UCLA assistant psychology professors Gerardo Ramirez and Jennifer Silvers have been named 2016 Rising Stars by the Association for Psychological Science.
That designation is presented to outstanding psychological scientists in the earliest stages of their research careers post-Ph.D. Their innovative work has already advanced the field and signals great potential for their continued contributions.
Ramirez's work focuses on the causes and consequences of academic struggle, especially in mathematics, and interventions that leverage students’ challenges to improve their success. Using both laboratory and classroom field research, the UCLA assistant professor provides a comprehensive understanding of how affective and motivational factors interact with cognitive constructs, such as working memory. His work has been published in scientific journals, including the Journal of Cognition and Development in 2013 and Science in 2011.
Silvers’ research seeks to understand how and why significant emotional and social change occurs throughout childhood and adolescence. Her research is performed at multiple levels of analysis and involves the use of behavioral, physiological and neuroimaging measures. As principle investigator with UCLA's Social Affective Neuroscience and Development lab, Silvers is specifically interested in how individuals regulate themselves in the face of appetitive urges and negative emotions, as well as how social influences, such as friends and parents, impact an individual's regulatory ability. Her work has been extensively published in scientific journals, including the Journal of Neuroscience in 2016, Developmental Science in 2015, and Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience in 2015.
The association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of scientific psychology and its representation at the national and international level. With approximately 33,000 members, it represents leading psychological scientists, academics, clinicians, researchers, teachers and administrators.
