Congratulations to Yesenia Aguilar Silvan for receiving the 2026 Dena Chertoff Graduate Student Service Award
Yesenia Aguilar Silvan (Clinical Area) for received the 2026 Dena Chertoff Graduate Student Service Award. Established in 2009 to honor Dena Chertoff (who served as graduate advisor for 38 years), this departmental award honors graduate students who have made outstanding contributions to the overall well-being of the students, faculty, and staff in the department.
Congratulations to Kevin Tan for receiving the 2026 Joseph A. Gengerelli Distinguished Dissertation Award
Kevin Tan (Social and Affective Neuroscience Area) received the 2026 Joseph A. Gengerelli Distinguished Dissertation Award for having the most outstanding dissertation in our department this year. This award honors Professor Gengerelli, who is remembered for his teaching, guidance of students, innovative research, and departmental leadership.
Congratulations to Tyrus Korecki for being selected by the Pritzker Committee for Excellence to receive the seventh annual Pritzker Graduate Scholar Award
Tyrus Korecki (Health Area) was selected by the Pritzker Committee for Excellence to receive the seventh annual Pritzker Graduate Scholar Award. The Pritzker Graduate Scholar Award is intended to support graduate students in the Department of Psychology who demonstrate excellence in the conduct of psychological science with the potential for high public impact.
Congratulations to Leah Cha and Tyrus Korecki for receiving Honorable Mention accolades for the Health Psychology Graduate Research Award
Leah Cha (Health Area) and Tyrus Korecki (Health Area) for received Honorable Mention accolades for the Health Psychology (Division 38 of the American Psychological Association) Graduate Student Research Award.
Congratulations to Robin Blades for receiving a Society for Health Psychology Graduate Student Research Award.
Robin Blades (Health Area) received a Society for Health Psychology (Division 38 of the American Psychological Association) Graduate Student Research Award.
Congratulations to the following Clinical Area Award recipients
Michelle Chang: Senior Clinical Scientist Award Melanie Dratva: Stanley Sue Distinguished Research Award Chris Machle: Clinical Scientist Award Kaitlin McManus: Charles Y. Nakamura Research, Teaching, and Mentorship Award Rddhi Moodliar: Senior Clinical Scientist Award Haley Wang: Michael J. Goldstein Distinguished Dissertation AwardCongratulations to Louisa Lyu , Lisa Shen ,and April Su for receiving Liu Yunghuo Bei Qui Memorial Awards
Louisa Lyu (SAN Area), Lisa Shen (SAN Area),and April Su (Developmental Area) received the Liu Yunghuo Bei Qui Memorial Awards.
Congratulations to Heather and Lisa Shen for receiving Clara Leplin & Beatrice Rasof Awards
Congratulations to Heather Jensen (SAN Area) and Lisa Shen (SAN Area) for received the Clara Leplin & Beatrice Rasof Awards.
Congratulations to Erin Morrow for receiving the Atamdede Award
Erin Morrow (Cognitive Area) for received the Atamdede Award.
Congratulations to Ashley Flores for receiving the Monica Salinas Scholarship Award in Latino Mental Health and Research
Ashley Flores (Clinical Area) for received the Monica Salinas Scholarship Award in Latino Mental Health and Research.
Congratulations to Rocio Burgos-Calvillo for being selected to participate in the Collegium of University Teaching Fellows (CUTF) program.
Rocio Burgos-Calvillo (Developmental Area) was selected to participate in the Collegium of University Teaching Fellows (CUTF) program. Rocio’s proposal for an undergraduate course titled “Culture, Psychology, and the College Experience” has been approved for funding.
Congratulations to the following11 graduate students for receiving a Graduate Research Mentorship (GRM) Award, which is designed to assist doctoral students in acquiring and developing advanced research skills under faculty mentorship
| Name | Area |
| Blandl, Flora | SAN |
| Cheng, Yuhan | Clinical |
| Goldberg, Esther | Cognitive |
| Jensen, Heather | SAN |
| Kang, Jee Won Diane | Clinical |
| Liu, Shiyin | Clinical |
| Naclerio, Maria | SAN |
| Pratt, Julia | BNS |
| Pratt, Sam | SAN |
| Smith, Molly | Social |
| Su, April Chi Jiun | Developmental |
Highlighting Faculty Member Zili Liu
Why does the world look the way it does? We experience vision as direct contact with reality. The world appears to be “there,” fully formed in front of us. Yet from the perspective of the brain, perception is an extraordinarily difficult problem. The retinal image is only two-dimensional (2D), incomplete, and fundamentally ambiguous. Many different 3D worlds could produce the same image projected onto the retina. And yet, almost effortlessly, we perceive a stable and coherent reality. My research asks how the brain accomplishes this.
Congratulations to the following graduate students for receiving a 2026–2027 Dissertation Year Award (DYA) from the Division of Graduate Education
The below graduate students received a 2026–2027 Dissertation Year Award (DYA) from the Division of Graduate Education. Robin Blades, Health & SAN Areas Ashley Chen, Cognitive Area Kiante Fernandez, Cognitive Area Bear Goldstein, SAN Area Amber Hopkins, Cognitive Area Andrew Lee, Cognitive Area Clare McCann, Developmental Area Thomas McGee, Cognitive Area Kaitlin McManus, Clinical Area Erin Morrow, Cognitive AreaCongratulations to our graduate students who received honorable mention accolades for the 2026 NSF GRFP
The below students received honorable mention accolades for the 2026 NSF GRFP. Esha Dadbhawala – SAN Area Ashley Humphries – SAN AreaCongratulations to our 2026 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Recipients.
The below students were accepted to the 2026 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). Iva Dujmic – SAN Area, incoming student Julia Pratt – BNS Area Samuel Pratt – SAN Area Wendy Qi – Developmental Area April Su – Developmental Area Jojo Widi – Cognitive AreaCongratulations to Ashley Chen for being selected as a member of the 2026 cohort of the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society through UCLA’s chapter.
Ashley Chen (Cognitive Area) was selected as a member of the 2026 cohort of the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society through UCLA’s chapter. Named for the first self-identified African American to earn a doctorate from an American university, the society seeks to develop a network of preeminent scholars who exemplify academic and personal excellence, foster environments of support, and serve as examples of scholarship, leadership, character, service, and advocacy for students in the academy.
Congratulations to Manuel Ramirez for receiving the HIV and Sexual Health Special Interest Group Outstanding Student Paper Award
Manuel Ramirez (Health Area) received the HIV and Sexual Health Special Interest Group Outstanding Student Paper Award from the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) for his paper titled “Does activism buffer against the negative effects of discrimination on distress and alcohol use?,” which he will present at the upcoming SBM Annual Meeting.
Congratulations to Enya Daang for receiving a Society for Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine (SBSM) Scholar Award
Enya Daang (Health Area) received a Society for Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine (SBSM) Scholar Award to attend the 2026 Annual Meeting in Chicago. These awards are given to the top student/trainee abstract submissions in different areas of psychosomatic medicine.
Congratulations to Manuel Ramirez for receiving a Meritorious Abstract Award
Manuel Ramirez (Health Area) received a Meritorious Abstract Award for his upcoming talk titled “Does activism buffer against the negative effects of discrimination on distress and alcohol use among LGBT persons of color?” at the Society of Behavioral Medicine Annual Meeting.