Lab Members

REMP Lab Director

Steven Berkley, PhD

Assistant Professor, Psychological Sciences, University of San Diego

Faculty Affiliate, Africana Studies Minor

Dr. Berkley (he/him) teaches upper-division courses in developmental psychology. These include: Childhood and Adolescence, Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood, Adulthood and Aging, Close and Intimate Relationships (Senior Seminar), and Black Families. Berkley's research examines how family relationships and sociocultural contexts shape development across the lifespan. His work focuses on strength processes that support adolescent and young adult health and well-being.

Areas of Interest

Black and Latinx families: Ethnic-racial socialization, racial discrimination, colorism
Youth and Emerging adults: Identity, educational trajectories, sociopolitical development
Stepfamily Dynamics: Childrearing practices, coparenting relationships

REMP Lab Research Assistants

Yen Shiferaw

Yen Shiferaw (he/him) is a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Business Administration at the University of San Diego. He joined the REMP Lab in Summer 2025. His qualitative study, “Playing Through Pressure: A Qualitative Study of Joy in Undergraduate Athletes of Color,” explores how athletes of color define, experience, and sustain joy while navigating institutional pressures and interpersonal challenges in collegiate athletics. Through themes of racial identity, emotional well-being, and culturally grounded resilience, Yen examines how joy can function as both resistance and identity affirmation. Yen plans to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology and is committed to integrating research, education, and mental health advocacy to advance the well-being of historically marginalized communities.

Joy Tavilla

Joy Tavilla (she/her) is a senior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Business Administration with an emphasis in Social & Cultural Processes at the University of San Diego. She joined the REMP Lab in the Spring of 2026. Her study, "Understanding the Sociopolitical Development of College Students in a Quantitative Study", explores examines where students receive sociopolitical information, how they process it, and the supposed impact that this engagement and potential online participation has on their overall well-being. Joy plans to pursue a graduate degree in youth mental health counseling and is committed to mental health advocacy and awareness among the youth population.

Sophia Nguyen

Sophia Nguyen (she/her) is a senior majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Chemistry at the University of San Diego. She joined the REMP Lab in Summer 2026. Her independent research, “Bicultural Conflict and Psychological Distress Among Mixed Asian-White College Students,” examines how navigating multiple cultural identities may contribute to psychological distress among mixed Asian-White college students. Her study explores whether perceived authenticity and social belonging help explain the relationship between bicultural conflict and psychological distress. Through this work, Sophia hopes to better understand the experiences of mixed-race college students and contribute to research on cultural identity, belonging, and mental health. Sophia plans to pursue a PhD in behavioral/cognitive neuroscience and is interested in investigating the neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying human behavior and psychological well-being.

Taylor Gale

Taylor Gale (she/her) is a senior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Biology and Leadership Studies at the University of San Diego. She joined the REMP Lab in Fall of 2026. Her independent research study, “Seeing Yourself in the Lab: Mentorship, Representation, and Belonging Among Undergraduate Women in STEM", examines how racial and gender representation among faculty and peers shapes belonging and impostor feelings for undergraduate women in STEM, and whether these effects vary by race and field of study. Taylor is passionate about making the field of science education and research feel accessible and unintimidating for individuals of every background. She plans to pursue graduate education in the future to continue this work.

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