Anna E. Epperson, PhD
Principal Investigator and Assistant Professor of Health Psychology
Dr. Anna Epperson is an Assistant Professor of Health Psychology in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of California, Merced. Her research focuses on racial/ethnic equity in health, exploring how social and cultural factors impact health behavior and perceptions of health risk, particularly among American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) and Latinx communities. She examines health behavior through community-based research and current projects focus on: 1) increasing vaccine confidence and uptake among AIAN and Latinx communities; and 2) reducing substance use among AIAN youth and Latinx young adults. Prior to joining the faculty at UC Merced, Dr. Epperson was an Instructor of Adolescent Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. She completed postdoctoral training at the Stanford University Prevention Research Center as an National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute T32 research fellow in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention. She earned her PhD in Health Psychology from the University of California, Merced, an MA in Experimental Psychology from California State University, Stanislaus, and a BA in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. She is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
Email: aepperson@ucmerced.edu
Mary Garcia
Research Coordinator
Mary Esperanza Garcia was born and raised in the San Joaquin Valley and transferred from community college with a UC Regents Scholarship to the University of California, Merced. While attending University, Mary received a Bachelor's in psychology and completed an internship at the Nicotine and Cannabis Policy Center where she investigated the cessation related needs amongst Latinx tobacco users in the Central Valley. Mary is currently the Research Coordinator in the Epperson Lab for the Connect/Conectados: Social Networks and Health among Indigenous Californians Research Collaborative grant project. Mary’s research interests are grounded in a commitment to address the health disparities that continue to affect central Californian’s and other vulnerable populations.
Email: mgarcia486@ucmerced.edu
Current Students
Selina Espinoza, M.A.
Selina Espinoza (she/her/ella) is a first-generation Latinx and third year health psychology Ph.D. student under Dr. Anna Epperson advisership and is a part of the Epperson & Health Behaviors Lab. Selina graduated with an A.A. in Art and A.A.-T in Psychology from Hartnell Community College. Additionally, Selina graduated with a B.A. in psychology and a minor in statistics from California State University, Monterey (CSUMB). She also graduated with 4 scholar titles which include 2020-21 Sally Casanova Scholar, McNair Scholar, Stanford Phoenix Scholar, and CSUMB Undergraduate Research Opportunities Scholar.
Selina's research interests include factors that influence cannabis perceptions and uptake among vulnerable subgroups such as veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, college students, and Mexican American young adults. Selina is also interested in community engagement and advocacy, which involves applying her research knowledge and skills that serve community members in order to improve public health. Selina also has conducted research within these research areas among these groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Email: sespinoza34@ucmerced.edu
Brandon Castillo Flores
Brandon is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology with an interest in pursuing graduate studies. As a first-generation student from downtown Los Angeles, he has been deeply attuned to the challenges faced by his community, particularly concerning substance use, notably cannabis. Interested in health behaviors, he is curious to explore the potential treatment of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with cannabis, as well as the Latinx community's self-medication practices. He aspires to raise awareness about cannabis within his community while fostering a comprehensive grasp of its advantages and limitations. Brandon's academic journey is guided by a commitment to make significant contributions to both his field of study and his broader community.
Aida Hassani
Aida Hassani is a Muslim Moroccan-American from the Bay Area. Currently she is a first-year undergraduate student at UC Merced majoring in Psychology and minoring in Global Arts. She is interested in behavioral psychology and decision making. Her goal is to continue research into graduate school, as well as work towards a career in film. With both passions in mind, she aims to become a psychology and criminology documentary filmmaker.
Victoria Ness
Victoria is a third year undergraduate psychology student. She grew up seeing her dad helping people who didn’t have as much access to healthcare and wants to continue to figure out the roots and a potential solution to those issues in the Epperson Lab. She is a member of the UC Merced Social Justice Club, in charge of media management. Her goal is to become a criminal psychologist after eventually graduating from graduate school.
Charu Raihan
Charu is a second-year undergraduate student, with a major in Psychology and minor in Public Health. Her area of interests are health and developmental psychology. Specifically, she wants to look into how the pandemic affected the cognitive development of children who experienced quarantine, and how to counteract any negative effects found. After graduation, she aims to join a Health Psychology based master's program, further focusing on research related to the pandemic.
Lab Alumni
Jackie Barragan; Kiana Beheshtian; Natalie Beylin; Meztli Galicia; Sonia Serrano Garcia; Alondra Mercado; Estrella Rico; Angela Roberts; Luis Solorio; Allison Temourian; Joselyn Vasquez