Gina Ristani, a first-year graduate student in the psychological foundations of education program in the Department of Educational Psychology, has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) internship for summer 2021.

Ristani will be conducting a research project exploring cultural diversity awareness for gender, race, and ethnicity in science technology engineering and math (STEM). Her work will focus on faculty mentors and undergraduate engineering students in the ATP-Bio Engineering Research Center being led by faculty at the University of Minnesota.

Keisha Varma is Ristani’s adviser and an associate professor and program coordinator in the psychological foundations of education program. Dr. Varma says the project will provide critical information about STEM mentorship.

“Findings from Gina’s research will help advance the ways we support to mentors, so they can provide culturally responsive mentorship and create mentoring spaces and experiences that are equitable and inclusive.”