Incoming PhD Students

Taneyea Cooley

I am interested in exploring stress reactions in adolescents and young adults to better understand responses to high-demand environments and/or therapeutic treatment modalities.

Phoenix, Arizona is my home

Nicholas Cummings

My research interests center on ADHD, including long-term outcomes, evidence-based interventions, and common comorbidities. I am especially interested in strategies that improve functioning, well-being, and quality of life across the lifespan.

Beyond my research interests, my life is centered on my wife, Kaitlyn. Home for me is wherever she is, and her support, encouragement, and belief in me have been a constant source of strength throughout my academic and professional journey. I feel incredibly fortunate to share my life with her. 

Hannah Garbutt

My research interests lie at the intersection of climate justice, Indigenous health and well-being, and environmental social work, with particular attention to how colonialism, structural violence, and gender shape experiences of climate change. I aim to use decolonial, intersectional, and community-based approaches to support Indigenous sovereignty and inform more just environmental policies.

I grew up moving back and forth between the United States and Abu Dhabi, UAE, so I consider both places home.

Kuei-Yun Jih

My research focuses on developing Indigenous-led child welfare systems grounded in community healing. Drawing on decolonial frameworks and community-based participatory approaches, I plan to examine how welfare governance can be co-created with Indigenous communities to advance Indigenous sovereignty.

I consider both Saisiyat Nation and Taiwan as my homes.

Joungmin Lee

My research examines how extreme weather deepens vulnerability among populations facing energy poverty and housing insecurity.

Home means Seoul, South Korea, to me where I grew up.

Yuki Tanaka

My research investigates higher education support for youth with foster care or other out-of-home care backgrounds. I aim to build an evidence base for existing Campus-Based Support Programs to inform their future development and expansion into new regions.

I consider Nagasaki, Japan, as my home.

Ruotong Zhen

My research interests focus on leveraging data science to empower child welfare systems. I am dedicated to using data-driven insights to inform child welfare policies and practices, thereby improving the well-being of children and families and promoting more equitable outcomes.

China is my home country.