The department of psychology is excited to introduce Dr. Sylvanna Vargas.
Dr. Vargas is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor. She obtained her BA from McGill University, and her PhD (Clinical Science) and MPH from the University of Southern California. She completed her predoctoral internship at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, and her postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA. The overarching goal of her research agenda is to develop innovative and large-scale solutions that improve the landscape of mental health services for underserved youth experiencing severe mental health concerns, including depression and suicidality. Her translational research spans from basic science on the social determinants of mental health to the implementation of culturally and contextually responsive evidence-based interventions that mitigate inequities.
Dr. Vargas has received fellowship support from the National Institute of Mental Health (T32, T37, R25), Ford Foundation (Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships), and UC Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship. Her research has been supported by the AIM Youth Mental Health Foundation, the Foundation for Psychocultural Research, and the American Psychological Foundation.