ayse’s research interests are in predictors of control of women’s bodies and sexuality, conceptions of honor and attitudes towards honor and honor-related violence in Turkish cultural context. Her advisor is Dr. Matthew Mulvaney.
Email: adcakirs@syr.edu
Aida Abolhassani
Aida is originally from Iran, Tehran. She received her bachelor in microbiology and masters of science in family counseling from Beheshti University, also she had one semester experience in guidance and counseling in University of Putra Malaysia. In addition she worked as a counselor with the approach of cognitive behavior therapy and schema therapy about 5 years in Iran. Her advisor is Dr. Jaipaul Roopnarine and her research interest are in children’s play/parent-child relationship and child development in cross-cultural contexts, and the effects of parental behavior on child development.
Email: aabolhas@syr.edu
Corinne Blake
Corinne is from Gardner, Massachusetts. She received her bachelor of sociology from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and her master of social work from Simmons College. Her advisor is Dr. Jaipaul Roopnarine. Her research interests include cross-cultural study of early childhood, sibling relationships, parent-child relationships, and early childhood education.
Email: coblake@syr.edu
Kristen Davis
Kristen is from Syracuse, New York. She is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in biology, master’s degree in Nutrition Science and completed a Dietetic Internship at Syracuse University. She has worked locally at Golisano Children’s Hospital providing nutrition care for children with genetic disorders, physical and developmental disabilities as well as in private practice and as an adjunct instructor of nutrition for Syracuse University and Utica University. Kristen’s advisor is Dr. Kamala Ramadoss. Her research interests include the influences on the development of health-related behaviors in children from a socioecological perspective.
Email: kljohn03@syr.edu
Xiaoyu Fu
Xiaoyu is from Jiangxi, China. She received her bachelor of science in international studies from Renmin University of China, and her master of arts in public administration from Northeastern University. Her advisor is Dr. Merril Silverstein. Fu’s research interests are in parenting, parent-child relationship, early childhood education, and children’s school achievement.
Email: xfu104@syr.edu
Bo Jian
Bo Jian is from Beijing, China. She received her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Inner Mongolia Normal University and her Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development from University of Pennsylvania. Her advisor is Dr. Matthew Mulvaney. Bo’s research interests are social-emotional development and cognitive development, in particular, empathy across cultures in different societies.
Email: jbo100@syr.edu
Linghua Jiang
Linghua Jiang is from Fujian, China. She received her bachelor in tourism management from Sun Yat-sen University in China and her master of science in educational psychology from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her advisor is Dr. Sara Vasilenko. Her research focuses on understanding how contextual risk and protective factors affect the scio-emotional development, problem behavior and mental health in children and adolescents. In particular, she is interested in exploring the trajectories of adverse childhood experiences and positive childhood experiences and adolescent depression.
Email: ljiang04@syr.edu
Keshari Kharka
Keshari Kharka is originally from Nepal. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Lemoyne College, and a Master’s in Social Work from Binghamton University. Keshari is a Licensed Medical Social Worker at Upstate University Hospital and is experienced working with children and families as a community-based care manager. She has served as the president of the Bhutanese Community in Syracuse (a non-profit agency established in 2008) and is currently a member of the Onondaga County Post Trauma Response Team (PTRT). Keshari’s advisor is Dr. Sara Vasilenko. Research interests include Mental Health among refugees/immigrant adults in America, and childhood traumas in adulthood.
Email: kekharka@syr.edu
Rachel Linsner
Rachel is from Clifton Springs, NY. She received her bachelor of science in Human Development from Cornell University. Her advisor is Dr. Matthew Mulvaney. Rachel’s research interests are in military families and children, child and family policies, family processes and child outcomes, and family/parenting stress.
