They scurry around the department to classes, labs, and seminars. We see them present and read their reaction papers. Let’s take some time to learn about the people behind the PowerPoints. Graduate students are essential to the research enterprise and valued members of any department with a graduate program. The goal of the “meet the graduate students” series is to learn more about the experiences of these key players in the Department of Psychology at UNCG.
Let’s meet one of our fifth year students, Greg Chase. Greg began at UNCG in the Fall 2021 semester. He works with Dr. Michealine Jensen and is enrolled in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. Greg earned a BA in Psychology (minor in Family and Human Development) from Arizona State University.
Path to and Experiences in Graduate School
What inspired you to begin graduate studies?
Since taking a child development course in high school, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the mental health field where I could work directly with adolescents and their families. My experiences as an undergraduate research assistant and research coordinator inspired me to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology where I could continue to understand how digital technology may amplify risk for mental health concerns, but also may serve as a powerful tool for protection and intervention.
Can you describe your research area and interests?
My research focuses on understanding how adolescent peer interactions, especially within technological contexts, influence health risk behaviors (e.g., substance use, risky sexual behaviors) and how we can leverage novel technologies to disseminate more effective prevention and intervention strategies.
What is something you’ve accomplished at UNCG of which you’re especially proud?
I am especially proud of my first-author publication, “Digital Location Tracking in the Parent/Caregiver-College Student Dyad,” where our team explored the prevalence of parent/caregiver use of digital location tracking apps (e.g., Life360, Apple’s Find My Friends) to track their college student children, and how tracking was associated with the college student’s perception of helicopter parenting and parent/caregiver autonomy support.
What advice would you give to students aspiring to attend graduate school?
I encourage students to get involved in undergraduate research even if they do not think that they are interested in pursuing a research career. Getting involved in undergraduate research changed the trajectory of my career and has taught me so many transferrable skills that I incorporate into my clinical work.
Fun Facts!
Where are you from?
San Diego, California
What do you like to do outside of school?
I enjoy cooking, exploring new coffee shops, and spending time on the greenways around Greensboro.
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
Mostly people don’t know that I am a godfather x3 – which is my favorite of the many hats that I wear as a busy grad student.
Could you share a favorite movie, book, or band that you would recommend to others?
One of my favorite recent reads has been “Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum” by Antonia Hylton which reflects on the intersection of mental healthcare and racial segregation – a must read for anyone interested in the mental health field!
