Email: micaela.varela@nyu.edu
Program: PhD in Psychology and Social Intervention
Year entered Program: 2021
Research Interests: Intergroup conflict, collective action, social change, collective memory, political violence
Principal Advisor(s): Dr. Rezarta Bilali, Dr. Michelle Twali
Research Description/Bio:
Micaela Varela (she/her) is a doctoral candidate in NYU Steinhardt's Psychology and Social Intervention program. She studies intergroup relations and conflict, combining social, political, and community psychology to integrate both theoretical frameworks and applied interventions. Micaela is trained in both quantitative and qualitative methods, and her work employs longitudinal surveys, interviews, and social media analysis. Currently, she is part of the Intergroup Conflict and Social Change Lab. She collaborates with Dr. Rezarta Bilali and Dr. Michelle Twali on projects that focus on historical narratives, collective action, social cohesion, and violence prevention in various contexts, including Burkina Faso, the United States, and Chile. Before coming to NYU, Micaela graduated as a psychologist from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC) with a specialization in Community and Social Psychology. After graduating, she worked for three years in the PUC Social Psychology Lab before moving to New York.
Psych Café: The Past in the Present: Historical Narratives, Collective Action and Social Media.