Hobbies and interests
Painting and Studio Art
Reading
Academic
Health
Philosophy
Psychology
Family
Science Fiction
I read books daily
Jinke Sun
1,775
Bold Points1x
Finalist1x
WinnerJinke Sun
1,775
Bold Points1x
Finalist1x
WinnerBio
As a first-generation, LGBTQIA+, and immigrant student, I am profoundly grateful for the mentorship that has guided my academic journey. The challenges I've faced due to my identities have provided me with a deep understanding of the emotional and psychological pain experienced by others. These experiences have fueled my passion for bridging the research-to-practice gap in mental health care, particularly for youth and communities facing similar struggles. Currently, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Hawaii. Before returning to school, with a Master’s degree and three years of experience as a licensed youth and family therapist, I served Asian, immigrant, and LGBTQIA+ adolescents in community and school settings, providing evidence-based psychotherapy. Currently, my doctoral research focuses on improving the implementation of Evidence-Based effective treatment for youth, especially among underrepresented populations. Entering my second year, I have authored a publication, completed two technical reports, and presented at 15 regional and national conferences. With the commitment to address the mental health challenges faced by youth and families, financial support from Bold.org would enable me to expand my research and clinical work, directly impacting the lives of those I serve.
Education
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)Majors:
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Teachers College at Columbia University
Master's degree programMajors:
- Cognitive Science
Michigan State University
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Psychology, General
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
Career
Dream career field:
Research
Dream career goals:
Research and Practicing Psychologist
Legislative Intern
U.S. Senate2016 – 2016Student Advisor, Program Coordinator
Office for Experiential Learning, Michigan State University2017 – 20181 yearSocial Worker at the Child and Family Welfare Service
Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Family2020 – 20211 yearSchool-based Mental Health Counselor
Northshore Youth and Family Services2020 – 20211 yearBi-lingual Youth & Family Mental Health Therapist
Youth Eastside Family Services2021 – 20232 years
Sports
Crossfit
Junior Varsity2023 – Present1 year
Badminton
Varsity2016 – Present8 years
Research
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Behavior Genetics Laboratory, Michigan State University — Research Assistant2017 – 2018Research and Experimental Psychology
Social Cognition Laboratory, Michigan State University — Research Assistant2017 – 2018Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Global Mental Health Laboratory, Columbia University — Graduate Research Assistant2019 – 2020Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Teachers College, Columbia University — Principal Investigator2022 – 2023Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
Research and Evaluation Team (RET), Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) — Graduate Research Assistant2023 – 2024
Arts
Jefferson School Disctrict
PaintingPainting sold and displayed at the Jefferson District building2013 – 2016
Public services
Volunteering
Haven House Shelter — Volunteer2015 – 2016Volunteering
Northwest Initiatives — Case Worker, Consultant2016 – 2018
ADHDAdvisor's Mental Health Advocate Scholarship for Health Students
The text was small and green, squeezed near the bottom of the page. He had written in Chinese: 我今天想要活着是因为我的植物长得很好 (“I wanted to live today because my plant is thriving”). These words from a client brought tears to my eyes and inspired me to continue my work. From 2020 to 2023, I served as a therapist working with immigrant adolescents in Seattle, providing individual and group therapy in community and school settings. Now, as a doctoral researcher and psychologist trainee working with high-risk adolescents at the University of Hawaii, I continue this mission.
As a first-generation college student and member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I deeply empathize with minority youth facing mental health challenges. Married to a same-sex partner within a conservative East Asian family culture, I've navigated painful multiple minority stress, not only as an immigrant but also in navigating the unique challenges of my identity. My personal experiences have strengthened my ability as a helping professional.
Inspired by moments like my client's heartfelt words about his reason to live, I aspire to alleviate psychological suffering on a larger scale, extending beyond individual sessions. During my years working with vulnerable adolescents, I observed both the successes and limitations of psychological treatment in multicultural contexts. It has convinced me that rigorous, evidence-based research is essential to develop treatments that truly improve lives and inform broader systems, such as policy-making and bridging research-to-real-world gaps. For this reason, in 2023, I entered the University of Hawaii’s doctoral program in Clinical Psychology. My research addresses a critical gap: despite the effectiveness of evidence-based practices like CBT for depression, these treatments are underutilized in clinical settings. This highlights the need to understand parents' and consumers' perspectives, an area that remains understudied. Under Dr. Nakamura’s supervision, I completed a first-authored publication, two technical reports, and presented at 15 local and national conferences. In the spring of 2024, I provided suicide screening for youth in Maui following the devastating wildfire that took hundreds of lives.
