Assistant Professor, Psychological Sciences, University of San Diego

Dr. Berkley joined the department as a Postdoctoral Faculty Fellow in Fall 2021. In his current role as an assistant professor, Dr. Berkley teaches upper division courses in developmental psychology that include:

• Childhood and Adolescence

• Adulthood and Aging

• Close and Intimate Relationships (Senior Seminar)

• Black Families

Through his teaching and research, Berkley aims to integrate knowledge from developmental psychology to better understand human development and family dynamics throughout the lifespan. Berkley’s research broadly focuses on the sociocultural experiences of families and individuals in the United States, with a specific interest in familial processes that contribute to the well-being of adolescents and young adults.

Areas of Interest:

• Black/Latinx Families: Ethnic-racial socialization, racial discrimination, colorism

• Youth and Emerging Adults: Psychosocial, health, and academic outcomes

• Stepfamily Dynamics: Childrearing, coparenting relationships

Alex Griffin (she/her) is currently pursuing an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the University of San Diego.  She received a Bachelor’s in Psychology and minor in Philosophy at the University of San Diego in 2023.  Alex joined the REMP lab in the Fall of 2022. 

While in the lab, Alex's projects include "Gendered Racial Microaggressions and Coping Strategies for Black Women," which specifically focused on using intersectional approaches to understand the effectiveness of coping strategies mitigating the negative effects of microaggressions. She is also a Co-PI with Dr. Berkley on the current projects "Socialization and Campus-Related Experiences of Black College Students," "Intergenerational Transmission of Cultural Values among First-Generation Collegiate Women of Color," and " "Cultural Factors and the Mental Health-Related Experiences and Behaviors of Latinx Youth."

Alex's goals are putting research into practice through education, training, and promotion of inclusivity and intersectionality in her clinical mental health counseling practices. She plans on pursing either a Counseling Psychology or Clinical Psychology PhD. 

Marisa Kamin (she/her) is currently a senior majoring in Psychology and Sociology and minoring in Philosophy at the University of San Diego. Marisa joined the REMP lab in the Fall of 2024.  

While in the lab, Marisa’s project includes a literature review for her independent study.  This project aims to explore the relationship between parental racial identity and child self-esteem in Asian American undergraduates. In doing so, Marisa seeks to understand how family racial socialization and identity dynamics shape individual self-esteem and perception within the Asian American community. 

Marisa hopes to pursue a graduate degree in Marriage and Family Therapy to provide underprivileged and marginalized families with access to inclusive mental health care that supports the emotional well-being of both parents and children.

Irianna Morales (she/they) is currently a senior double-majoring in Psychology and Ethnic Studies at the University of San Diego. Irianna joined the REMP lab in the Fall of 2024.

While in the lab, Irianna's independent project that focuses on how growing up in intergenerational households has influenced mental health-seeking behaviors for Filipino American young adults. They plan to highlight the cultural values within Filipino American households and look at the impact of cultural conflict between generations. 

Irianna plans to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology, with the goal to make mental health services more accessible for marginalized and underprivileged communities. 

Yen Shiferaw (he/him) is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Business Administration at the University of San Diego. He joined the REMP Lab in the Summer of 2025. 

While in the lab, Yen’s project includes "Playing Through Pressure: A Qualitative Study on Joy in Undergraduate Athletes of Color". This study explores how undergraduate athletes of color define, express, and sustain joy while navigating institutional pressures and interpersonal challenges within collegiate athletics. By examining themes such as racial identity, emotional well-being, and culturally grounded resilience strategies, Yen aims to highlight how joy can function as a form of resistance and identity-affirmation. His work emphasizes the need for more humanizing, joy-centered approaches to supporting athletes of color in higher education environments.

Yen plans to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology and is passionate about bridging research, education, and mental health advocacy to support the well-being of historically marginalized communities.