Sarely Licona is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology. After earning a B.S. in Brain and Cognitive Sciences from the University of Rochester in 2019, Licona worked as a research assistant at the Autism Assessment, Research, Treatment, and Services (AARTS) Center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL. Licona enjoys researching barriers in resource access for under-served young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as cultural adaptations of existing parent-mediated interventions. She also studies bilingual assessment and intervention.
GGSE: What drew you to study Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Licona: As an undergraduate student at the University of Rochester I worked in a neurodevelopmental lab focusing on autism. The knowledge I gained there about research and autism spectrum disorder paved the way for my continued involvement in the field today. After undergrad, I worked at the Autism Assessment Research Treatment and Services Center (AARTS) located on the West Side of Chicago as a research assistant. It was there where I recognized the disparities in education surrounding neurodevelopmental disorders and access to intervention and resources in communities that are historically under-resourced and under-represented. I saw this to be especially true within the autism community where large numbers of low-income, minority families face significant barriers (i.e., transportation, language, time, cost) to accessing evaluations, interventions, and services. In my career, I hope to use my skills and knowledge to provide opportunities for everyone on the spectrum, including their families, to access any support and/or services.
GGSE: Why did you choose to do your doctoral work at UCSB?
Licona: I was drawn to the CCSP program at UCSB by its diverse faculty and students, as well as the program’s focus on research--also, the location was pretty great, too! I knew UCSB would be both a supportive and rigorous learning environment that would provide me with the education and framework needed to grow into a thoughtful, open-minded, and proficient psychologist. I was specifically excited to receive training from the Koegel Autism Center (KAC) as this was an opportunity for me to work with some of the most knowledgeable professionals in the field! I've already learned so much from my KAC colleagues and I look forward to continuing to work with them throughout my entire graduate experience.
GGSE: Tell us about your specific interest in bilingual assessment and intervention.
Licona: As someone who is bilingual and identifies as a Latina, I grew up noticing the lack of proficient bilingual and diverse professionals in the healthcare field. I recognize the same need for bilingual professionals in the psychology field today, especially those with knowledge and training in autism spectrum disorder. For this reason, I want to use my Spanish speaking skills and my Mexican roots to bridge language and cultural gaps, expanding services to communities whose primary language is Spanish and who typically don't get targeted for research.
GGSE: If you have any free time, what do you like to do?
Licona: I love trying new restaurants around Santa Barbara--especially anything that has to do with burgers and pizza! I've also enjoyed living minutes away from the beach and taking walks by the ocean.