Student Researcher – Isabelle Anillo (PsyD Graduate Student)

Isabelle Anillo is a graduate student in NSU’s College of Psychology PsyD program. She has conducted research at NSU under the mentorship of Drs. Tom Kennedy and David Feldman in forensic psychology.

 

Talk me through your journey to where you are at NSU now.

I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) which afforded me the opportunity to engage in research. While there, I joined the Honors Society and as part of the requirements for this, I completed a research project in the lab of Dr. Larry Jamner.

While in the lab I participated in ongoing work related to the physiological effects of marijuana on the stress response, and created my own project looking at marijuana use, depression, and anxiety in college students. This experience made me motivated to continue with research when I joined NSU.

I am completing this research alongside my coursework in the PsyD program in the College of Psychology. The PsyD program at NSU is five years, which involves four years of coursework, two years of required practicum, and one year of internship.

 

How have you been engaged in research at the university?

While at NSU, I have taken part in research related to forensic psychology, including competency to stand trial, burnout in corrections professionals, and the effects of COVID-19 on human trafficking and online sexual offending under Drs. Tom Kennedy and David Feldman.

I had the opportunity to present two posters on these topics at the 2021 American Psychology-Law Society Conference in Denver, CO. I plan to use the directed study research paper required by the PsyD program to further this research. In the coming year, I will be completing research on juvenile offenders under the supervision of Dr. Kennedy, which is currently in the process of data collection.

 

What made you interested in this type of research?

I have always been interested in criminal justice and the law. In my undergraduate studies I was able to take classes focused on issues with the justice system and perception of crime that furthered my interest in these topics.

I was then accepted into the forensic concentration of the PsyD program at NSU, which has allowed me to work with professors doing research in various aspects of corrections and criminal justice, and also to take special classes related to forensics.

 

How does this work relate to your future career goals, and what do you plan to do next?

In the future I hope to work with incarcerated individuals. Specifically, I hope to work with violent sexual offenders, so my current research projects have been in line with this population. Also, my practicum experience has given me exposure to working in a jail with adults and juveniles, which has strengthened my interest in criminal justice reform and researching this population.

 

What advice do you have for other students interested in getting involved in research?

I have several pieces of advice for getting involved in research. First, students should reach out to professors doing research in the field of study they are interested in, and do this early in their studies. Next, they should search for gaps in the literature to find ideas for future research projects. Finally, when designing a research project, they should check the types of topics covered by conferences they are interested in presenting at so they can align with the conference’s priority areas.