People

Danny Rahal is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department and an affiliate of the interdisciplinary Global and Community Health Program. Dr. Rahal completed his undergraduate training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in psychology and biochemistry under the mentorship of Drs. Beth Kurtz-Costes and Vanessa Volpe (currently at NC State University). He received additional training from Dr. Stephen Porges’ lab, primarily under Dr. Greg Lewis. Dr. Rahal then completed his doctorate in developmental psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles under the mentorship of Drs. Andrew Fuligni and Theodore Robles with support from a NIDA NRSA F31, and then completed his postdoctoral training at The Pennsylvania State University as part of the Prevention and Methodology Training Program. His research is broadly focused on understanding the daily experiences of racially and socioeconomically diverse youth throughout development. He employs psychobiological measures to examine how marginalization, with respect to being treated as and feeling of lower status, can negatively impact on health, with a focus on alterations in stress processes as one pathway. CV

Katelyn is a 1st year studying Cognitive Science major at UCSC. Their research interests center around how social and cultural factors influence an individual’s mental and physical health. They hope to apply their research interests to developing equitable artificial intelligence after their undergraduate education. On the side, Katelyn enjoys fencing, reading, and trying new foods (the crazier the better). 

Kyle is a 3rd year student at UCSC studying Neuroscience. His primary research interests with the lab include understanding how various factors in underserved communities influence an individual’s susceptibility to physiological risks. His curiosity lies with the brain and all aspects that surround it. In addition, his passions also extend to advancing equity, diversity, and accessibility in health. Currently, he also is a developmental neurobiology research assistant where he aims to understand the mechanisms behind neuronal stem cell differentiation and proliferation. Through his research, interests, and passions, he aims to be a representative figure for those that come from low socioeconomic backgrounds similar to his own. Outside of school, Kyle enjoys watching and playing sports, hiking, attending concerts, and exploring new places.

Narissa is a second-year student studying Psychology and Legal Studies. Her primary research interests are within the field of psychology and law. She wants to explore not just why people commit crime, but how they are affected by the penal system, such as the psychological effects of solitary confinement. Although there are many directions within the subfield she finds interesting, she particularly wants to work with female prisoner populations, a demographic she finds to be underrepresented in the field and societal conversation. She wants to help in the crucial fight for the expansion of psychological data’s presence in the legal system with her future work and plans to pursue a Ph.D. after graduation. Outside of school, Narissa loves reading, thrifting, listening to music, and going on adventures, both in nature and around downtown Santa Cruz.

Vincent is a 1st year proposed Cognitive Science major at UCSC. He currently hope to work in psychotherapy after his undergraduate education. Aside from his academics, Vincent’s greatest passions and primary pastimes include singing (both for fun and with his a cappella group), writing poetry, and taking forest hikes. He would even be interested to see how his personal future goals in research may intertwine with his interests in cognitive psychology and music.

Violet is a 4th year student at UCLA studying Psychobiology. Her primary research interests include how the diverse impact of social and cultural factors can affect the psychological/emotional wellness and psychobiological systems of an individual. She uses this curiosity to push her to be a better healthcare worker in the future, seeing the well-being of the individual to be more than their physical symptoms, but understanding the holistic impact their their development and social influences. Currently, she is pursuing the physician assistant pathway and is passionate about healthcare accessibility through the intersectionality between medicine and design. Outside of school, Violet enjoys traveling around and trying new foods in Los Angeles, playing tennis, designing graphics, and pursuing photography.

Zahara is a fourth year student at UCSC studying psychology. Her primary area of interest within the field of psychology is development. In the lab, her interests surround understanding the impact of psychological processes on adolescents in terms of their physiological responses and development. Her affinity for developmental psychology inspires her to pursue getting a PhD after she graduates with the hopes of continuing research on infant and adolescent development. Outside of school she enjoys creative journaling, watching hockey (go Penguins!), collecting Jellycats, and her job as an after school teacher for a local elementary school.

Armaan Singh

Medical Student at Boston University