Maria Galano has been chosen as an APS Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science. Rising Stars are in an early stage of their research careers post-PhD. This designation recognizes researchers whose innovative work has already advanced the field and signals great potential for their continued contributions.
Galano's research integrates culture, development, and mental health to investigate the effects of early-life exposure to interpersonal violence in diverse populations. Within this program of research, she examines how family processes and the broader social environment differentiate individual pathways to psychopathology and resilient outcomes following violence exposure. She is especially interested in understanding how structural inequities (e.g., uneven access to resources, experiences of discrimination) help explain the emergence of ethnic and racial disparities in the effects of early-life violence. The ultimate goal of this work is to enhance the effectiveness of community-based programs designed to ameliorate the effects of early-life exposure and prevent future violence involvement.