Meet the Pilas crew!
Here are all the pilitas that make this team possible.

Principal Investigator
Iván Carbajal
Hola! Born to immigrant parents, I have spent my life navigating between two cultures--Mexican and American. Through my experiences, passion, and advocacy, I have developed a science that centers Latines. I was born and raised in Odessa, TX. I have West Texas in my heart and truly feel like a desert boy. I am bicultural and bilingual, so I am lucky to be able to enjoy media in two different languages. You will usually hear me playing music to some capacity. I love R&B and traditional Mexican music. I'm a big foodie and I'm always down for a good laugh.

3rd Year Graduate Student
Lianelys Cabrera Martinez
I’m a graduate student at the School of Psychological Science, focusing on the Applied Cognition area. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (May 2022). As a Latina and first-generation immigrant, I’ve always been passionate about the social issues in psychology that affect our community. Currently, my research interests include how bicultural identity development, social cognition, resilience, and racial microaggressions impact Latinx individuals. In my free time, I like to do embroidery work, and sometimes I publish my work in a digital magazine called Kindergarten Mag.

2nd Year Graduate Student
Halima Hussaini
I am a doctoral student at Oregon State University, School of Psychological Science. My current research interests include multiracial/biracial identity development, social cognition, and race-based traumatic stress. As a second-generation immigrant, I am familiar with the implications of racial and cultural biases in American society. Race-related stress and psychological health care disparities have led to cognitive burdens in ethnic minority populations, which I have witnessed for my father after immigrating from Nigeria. With my lived experiences as a bicultural and biracial individual, I intend to utilize my research to further explore how the intersectionality of multiple identities are lived and perceived amongst individuals of various marginalized communities. Outside of the lab, I enjoy hiking, running, attending renaissance faires, and playing D&D!

1st Year Graduate Student
Jessica Orea
I am an incoming first-generation graduate student in the Psychology PhD program at Oregon State University (OSU). Prior to enrolling at OSU, I attended California State University San Marcos, where I received my B.A. and M.A. in Psychological Science. I am broadly interested in research that explores the experiences of racial/ethnic minoritized populations and other marginalized groups. Through research, I hope to contribute to a greater understanding of factors that shape the lived experiences of these communities, and ways to improve their wellbeing and experiences across various contexts. As an aspiring professor, I also hope to contribute to increasing the visibility and representation of queer and Latine individuals in higher education.

Undergraduate Researcher
Michelangelo Mic Arriaza-Silva
I am an undergraduate student at Oregon State working towards a B.S. in BioHealth Science with a minor in psychology. I was born in Montebello , CA, and raised in La Cañada, CA. With an immigrant father from El Salvador and a mother from the States, I grew up between two cultures. My experiences in navigating two cultures have influenced my interest in an intersectional approach to forensic psychology. I want to specialize in forensic psychology because I’m interested in using an intersectional approach to investigate the unique obstacles faced by multicultural people when navigating the criminal justice system. In the same way, multiculturalism demands consideration of different perspectives so too does the work I envision. In this way, I see my diverse upbringing being a real asset in studying these important issues. In my free time, I love playing soccer, where I have competed at a national level, working out, playing video games, and spending time with friends and family.

Undergraduate Researcher
Rida Khan
Hi! My name is Rida and I’m a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Biochemistry and Biophysics, with particularly strong interests in neuroscience/biopsychology, biological physics, women’s health, and biomedical research. I am interested in interdisciplinary approaches to research, particularly as it pertains to both physical and mental health. My research interests include how generational trauma impacts physical and mental health outcomes in historically marginalized communities through epigenetic effects. I am also interested in research on the cognitive effects of bilingualism, particularly as someone who grew up multilingual and studied many different languages throughout their life. In my free time, I like to dance, play video games (I’m a big Nintendo fan!), spend time at the cultural centers on campus, and discover various unknowns and mysteries on a website called Wikenigma.

Undergraduate Researcher
Jasmine Goldstein
Coming Soon

Undergraduate Researcher
Ava Code
Coming Soon
Our PhD

Assistant Professor of Teaching
University of California, Davis
Dr. William Rayo
PILAS Undergrad Alumni

Catherine Park
Graduated 2025

Sofi Herrera
Graduated 2025

Cindy Quezada
Graduated 2025

Lizbeth Salamanca
Graduated 2024

Julio Ramirez-Samperio
Graduated 2024

Perla Nieto
Graduated 2024

Mia Rodriguez
Graduated 2024

MorningStar
Redcrane
Graduated 2023
Affiliated Researchers
Comunidad sin barreras
The PILAS Team grows even outside of OSU!


