EDUCATION
Post-Doctoral Associate- President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (PPFP)- University of Minnesota, USA, July 2023- July 2025
Project title: “Exploring Cambodian refugee parenting practices after 40+ years of resettlement in the United States: A Multi Methods Study”
Mentor: Dr. Catherine Solheim, Professor
Co-mentor: Dr. Elizabeth Wieling, Professor
Ph.D in Human Development and Family Studies- Emphasis in Couple and Family Therapy- University of Georgia, USA, May 2023
Dissertation title: “Mental health and relational needs assessment among Cambodian refugee families in the United States: A transgenerational ecological perspective.” Advisor: Dr. Elizabeth Wieling, Professor
M.A. in Educational Guidance and Counseling- De La Salle University, The Philippines, 2014
Thesis title: “Perceived academic stress and coping strategies among dual degree college students in Cambodia: Examining the roles of academic emotions as moderators.” Advisor: Dr. Jerome Ouano, Professor
B. ED. in Education- Royal University of Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2008
B. S. in Agronomy- Royal University of Agriculture, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2008
CERTIFICATIONS
Certificate in Interdisciplinary Qualitative Studies
University of Georgia- May 2023
An advanced graduate education program that prepares graduate students to design and conduct qualitative studies and teach qualitative research methods courses. Graduates of this program have the knowledge and skills to design, critique, and implement high quality research and evaluation studies.
Certified Prepare and Enrich Facilitator- 2020
An intensive clinical training program trains providers on the core knowledge and skills to facilitate an evidence-based pre-marital intervention program focused on fostering relational resilience in romantic relationships.
CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIA
International Presentations and Symposia
Mak, C. & Wieling, E. Mental Health and Relational Needs Assessment of Trauma-Affected Cambodian Refugees in the United States (2024, Sep). International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies 40th Annual Conference, Boston, MA. Sep 25-28.
Mak, C. & Wieling, E. Traumatic Stress, Complicated Grief, and Healing of First-Generation Cambodian Refugees in the United States (2024, Sep). International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies 40th Annual Conference, Boston, MA. Sep 25-28.
Mak, C. & Wieling, E. Intergenerational Transmission of Psychopathology and Family Disruption among Cambodian Refugee Families in the United States (2023, Nov). International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies 39th Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA. Nov 1-4.
Mak, C. A Systematic Review of the Literature of Cambodian Resettled Refugees to the United States: Impact of Mental Health and Family Adjustment (2021, Nov). International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies 37th Annual Conference (Virtual). Nov 2-5.
Mak, C., Lewis, D. C. & Seponski, D. M. Intergenerational Transmission of Traumatic Stress among Cambodian Immigrants along Coastal Alabama: Collective Narratives (2020, Nov). International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies 36th Annual Conference (Virtual). Nov 4-14
Mak, C., Lewis, D. C., & Seponski, D. M. Hidden Wish for Education and Its Barriers: A Collective Narrative among Third Generation Cambodian Immigrants (2020, Sep). Qualitative Research on Mental Health, Malta, Sep 17-19. (Conference postponed)
Mak, C., Lewis, D.C., & Seponski, D.M. Spirituality, Mental Health, Grief, and Loss among First Generation Cambodian Immigrants (2020, Mar). International Family Therapy Association World Congress, Basel, Switzerland. Mar 12-14. (Conference postponed)
Mak, C., & Lewis, D.C. From a Broken Family: A Cry for Family Connection among First Generation Cambodian Immigrants (2020, Feb). Society for Cross-Cultural Research 49th Annual Conference, Seattle, WA. Feb 26-29.
National Presentations and Symposia
Mak, C., & Solheim, C. Parenting in the context of war and forced displacement: Lessons learned from Cambodian refugee resettlement in the United States (2024, Mar). Department of Family Social Science, St Paul, Minnesota, USA. Mar 27
Mak, C., & Solheim, C. Exploring Cambodian refugee parenting practices after 40+ years of resettlement in the United States (2024, Mar). College of Education and Human Development Research & Innovation Day, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Mar 21
Ballard, J., Driscoll, J., Park, E., Mak, C., Sargent, L., & Mehus C. We can measure parenting skills with online sound recordings in surveys (2024, Mar). College of Education and Human Development Research & Innovation Day, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, Mar 21
Mak, C., Lewis, D. C., & Seponski, D. M. Spirituality and Grief Resolution among Cambodian Immigrants (2020, Nov). American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Swan and Dolphin Resort, Orlando, FL. Nov 12-15 (Conference postponed)
Lewis, D.C., Seponski, D.M., DeYoung, S.E., Phal, M., Mercurio, J., & Mak, C. Contextualizing the health-seeking behaviors of Cambodian and Laotian families (2019, Nov). Annual Meeting of the National Council on Family Relations, Ft. Worth, TX. Nov 20-23.
Traveling Funding for Research Presentations
Nov 2018 Cambodian and Laotian Strength and Resilience Grants & Awards, Domestic Travel Assistance Award for 2018 Annual Meeting of the National Council on Family Relations, San Diego, CA.
Feb 2019 Cambodian and Laotian Strength and Resilience Grants & Awards, Domestic Travel Assistance Award for 2019 Society for Cross-Cultural Research 47th Annual Conference, Jacksonville, FL.
Nov 2019 Cambodian and Laotian Strength and Resilience Grants & Awards, Domestic Travel Assistance Award for 2019 Annual Meeting of the National Council on Family Relations, Fort Worth, TX.
Feb 2019 Cambodian and Laotian Strength and Resilience Grants & Awards, Domestic Travel Assistance Award for 2020 Society for Cross-Cultural Research 47th Annual Conference, Seattle, WA.
May 2020 Cambodian and Laotian Strength and Resilience Grants & Awards, Domestic Travel Assistance Award for 2020 International Family Therapy Association Conference, Basel, Switzerland.