My training, background, and passion have profoundly shaped my commitment to this field. With 44% of Asian Americans experiencing severe mental distress and only 4% of psychologists being Asian, there is an urgent need for culturally competent, evidence-based, and scalable interventions. Though my individual power may be limited, I believe that through research, advocacy, and empowering the underrepresented, I can amplify many voices and bring meaningful change to the communities I serve.
Harvest Achievement Scholarship
The text was small and green, squeezed near the bottom of the page. He had written in Chinese, 我今天想要活着是因为我的植物长得很好 (“I wanted to live today because my plant is thriving”), and the words brought tears to my eyes. This client had been seeing me for the past several months, and his most recent depressive episode had hit so hard that our last few sessions were spent exploring the meaning of existence. He had been consistent with his DBT diary cards, and I felt we were moving in the right direction. Then, one day, he sent me a fresh page of his diary with a reason to live noted for the first time. He highlighted it in the same bright green that colored the pitcher plant that gave him the will to press on another day.
Clients like him inspired me to continue my daily work as a therapist from 2020 to 2023, and now as a doctoral researcher and psychologist trainee working with high-risk adolescents at the University of Hawaii. After graduating from Columbia University in 2020 with my Master's degree, I moved to Seattle, where I provided licensed weekly individual and group therapy sessions to immigrant adolescents in both community and school settings. As a first-generation college student and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I deeply empathize—both professionally and personally—with Asian and immigrant youth struggling with mental health issues. Being married to a same-sex partner within a conservative East Asian culture, I've faced significant acculturative distress, not only as an immigrant but also in navigating the unique challenges of my identity. However, these personal struggles have become a true asset, strengthening my ability as a helping professional.
During my three years of working with vulnerable adolescent populations in both school and community settings from 2020 to 2023, I observed firsthand both the successes and challenges of psychological treatment in a multicultural context. Building on my four years of undergraduate study in psychology at Michigan State University from 2013 to 2017, my continued graduate education and fieldwork have deepened my understanding of individual complexity. This experience has convinced me that only rigorous, evidence-based research can develop and empower treatments that truly improve individuals' lives and inform systems—such as policy-making and bridging research-to-real-world gaps—to reduce psychological suffering not just in individual sessions, but on a broader scale.
For this reason, I entered the University of Hawaii’s doctoral program in Clinical Psychology in 2023. Under Dr. Brad Nakamura's supervision, I completed a first-authored publication, and two technical reports, and presented at 15 regional and national conferences during my first year of doctoral research. Spring of 2024, I also provided suicide intervention and screening for youth at local schools in Maui following the wildfire that took hundreds of lives. My research work addresses a critical gap in youth mental health: despite the effectiveness of Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) like CBT for depression, these treatments are not widely used in clinical settings. This highlights the need for a better understanding of parents' and consumers' perspectives—an area that remains empirically understudied and obscure in many respects.
My background as a first-generation LGBTQIA+ immigrant from East Asia, coupled with the stark reality that only 4% of psychologists in the U.S. are Asian American, has profoundly shaped my commitment to this field. With 44% of Asian Americans experiencing severe mental distress, my work is driven by the urgent need for culturally competent, evidence-based interventions. Though my individual power may be limited, I believe that through research, advocacy, and empowering the underrepresented, I can amplify the voices of many, bringing meaningful change to the underrepresented communities I serve.
Elevate Mental Health Awareness Scholarship
The text was small and green, squeezed near the bottom of the page. He had written in Chinese, 我今天想要活着是因为我的植物长得很好 (“I wanted to live today because my plant is thriving”), and the words brought tears to my eyes. This client had been seeing me for the past several months, and his most recent depressive episode had hit so hard that our last few sessions were spent exploring the meaning of existence. He had been consistent with his DBT diary cards, and I felt we were moving in the right direction. Then, one day, he sent me a fresh page of his diary with a reason to live noted for the first time. He highlighted it in the same bright green that colored the pitcher plant that gave him the will to press on another day.
