our team

Lab Director

Close-up of a young man with curly dark hair, glasses, a trimmed beard, smiling, wearing a checkered shirt, against a plain gray background.

Roberto Rentería, PhD

UMass Boston Faculty Profile

Roberto Rentería (He/him/Él) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Proudly Mexican-American (originario de Jalisco!) and a first-generation student, Dr. Rentería obtained his PhD in Counseling Psychology from Arizona State University in 2022. He then completed an NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship (F32) at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. He joined the Department of Psychology at UMass Boston in 2024. Outside the lab, he enjoys cooking new recipes, watching horror movies, and savoring a cup of espresso.

A young man with curly dark hair, smiling, wearing a brown polo shirt with a little giraffe emblem on the chest, and a silver necklace.

Graduate Students

JORGE DELGADO

Jorge Delgado (he/him) is a doctoral student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He earned a B.S. in Psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology from the University of California, San Diego in 2023. Jorge’s research focuses on intersectionality among LGBTQ+ and racial/ethnic minority identities, substance use and mental health outcomes, and culturally tailored interventions. In his leisure, he enjoys running, video games, animation, and quality time with his cat, Musharna.

A young woman with shoulder-length dark hair and glasses, smiling in front of a plain gray background.

ARUSHEE BHOJA

Arushee Bhoja (she/they) joined the clinical psychology doctoral program at the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2025. She graduated from New York University in 2023 with a B.A. in Psychology and a Minor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. She then worked as a research coordinator at the University of Maryland, where she managed a study investigating the impact of intersectional oppression on mental health and substance use among LGBTQ+ youth of color. She is interested in mental health and interpersonal functioning in LGBTQ+ communities of color, with a focus on suicidality. In her free time, she loves writing poetry, reading, and playing with her cats.

Research assistants

A young woman with long dark hair, wearing a cream-colored sweater, standing outdoors in front of green trees and grass, smiling at the camera.

Musarat Tasmin

Musarat Tasmin (she/her) is studying Psychology and Human Rights. She is interested in learning about mental health outcomes in students. Outside of the lab, she enjoys learning languages!

A young man with curly dark hair, glasses, light skin, wearing a black shirt, smiling slightly, against a plain light background.

Samuel Deras

Samuel Deras (he/him) is a Psychology Major, interested in researching developmental psychology as well as diving deeper into Latino psychology. In the lab, he assists in any way he can and completes tasks like consent forms, organizing surveys and more. Outside of the lab, he likes to breakdance!

Lab alumni

Devin Youngclaus, Undergraduate Research Assistant (2025-2026). Devin graduated from UMB in 2026 with his BA in Psychology and is currently enrolled in the Masters of Education School Counseling program at UMB.