Email: rklinsne@syr.edu
Qingyang Liu
Qingyang is from Guangzhou, China. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from San Francisco State University, Bachelor of Science in applied psychology from Guangzhou Medical University, and a Master of Science in Educational Psychology and Methodology from the University at Albany, SUNY. Her advisor is Dr. Rachel Razza. Qingyang focuses on longitudinal associations between early life contexts (e.g., poverty, family process, parenting) and the developmental trajectories of self-regulation within cognitive, social, and emotional domains from early childhood to adolescence. Her research intends to translate research into policy initiatives that support children’s regulatory skills within underserviced communities.
Email: qliu08@syr.edu
Kirstin Lyons
Kirstin Lyons, RD is from the Onondaga Nation reservation in Nedrow, NY. She received her Bachelor of Science in nutrition with a minor in psychology from Syracuse University and a Master of Public Health from SUNY Upstate Medical University. Her advisor is Dr. Sara Vasilenko. Kirstin’s research interests include how the home environment, culture and the world’s current state of affairs impacts child health. Her other interests include early childhood education as well as value and outcomes of school nutrition programs.
Email: kllyon01@syr.edu
Terese Millet Joseph
Terese Millet Joseph is from the island of Antigua, in the Eastern Caribbean. She has a Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of Havana in Cuba, a Master of Arts in linguistics and literary studies from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium, and a Master of Science in counseling psychology with an emphasis on marriage and family from the University of the Southern Caribbean in Trinidad. Her advisor is Dr. Ambika Krishnakumar. Her research interests include Parental Ethnic-Racial Socialization, Ethnic-Racial Identity, Minority Stress, Africana Studies, Latin American & Caribbean Studies, and Trauma.
Email: tsmillet@syr.edu
Juliet Nadeau
Juliet is originally from Boston, Massachusetts. She received her Bachelor of Science in Inclusive Early Childhood and Special Education, also from Syracuse! She is back again to pursue her Master of Arts in Applied Human Development and Family Science. Her advisor is Dr. Rachel Razza. Juliet’s passions are early childhood and inclusive education, as well as socio-emotional development. Her interests also include juvenile justice reform and developing programs and tools to help children in need, and more!
Email: jfnadeau@syr.edu
Morgan Parella
Morgan is from Syracuse, New York. She received her bachelors from University at Buffalo in psychology and health and human services with a minor in counseling and her master’s in mental health counseling from Cazenovia College. Her advisor is Dr. Jaipaul Roopnarine. Morgan’s research interests include children with chronic illnesses in long term care facilities and their families and children’s play/recreation in reducing anxiety within these families.“
Email: maparell@syr.edu
Caitlin Smith
Caitlin is originally from Coventry, RI. She received her bachelor of arts in political science, international education and human rights from the University of Connecticut and master of arts in teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education. Her advisor is Dr. Rachel Razza. Caitlin’s research interests include effects of family systems on child health, nutritional access within schools and neighborhoods, gender, race and socioeconomic disparities in family health, and early childhood education.
Email: csmith68@syr.edu
Rui Tian
Rui Tian is from Beijing, China. She received her bachelor of science in psychology from Beijing Forestry University and her master of arts in marriage and family therapy from Syracuse University. Her advisor is Dr. Kamala Ramadoss. Rui’s research interests are work-family related issues including gender equality, work-family and well-being in cross-culture context.
Email: rtian100@syr.edu
Wusirige
Wusirige is from Beijing, China. She received her Bachelor of Art in Chinese Language and Literature and Master of Education in Developmental and Educational Psychology from Capital Normal University. Her advisor is Dr. Jaipaul Roopnarine, and her research interests are in parenting, parent-child relationships (especially in fathers) and child development in cross-cultural contexts.
Email: swu194@syr.edu
Ying Xu
Ying Xu is originally from Jiangxi, China and lives in Beijing. She received her bachelor in english from the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing and her master of arts in human development and family science from Syracuse University. She used to work at an American NGO providing educational, emotional, rehab and other intervention services to orphans, left-behind and immigrant children in China for 11 years. Her advisor is Dr. Merril Silverstein. Ying Xu’s research interests are in individual trauma especially for women and children, and parenting for reverse-pyramid families in China.
Email: yxu136@syr.edu