Research Girl got a makeover! Please log in to access our resources database. They're still free—we just need to know how many students use them. Thank you!
Valerie Vengerov
Valerie has been a STEM Content Contributor at Research Girl since October 2024.
About
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Languages: English, Russian, Spanish
Biographical Sketch:
Valerie was born in New York City and grew up in Northern New Jersey. She earned her Bachelor’s degree with honors in Psychology and a minor in Crime and Justice Studies from Ramapo College of New Jersey in 2022. During her time at Ramapo, Valerie collaborated with Dr. James Morley on research exploring the phenomenology of daydreams.
Currently, Valerie is pursuing a Master’s in Forensic Mental Health Counseling at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, with an expected graduation in 2025. This program will enable her to become a licensed clinician in New York State. In addition to her academic pursuits, Valerie is engaged in two research labs at John Jay. In one lab, she works as an EEG technician with Dr. Grose-Fifer, studying brain wave activity in individuals with certain personality traits in response to various stimuli; combining assessments with quantitative brain wave analysis. In the second lab, under Dr. Steven Penrod, Valerie is conducting a meta-analysis on lineup fairness, specifically examining how witness performance is impacted by match-to-description versus match-to-suspect criteria, and the correlation of witness confidence and accuracy.
Valerie also holds an externship at a county jail, where she manages her own caseload and conducts mental health screenings. She works to educate offenders on medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and coordinates timely psychiatric and substance use referrals, with a strong emphasis on ensuring safety, comfort, and cultural competency, implementing Spanish when needed. Outside of her academic and professional commitments, Valerie enjoys traveling and has a passion for working with rescue farm animals.
Awards and Honors:
Honors Academic Achievement Award, 2022
Faculty Distinction Award in Psychology, 2022
1st Place Honors Model United Nations, Representing Russia, 2022
Outstanding Student Leadership Award, 2018
2-time Gold Medalist of Russian Olimpiada, 2015