Dr. Danielle Burchett, Assistant Professor of Psychology in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at CSUMB, is the recipient of this year’s 2018 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC) Mentor of the Year Award.
Dr. Burchett has mentored five UROC Scholars and four UROC Researchers, as well as 13 student researcher mentees unaffiliated with UROC, in the Clinical and Forensic Evaluation (CAFE) Laboratory at CSUMB since Nov. 2014. Most of the previous CAFE Lab projects have focused on examining the utility of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF), a psychological test designed to assess an individual’s personality and psychopathology characteristics. The MMPI-2-RF is used in a variety of clinical and non-clinical settings. The CAFE Lab’s work focuses heavily on its use in a forensic inpatient hospital setting.
CAFE Lab researchers have presented their research at the Society for Personality Assessment (SPA), American Psychology-Law Society, California Coalition on Sexual Offending, and the Annual MMPI Symposium. Several have gone on to doctoral and master’s programs in psychology at Palo Alto University, San Jose State University, University of West Florida, William James College, Ohio State University, and University College London. They have also been recognized with a variety of awards, like the SPA Poster Award Honorable Mention, the Barry Goldwater Scholarship Honorable Mention, and CSUMB’s Provost’s Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement.
Currently, the CAFE Lab is studying the utility of existing and experimental scales designed to determine whether someone responded on the MMPI-2-RF in a valid manner. It is also using the test to study whether the cognitive dysfunction symptoms experienced by patients with psychotic disorders (such as schizophrenia) get more severe with age. In addition, it has researched whether forensic inpatients living with antisocial personality disorder are more likely to overreport mental health problems, as compared to those with other diagnoses. More information on the CAFE Lab and its work can be found at dburchett.wordpress.com.
Dr. Burchett’s current and former mentees had the following to say about her contributions as a mentor:
“Dr. Danielle Burchett has continuously been the epitome of what a mentor should be. She inspires and guides students through her mentorship, advice, and her own experiences… Through conversations we have had, Dr. Burchett shows true passion and an interest in undergraduate research and development throughout her education and career.”
–Katrina Conen, Current Mentee
“Dr. Burchett served as an important role model and advisor during my undergraduate career, in a way that continues to impact my success in graduate school. The experiences I gained under her mentorship helped me to establish a foundation as a researcher and scholar, in the field of clinical psychology, for which I am continuing to expand and develop in my coursework and research assistantships.”
–Isabella Romero, Former Mentee
“Somehow amongst her busy schedule [Burchett] manages to provide each of us with individual support while recruiting new lab members each semester. She ensures all of us in her lab have the professional development geared towards their graduate and ultimate-career research interests.”
–Jenny Hatch, Current Mentee
“[Burchett] gives her all in every aspect of her job, and is always available to anyone, students or mentees, that are in need of guidance. She pushes us to succeed, and is there to cheer us on along the way.”
–Kylin Peck, Current Mentee
Congratulations, Dr. Burchett!