RAICES Lab

Research-based Approaches to Improving Children's Educational outcomeS

RAICES (ruh-EE-ces) means “roots” in Spanish and embodies a profound significance regarding one's identity and cultural heritage. For our lab, it is an analogy for considering Latine families’ early learning development and the roles that cultural practices play.

Mission

To foster a love of learning, culture, and community using the power of applied research to improve meaningful outcomes for Latine children by supporting educators, families, and communities through cultural practices and everyday routines.

Lab Team

Sasha Albrecht

Sasha is a Ph.D. student in the Psychology Department in the core area of Applied Developmental Psychology and Education at Portland State University. Sasha received both her bachelor’s in Psychology and Spanish (double major) and her master’s in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Portland State University. During her graduate studies, Sasha conducted research examining the intersection of race and gender in sports reporting using corpus analysis. She spent five years teaching English to young learners in South Korea, where she also worked as a teacher trainer, leading workshops on culturally responsive teaching, communicative language teaching, and cognitive approaches to language learning. Sasha is now interested in conducting research examining the impacts of bilingualism and issues of race and gender discrimination on child development and academic performance.

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Research Assistants

Research Assistant (RA) responsibilities may include collecting data, transcribing and coding transcriptions, preparing data collection materials, and participating in community-engaged research experiences. RA positions offer a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on experience and actively participate in research. Interested in joining the lab? Please fill out this contact form.

Alejandra Bermudez, MA

Alejandra is a first-generation master's student at California State University, Northridge, completing her Psychological Science degree. She is currently completing her thesis on first-generation women of color in STEM, focusing on her interests in STEM equity issues and help-seeking behaviors. In the near future, she plans to continue to apply for research-oriented positions and continue in her passion to elevate her community of first-generation students and promote positive change amongst women of color majoring in STEM. Alejandra is currently an RA for Dr. David Purpura's Randomized Control Trial e-book study under the supervision of Dr. Beltrán-Grimm.

Elizabeth Serna

Elizabeth Serna is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Her interests include working with Latinx families to understand the dynamics of education within households, exploring adolescent identity formation, and examining coping mechanisms for stress and trauma. As a first-generation Latina, she aims to gain knowledge and produce knowledge that will better serve her community. Elizabeth is currently an RA for Dr. David Purpura's Randomized Control Trial e-book study under the supervision of Dr. Beltrán-Grimm.

Prospective Graduate Students

We aim to provide the insights and support necessary to truly comprehend and celebrate the unique ways families learn and understand the world, driven by deep-seated care for our community. Our goal is for families to recognize their everyday practices, support their children's playful, authentic learning, and build community partnerships that enrich everyone's well-being. I invite you to explore further how our goals align. If you are interested in applying, you are encouraged to reach out to Dr. Beltrán-Grimm to learn more about the lab.

Prospective Students

I am accepting PhD students for Fall 2025. I accept prospective students interested in the core area of applied developmental science and education. Given my research direction, prospective students interested in interdisciplinary research focusing on early childhood and families are a good fit for the lab. You may find more information about my research here.

Contextual Factors

(1) I aim to understand factors (e.g., school, community, home, culture, technology, and media use) influencing children's development and parenting experiences of low-income and minoritized parents of young children. I'll be working on an ethnography exploring oral language in Spanish-speaking families.

Research Program

My current research addresses pressing issues in early childhood development, including integrating math, media, and technology in education. I am interested in the cultural nuances of learning and teaching, aiming to create inclusive, effective educational strategies, specifically in Spanish-speaking Latine families. My research program involves the following:

Participatory Methods

(2) I use participatory research methodologies to promote equity in collaboration and develop tools and resources that support cultural sustainability crafted alongside communities. Here are examples of the resources and content, bilingual, multimedia tools, resources, Designing Family Math Report, I developed working for PBS SoCal.

If you’d like more information, get in touch today.

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