Psychology Master's Student Wins First Place for Research
Cal State San Marcos psychology master’s student Jessica Orea won first place at the CSU Student Research Competition at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for her presentation, "Association Between Distress Tolerance and Cannabis Dependence Stronger for Under-Represented Minorities Among U.S. Young Adults.”
“I am incredibly grateful to have received the opportunity to present my research and represent CSUSM at the CSU Student Research Competition,” Orea said. “The experience of presenting at this conference was really special. My family was present throughout the conference and this was their first time seeing me present my research. Additionally, as someone who struggles with public speaking, winning first place for my session feels surreal. It makes me realize how far I have come from my first presentations as an undergraduate student.”
Through Orea’s internship with the CSUSM/UCSD Smoke and Vape Free Scholars Program, she has worked alongside psychology professor Kim Pulvers to conduct research.
Orea and Pulvers plan to continue working together throughout the summer to expand the analysis. They hope to study whether using cannabis to cope with negative experiences explains the relationship between distress tolerance and cannabis dependence. The goal is to submit both projects for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
“Jessica is delightful to work with,” said Pulvers, who serves as the director of CSUSM’s Smoke and Vape Free Scholars Program. “She has strong research skills, is a great writer, and is very hardworking and dependable. Jessica conceptualized an original analysis identifying a modifiable behavioral health risk factor for cannabis dependence, which was even stronger for young adults from racial and ethnic minoritized groups.”
The CSU Student Research Competition showcases undergraduate and graduate research, scholarship and creative works by recognizing outstanding student accomplishments across the 23 campuses. Each year, over 200 students submit written papers and make oral presentations before juries of professional experts from major corporations, foundations, public agencies and universities in California. Competitors win $500 for first place and $250 for second.
“Competing made me realize how far I have come from my first presentations as an undergraduate student,” Orea said. “I credit this achievement to the incredible mentorship and support that I have received throughout my higher education journey. I am especially thankful to my principal investigators, the TRIO McNair Scholars Program, CTREE, the Smoke and Vape Free Scholars program and my family and friends.”
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