Clients like him inspired me to continue my daily work as a therapist from 2020 to 2023, and now as a doctoral researcher and psychologist trainee working with high-risk adolescents at the University of Hawaii. After graduating from Columbia University in 2020 with my Master's degree, I moved to Seattle, where I provided licensed weekly individual and group therapy sessions to immigrant adolescents in both community and school settings. As a first-generation college student and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I deeply empathize—both professionally and personally—with Asian and immigrant youth struggling with mental health issues. Being married to a same-sex partner within a conservative East Asian culture, I've faced significant acculturative distress, not only as an immigrant but also in navigating the unique challenges of my identity. However, these personal struggles have become a true asset, strengthening my ability as a helping professional.
During my three years of working with vulnerable adolescent populations in both school and community settings from 2020 to 2023, I observed firsthand both the successes and challenges of psychological treatment in a multicultural context. Building on my four years of undergraduate study in psychology at Michigan State University from 2013 to 2017, my continued graduate education and fieldwork have deepened my understanding of individual complexity. This experience has convinced me that only rigorous, evidence-based research can develop and empower treatments that truly improve individuals' lives and inform systems—such as policy-making and bridging research-to-real-world gaps—to reduce psychological suffering not just in individual sessions, but on a broader scale.
For this reason, I entered the University of Hawaii’s doctoral program in Clinical Psychology in 2023. Under Dr. Brad Nakamura's supervision, I completed a first-authored publication, and two technical reports, and presented at 15 regional and national conferences during my first year of doctoral research. Spring of 2024, I also provided suicide intervention and screening for youth at local schools in Maui following the wildfire that took hundreds of lives. My research work addresses a critical gap in youth mental health: despite the effectiveness of Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) like CBT for depression, these treatments are not widely used in clinical settings. This highlights the need for a better understanding of parents' and consumers' perspectives—an area that remains empirically understudied and obscure in many respects.
My background as a first-generation LGBTQIA+ immigrant from East Asia, coupled with the stark reality that only 4% of psychologists in the U.S. are Asian American, has profoundly shaped my commitment to this field. With 44% of Asian Americans experiencing severe mental distress, my work is driven by the urgent need for culturally competent, evidence-based interventions. Though my individual power may be limited, I believe that through research, advocacy, and empowering the underrepresented, I can amplify the voices of many, bringing meaningful change to the underrepresented communities I serve.
Autumn Davis Memorial Scholarship
The text was small and green, squeezed near the bottom of the page. He had written in Chinese, 我今天想要活着是因为我的植物长得很好 (“I wanted to live today because my plant is thriving”), and the words brought tears to my eyes. This client had been seeing me for the past several months, and his most recent depressive episode had hit so hard that our last few sessions were spent exploring the meaning of existence. He had been consistent with his DBT diary cards, and I felt we were moving in the right direction. Then, one day, he sent me a fresh page of his diary with a reason to live noted for the first time. He highlighted it in the same bright green that colored the pitcher plant that gave him the will to press on another day.
Clients like him inspired me to continue my daily work as a therapist from 2020 to 2023, and now as a doctoral researcher and psychologist trainee working with high-risk adolescents at the University of Hawaii. After graduating from Columbia University in 2020 with my Master's degree, I moved to Seattle, where I provided licensed weekly individual and group therapy sessions to immigrant adolescents in both community and school settings. As a first-generation college student and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I deeply empathize—both professionally and personally—with Asian and immigrant youth struggling with mental health issues. Being married to a same-sex partner within a conservative East Asian culture, I've faced significant acculturative distress, not only as an immigrant but also in navigating the unique challenges of my identity. However, these personal struggles have become a true asset, strengthening my ability as a helping professional.
During my three years of working with vulnerable adolescent populations in both school and community settings from 2020 to 2023, I observed firsthand both the successes and challenges of psychological treatment in a multicultural context. Building on my four years of undergraduate study in psychology at Michigan State University from 2013 to 2017, my continued graduate education and fieldwork have deepened my understanding of individual complexity. This experience has convinced me that only rigorous, evidence-based research can develop and empower treatments that truly improve individuals' lives and inform systems—such as policy-making and bridging research-to-real-world gaps—to reduce psychological suffering not just in individual sessions, but on a broader scale.
