Meet Our Research Team

Dr. Ursula Moffitt is an Assistant Professor in the Educational Psychology program at UNM and the Director of the RISE Lab. She has training in developmental, cultural, and educational psychology, as well as interdisciplinary social sciences. Born and raised in Albuquerque, Ursula spent 20 years in what were often very gloomy northern cities (including Portland, Ankara, Berlin, Chicago, and Providence) before returning home to the sunshine and big skies of New Mexico. In her research, Ursula takes a social justice approach to the study of identity construction and content, examining the reciprocal relations between individuals and their environments from adolescence to adulthood, drawing primarily on critical, qualitative methods to do so. She focuses largely on the development of racial, national, and gender identity, as well as critical consciousness, investigating how individuals from across groups resist or reinforce norms and structures of power, privilege, and oppression. Having received both her MA and PhD in Germany, Ursula continues to work with colleagues and participants in both the U.S. and Europe. 

Andrea Bancroft is a graduate research assistant in the RISE lab, pursuing a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology with plans to continue in the program and earn her Doctoral degree as well. Andrea earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from Stephen F. Austin State University, where her curiosity was fostered into a deep interest in people and research. From there, she gained experience working with children in public education, and then in a research position on a statewide research network working with youth who had experienced trauma. These experiences led her to pursue graduate studies in Educational Psychology with research interests focused on gender and racial identity development of adolescent girls and LGBTQ+ youth within oppressive environments. Andrea is excited to further hone her skills as a researcher and social advocate within her role in the RISE Lab. 

Cristina Medrano is a combined Master’s/PhD Educational Psychology student in the Individual, Family, & Community Education department and a graduate research assistant at the RISE Lab. Ignited by her lived experience as a first-generation Mexican-American student, Cristina seeks out the educational equity and justice of marginalized populations with a specific focus on Latino communities. This passion has driven her to work across diverse educational settings, supporting marginalized learners from infancy throughout high school and prompted a complete immersion into culturally sustaining educational research. Cristina earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Houston, where she gained extensive research experience as a senior research assistant at the Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics. Cristina continues to advance educational research with and for Latino communities, drawing primarily on open-science asset-based frameworks and the critical examination of distances between culturally diverse learner needs and the educational systems that serve them.  

Bailey Rutherford is an undergraduate scholar in the Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy department seeking a degree in Secondary Education with concentrations in ELA and music. They hope to transform the lives of high school students through critically examining curriculum, centering students' lived experiences, and fostering a future classroom that values community and life-long learning. Growing up in a small southeastern New Mexico town, Bailey witnessed the importance of creating equitable and inclusive learning environments for all student to succeed. By centering belonging and culturally-rooted pedagogies, Bailey's research dynamically explores the tensions between state and federal educational policy and practical applications of identity-informed teaching. As the undergraduate research assistant of the RISE Lab, they are developing qualitative approaches to research that will eventually shape their future graduate pursuits. These goals include receiving a PhD in Educational Policy & Planning and creating change in public education as New Mexico's Secretary of Education.