Director
Masters Student
Erika Garza
Erika Garza is a second-year graduate student in the Experimental Psychology program. Erika earned her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Spanish Translations and Interpreting at UTRGV. Erika was born and raised in Brownsville, Texas, where she still resides. Her career goal is to conduct research in juvenile delinquency and work with at-risk children, especially with those who have English as their second language. Some of her hobbies include reading, running, and spending time with her family.
Undergraduate Students
Mayra Gutierrez
Mayra Gutierrez is an undergraduate student in the Bilingual, Language, and Cognition program. Mayra Gutierrez is earning her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Spanish Healthcare at UTRGV. Mayra was born and raised in Edinburg, Texas. Mayra's career goal is to obtain a medical degree and apply her research background and knowledge to work in the healthcare field as a physician in the Rio Grande Valley. Some of her hobbies include reading,
making bead bracelets, and discovering delicious snack
recipes.
making bead bracelets, and discovering delicious snack
recipes.
Clarissa Lerma (Lab manager)
Clarissa Lerma is a senior undergraduate student in the Psychology Department. She was born and raised in Mission, Texas and her long-term career goal is to attain a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Some of her hobbies include reading, swimming, and traveling.
Emily Pitones
Emily Pitones is a third-year undergraduate student in the Biology Department. She was born and raised in Pharr, Texas. Her long-term goal is to attain an MD Degree to be an Anesthesiologist later on in the future. Some of her hobbies include listening to a variety of music genres, reading, and collecting music albums.
Ian Mata Garza
Ian Mata is a senior-year undergraduate in The Fine and Liberal Arts Department. While taking music education, he practices classical and jazz guitar at UTRGV. Ian was born in Mexico but raised in Edinburg Texas, and he is set on getting a master's or a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Ian would love to help others who are struggling with mental health issues or help people learn various styles of guitar technique. His hobbies are watching Television, singing, guitar, cooking, and playing Magic the Gathering with his friends.
Rafael Prieto
Rafael Prieto is a fourth-year undergraduate student in the Bilingual, Language, and Cognition program. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science Biological Sciences with a minor in Psychology & Chemistry at UTRGV. Rafael spent most of his infancy in McAllen, Texas and still lives there. His career goal is to pursue an MD for Neurology, and use their background to work in research for either the private sector or the government. Some of his hobbies include reading, shoe restoration, & coin collecting.
Evangellyna Tamez
Evangellyna was born and raised in McAllen, Texas. She will earn her Bachelor of Science in Psychology at UTRGV. Her career goal is to attain a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and apply her research and general background to work in a clinical environment to help those who struggle with their mental wellbeing. Some of her hobbies include reading, listening to music, and cleaning.
Alumni
Carolina Alvarez (currently Ph.D. student, Boston College)
Carolina earned a BA in Psychology and an MA in Experimental Psychology from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Developmental Psychology at Boston College where she is conducting research on numerical cognition across the lifespan, with the goal of shedding light on why certain individuals struggle with abstract numerical concepts. She is working on projects that aim to contribute to the development of interventions that can facilitate math
learning in children, determine whether individual
differences in the way individuals process numbers is
associated with math performance, and identify external
factors that are predictive of math difficulties.
learning in children, determine whether individual
differences in the way individuals process numbers is
associated with math performance, and identify external
factors that are predictive of math difficulties.
Francisco J. Sierra (currently Ph.D. student, University of Texas at Dallas)
Frank started his PhD in cognitive neuroscience at The University of Texas at Dallas in 2022. His current work involves looking at the relations between structural gray matter, working memory, and learning. He is currently learning how to utilize the MATLAB platform, and how to use transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). He got his masters in experimental psychology at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, under the supervision of Dr. Lin,
and conducted a study examining the relations among
degree of bilingualism, divided attention, and age.
and conducted a study examining the relations among
degree of bilingualism, divided attention, and age.