For this reason, I entered the University of Hawaii’s doctoral program in Clinical Psychology in 2023. Under Dr. Brad Nakamura's supervision, I completed a first-authored publication, and two technical reports, and presented at 15 regional and national conferences during my first year of doctoral research. Spring of 2024, I also provided suicide intervention and screening for youth at local schools in Maui following the wildfire that took hundreds of lives. My research work addresses a critical gap in youth mental health: despite the effectiveness of Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) like CBT for depression, these treatments are not widely used in clinical settings. This highlights the need for a better understanding of parents' and consumers' perspectives—an area that remains empirically understudied and obscure in many respects.
My background as a first-generation LGBTQIA+ immigrant from East Asia, coupled with the stark reality that only 4% of psychologists in the U.S. are Asian American, has profoundly shaped my commitment to this field. With 44% of Asian Americans experiencing severe mental distress, my work is driven by the urgent need for culturally competent, evidence-based interventions. Though my individual power may be limited, I believe that through research, advocacy, and empowering the underrepresented, I can amplify the voices of many, bringing meaningful change to the underrepresented communities I serve.
Arnetha V. Bishop Memorial Scholarship
WinnerThe text was small and green, squeezed near the bottom of the page. He had written in Chinese, 我今天想要活着是因为我的植物长得很好 (“I wanted to live today because my plant is thriving”), and the words brought tears to my eyes. This client had been seeing me for the past several months, and his most recent depressive episode had hit so hard that our last few sessions were spent exploring the meaning of existence. He had been consistent with his DBT diary cards, and I felt we were moving in the right direction. Then, one day, he sent me a fresh page of his diary with a reason to live noted for the first time. He highlighted it in the same bright green that colored the pitcher plant that gave him the will to press on another day.
Clients like him inspired me to continue my daily work as a therapist from 2020 to 2023, and now as a doctoral researcher and psychologist trainee working with high-risk adolescents at the University of Hawaii. After graduating from Columbia University in 2020 with my Master's degree, I moved to Seattle, where I provided licensed weekly individual and group therapy sessions to immigrant adolescents in both community and school settings. As a first-generation college student and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I deeply empathize—both professionally and personally—with Asian and immigrant youth struggling with mental health issues. Being married to a same-sex partner within a conservative East Asian culture, I've faced significant acculturative distress, not only as an immigrant but also in navigating the unique challenges of my identity. However, these personal struggles have become a true asset, strengthening my ability as a helping professional.
During my three years of working with vulnerable adolescent populations in both school and community settings from 2020 to 2023, I observed firsthand both the successes and challenges of psychological treatment in a multicultural context. Building on my four years of undergraduate study in psychology at Michigan State University from 2013 to 2017, my continued graduate education and fieldwork have deepened my understanding of individual complexity. This experience has convinced me that only rigorous, evidence-based research can develop and empower treatments that truly improve individuals' lives and inform systems—such as policy-making and bridging research-to-real-world gaps—to reduce psychological suffering not just in individual sessions, but on a broader scale.
For this reason, I entered the University of Hawaii’s doctoral program in Clinical Psychology in 2023. Under Dr. Brad Nakamura's supervision, I completed a first-authored publication, and two technical reports, and presented at 15 regional and national conferences during my first year of doctoral research. Spring of 2024, I also provided suicide intervention and screening for youth at local schools in Maui following the wildfire that took hundreds of lives. My research work addresses a critical gap in youth mental health: despite the effectiveness of Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) like CBT for depression, these treatments are not widely used in clinical settings. This highlights the need for a better understanding of parents' and consumers' perspectives—an area that remains empirically understudied and obscure in many respects.
My background as a first-generation LGBTQIA+ immigrant from East Asia, coupled with the stark reality that only 4% of psychologists in the U.S. are Asian American, has profoundly shaped my commitment to this field. With 44% of Asian Americans experiencing severe mental distress, my work is driven by the urgent need for culturally competent, evidence-based interventions. Though my individual power may be limited, I believe that through research, advocacy, and empowering the underrepresented, I can amplify the voices of many, bringing meaningful change to the underrepresented communities I serve.
Ethan To Scholarship
The text was small and green, squeezed near the bottom of the page. He had written in Chinese, 我今天想要活着是因为我的植物长得很好 (“I wanted to live today because my plant is thriving”), and the words brought tears to my eyes. This client had been seeing me for the past several months, and his most recent depressive episode had hit so hard that our last few sessions were spent exploring the meaning of existence. He had been consistent with his DBT diary cards, and I felt we were moving in the right direction. Then, one day, he sent me a fresh page of his diary with a reason to live noted for the first time. He highlighted it in the same bright green that colored the pitcher plant that gave him the will to press on another day.
