Rachael Cavallaro

I am an All But Dissertation (ABD) PhD candidate in the social area of Experimental Psychology. My social psychology research draws on both existential and cultural psychology frameworks to examine three primary areas of scholarly interest: eudaimonic well-being (i.e., self-fulfillment/personal growth), perceived authenticity, and positive self-perceptions and attitudes (e.g., self-compassion). Utilizing diverse qualitative and quantitative methodological and statistical approaches, my work aims to clarify these existential concepts (e.g., elucidating on the operationalizations of eudaimonic well-being), comparing them across diverse cultural and underrepresented populations (e.g., investigating what experiences are perceived as authentic across East Asian and White Americans), and identifying their predictors (e.g., investigating the self-transcendent emotion of awe as a predictor of self-compassion). In doing so, my research seeks to advance a deeper understanding of positive human functioning across various populations and contexts. 

I am also a qualified educator with over four years of undergraduate teaching experience. My teaching experience spans both large in person and online courses, such as Introduction to Psychology and Social Psychology Online (50–200 students), and smaller, more interactive laboratory courses, such as Research Methods Lab (15–20 students). My teaching philosophy is shaped by my personal growth research, where I believe it is my job as a teacher and mentor to guide my students towards reaching their full potential by giving them the tools they need to succeed, while doing my best to thwart obstacles to that success. To accomplish these goals, I emphasize establishing knowledge, fostering deep understanding, and building a strong sense of community through promoting inclusive excellence in my classrooms and lab, all of which are crucial for student growth and academic success. By empowering my students and research assistants to explore their potential and actively contribute to their learning environments, I also continuously evolve as an educator, deriving fulfillment from their development and achievements.

I also bring over seven years of experience mentoring undergraduate students through every stage of the research process—from conceptualization to dissemination. I am deeply passionate about guiding students in research and have consistently prioritized this aspect of my academic career. When I helped my graduate advisor, Dr. Grace Rivera, establish her research lab, we shared a clear vision: to create a space where students could thrive through developing meaningful, self-directed research. Since then, I have independently mentored more than 15 undergraduate students on group and individual research projects. I am committed to providing students with substantive opportunities to advance their careers. My mentees have presented at regional conferences, co-authored publications on my research, developed independent projects for first-author publications currently in preparation, and applied for grant funding—including one mentee who recently received a $5,000 grant for their self-directed research project under my guidance.