Areas of Research

Current research projects:

The driving force behind my research is finding ways to help people find ways to “bounce back” from difficult losses, especially after the death of a loved one. Grief is a normal healing process with no time limit, and my goal isn’t to make that process disappear. As Queen Elizabeth II said (quoting pioneering grief scholar Dr. Colin Murray Parkes), “Grief is the price we pay for love.” However, just like people can develop complications while recovering from surgery or illness, people can develop “complicated grief.” This might happen when the death is particularly difficult to understand, or when the griever has multiple losses in a short period of time. Resilience factors like optimism and social support can help people avoid additional trauma or complications.

Our current project focuses on the experiences of Nepali students in the U.S. during the 2015 Nepal earthquakes. International students are in a difficult position when disaster strikes their loved ones back home, and we want to hear their stories. We also want to know what students, staff, and faculty can do to help when there is a disaster in an international student’s home country. Support during times of crisis can help students in terms of physical and mental health, and it can also help be successful in their academic endeavors. However, many people don’t know what to say or how to help. That’s why we want to hear from students who lived through it – so we can put best-practice recommendations in place for the next time international students are in need of support during crisis!