Clients like him inspired me to continue my daily work as a therapist from 2020 to 2023, and now as a doctoral researcher and psychologist trainee working with high-risk adolescents at the University of Hawaii. After graduating from Columbia University in 2020 with my Master's degree, I moved to Seattle, where I provided licensed weekly individual and group therapy sessions to immigrant adolescents in both community and school settings. As a first-generation college student and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I deeply empathize—both professionally and personally—with Asian and immigrant youth struggling with mental health issues. Being married to a same-sex partner within a conservative East Asian culture, I've faced significant acculturative distress, not only as an immigrant but also in navigating the unique challenges of my identity. However, these personal struggles have become a true asset, strengthening my ability as a helping professional.
During my three years of working with vulnerable adolescent populations in both school and community settings from 2020 to 2023, I observed firsthand both the successes and challenges of psychological treatment in a multicultural context. Building on my four years of undergraduate study in psychology at Michigan State University from 2013 to 2017, my continued graduate education and fieldwork have deepened my understanding of individual complexity. This experience has convinced me that only rigorous, evidence-based research can develop and empower treatments that truly improve individuals' lives and inform systems—such as policy-making and bridging research-to-real-world gaps—to reduce psychological suffering not just in individual sessions, but on a broader scale. For this reason, I entered the University of Hawaii’s doctoral program in Clinical Psychology in 2023.
Under Dr. Brad Nakamura's supervision, I completed a first-authored publication, and two technical reports, and presented at 15 regional and national conferences during my first year of doctoral research. Spring of 2024, I provided suicide intervention and screening for youth at local schools in Maui following the wildfire that took hundreds of lives. My research work addresses a critical gap in youth mental health: despite the effectiveness of Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) like CBT for depression, these treatments are not widely used in clinical settings. This highlights the need for a better understanding of parents' and consumers' perspectives—an area that remains empirically understudied and obscure in many respects.
My background as a first-generation immigrant from East Asia, coupled with the stark reality that only 4% of psychologists in the U.S. are Asian American, has profoundly shaped my commitment to this field. With 44% of Asian Americans experiencing severe mental distress, my work is driven by the urgent need for culturally competent, evidence-based interventions. Though my individual power may be limited, I believe that through research, advocacy, and empowering the underrepresented, I can amplify the voices of many, bringing meaningful change to the underrepresented communities I serve.
So You Want to Be a Mental Health Professional Scholarship
The text was small and green, squeezed near the bottom of the page. He had written in Chinese, 我今天想要活着是因为我的植物长得很好 (“I wanted to live today because my plant is thriving”), and the words brought tears to my eyes. This client had been seeing me for the past several months, and his most recent depressive episode had hit so hard that our last few sessions were spent exploring the meaning of existence. He had been consistent with his DBT diary cards, and I felt we were moving in the right direction. Then, one day, he sent me a fresh page of his diary with a reason to live noted for the first time. He highlighted it in the same bright green that colored the pitcher plant that gave him the will to press on another day.
Clients like him inspired me to continue my daily work as a therapist from 2020 to 2023, and now as a doctoral researcher and psychologist trainee working with high-risk adolescents at the University of Hawaii. After graduating from Columbia University in 2020 with my Master's degree, I moved to Seattle, where I provided licensed weekly individual and group therapy sessions to immigrant adolescents in both community and school settings. As a first-generation college student and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I deeply empathize—both professionally and personally—with Asian and immigrant youth struggling with mental health issues. Being married to a same-sex partner within a conservative East Asian culture, I've faced significant acculturative distress, not only as an immigrant but also in navigating the unique challenges of my identity. However, these personal struggles have become a true asset, strengthening my ability as a helping professional.
During my three years of working with vulnerable adolescent populations in both school and community settings from 2020 to 2023, I observed firsthand both the successes and challenges of psychological treatment in a multicultural context. Building on my four years of undergraduate study in psychology at Michigan State University from 2013 to 2017, my continued graduate education and fieldwork have deepened my understanding of individual complexity. This experience has convinced me that only rigorous, evidence-based research can develop and empower treatments that truly improve individuals' lives and inform systems—such as policy-making and bridging research-to-real-world gaps—to reduce psychological suffering not just in individual sessions, but on a broader scale. For this reason, I entered the University of Hawaii’s doctoral program in Clinical Psychology in 2023.
