OCCRL Staff and Affiliates

Contact
217-244-1567
Office
Education Building
1310 S. Sixth St.
Champaign, IL 61820
Nidia Ruedas-Gracia
Assistant Professor, Educational Psychology
Dra. Nidia Ruedas-Gracia has a research lab (Gracia Lab) that develops a nuanced understanding of what it means to "belong," and how this sense of belonging impacts outcomes in life such as academic performance and mental health. She and her research team explore these concepts among culturally diverse populations, and examine how a sense of belonging is associated with various social identities such as gender and socioeconomic status.
Education
- Ph.D., Developmental and Psychological Sciences, Stanford University
- M.A., Human Development and Social Intervention, New York University
- B.A., Psychology and Sociology, UCLA
Projects
- Postsecondary Pathways - Former Foster Care Youth
Research Areas
- Foster care youth
- Academic performance and mental health among culturally diverse populations
- Sense of belonging associated with various social identities
Professional Associations
- American Educational Research Association
- American Psychological Association
- Society for Research in Child Development
- Society for Risk Analysis