Under Dr. Brad Nakamura's supervision, I completed a first-authored publication, and two technical reports, and presented at 15 regional and national conferences during my first year of doctoral research. Spring of 2024, I also provided suicide intervention and screening for youth at local schools in Maui following the wildfire that took hundreds of lives. My research work addresses a critical gap in youth mental health: despite the effectiveness of Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) like CBT for depression, these treatments are not widely used in clinical settings. This highlights the need for a better understanding of parents' and consumers' perspectives—an area that remains empirically understudied and obscure in many respects.
My background as a first-generation immigrant from East Asia, coupled with the stark reality that only 4% of psychologists in the U.S. are Asian American, has profoundly shaped my commitment to this field. With 44% of Asian Americans experiencing severe mental distress, my work is driven by the urgent need for culturally competent, evidence-based interventions. Though my individual power may be limited, I believe that through research, advocacy, and empowering the underrepresented, I can amplify the voices of many, bringing meaningful change to the underrepresented communities I serve.
Dr. Shuqiao Yao Memorial Scholarship
The text was small and green, squeezed near the bottom of the page. He had written in Chinese, 我今天想要活着是因为我的植物长得很好 (“I wanted to live today because my plant is thriving”), and the words brought tears to my eyes. This 14-year-old Chinese-speaking client had been seeing me for the past several months, and his most recent depressive episode had hit so hard that our last few sessions were spent exploring the meaning of existence. He had been consistent with his DBT diary cards, and I felt we were moving in the right direction. Then, one day, he sent me a fresh page of his diary with a reason to live noted for the first time. He highlighted it in the same bright green that colored the pitcher plant that gave him the will to press on another day.
Clients like him inspired me to continue my daily work as a youth and family therapist from 2020 to 2023, and now as a doctoral researcher and clinical psychology trainee working with adolescent clients at the University of Hawaii. After graduating from Columbia University in 2020 with my Master's degree, I moved to Seattle, where I provided licensed weekly individual and group therapy sessions to Asian and immigrant adolescents. As a first-generation college student born and raised in mainland China, who has experienced significant acculturative stress, I empathize deeply—both professionally and personally—with Asian and immigrant youth suffering from mental health issues such as depression. My three years of working with vulnerable adolescent populations have allowed me to observe firsthand the individual, empirical effects of psychological treatment in a multicultural context. Building on my four years of undergraduate study in psychology at Michigan State University from 2013 to 2017, my continued graduate education and fieldwork have deepened my understanding of individual complexity. This experience has convinced me that only rigorous, evidence-based research can develop and empower treatments best suited for improving these individuals' lives and informing systems (e.g., influencing policy-making and understanding research-to-real-world gaps) to reduce psychological suffering on a broader scale. For this reason, I entered the University of Hawaii’s doctoral program in Clinical Psychology in 2023.
Under the supervision of Dr. Brad Nakamura, I have completed one first-authored publication, two technical reports, and fifteen regional and national conference presentations during my first year of doctoral research. My research focuses on a critical gap in youth mental health: despite the proven effectiveness of Evidence-Based Services (EBS), such as Behavioral Activation from CBT for treating depression, their implementation in clinical settings remains notably insufficient. On average, it takes 17 years for research findings to be applied in real-world settings. This discrepancy highlights the urgent need to gain a deeper insight into parents' and consumers' perspectives. Under this goal, I am further developing the psychometric tool PEEBS-39R (Choy & Nakamura, 2023). I wish to explore the applicability of this U.S.-developed tool among Chinese and Chinese immigrant youth populations, shedding light on the mental health challenges faced by Asian and Chinese immigrants—an area that remains empirically understudied and obscure in many respects.
My background as a first-generation Chinese immigrant, coupled with the stark reality that only 4% of psychologists in the U.S. are Asian American, has profoundly shaped my commitment to this field. With 44% of Asian Americans experiencing severe mental distress, my work is driven by the urgent need for culturally competent, evidence-based interventions. Though my individual power may be limited, I believe that through research, advocacy, and empowering the underrepresented, I can amplify the voices of many, bringing meaningful change to the Asian and Chinese communities I serve.