{"id":65928,"date":"2022-11-15T19:31:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-15T23:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=65928"},"modified":"2023-09-19T13:47:02","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T17:47:02","slug":"faculty-research-spotlight-michael-a-medina","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/articles\/2022\/faculty-research-spotlight-michael-a-medina\/","title":{"rendered":"Research Supports Positive Youth Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin news-block-editorial-leadin is-style-side-by-side has-media has-flip has-box has-media-focus-center-middle has-secondary-theme\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2100\" height=\"1393\" src=\"\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina.png\" class=\"\" alt=\"show faculty member speaking to group of students\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina.png 2100w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-900x597.png 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-1500x995.png 1500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-768x509.png 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-1536x1019.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-2048x1359.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-1200x796.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-500x332.png 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-992x658.png 992w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-1920x1274.png 1920w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-1000x663.png 1000w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-1984x1316.png 1984w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-1508x1000.png 1508w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/files\/2022\/11\/Michael-Medina-450x300.png 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2100px) 100vw, 2100px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">Assistant Professor Michael A. Medina. Photo by Christina McDonnell<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-prepress-tag\">Applied human development<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\">Research Supports Positive Youth Development<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">&#8220;Policy needs to keep up with research, research needs to be involved actively in schooling,&#8221; says Michael A. Medina<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar news-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">November 15, 2022<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/news\/authors\/angela-xie\/\">Angela Xie<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p>As a Latino first-generation college graduate, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/wheelock\/profile\/michael-a-medina\/\">Michael A. Medina<\/a> is interested in the systems and contexts that support student success. An assistant professor of applied human development at BU Wheelock College of Education &amp; Human Development, he explores the educational experiences and challenges of diverse student populations, including topics such as positive youth development, forming school-community partnerships, and developing anti-racist pedagogy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Medina is a recipient of National Science Foundation (NSF) and Ford Foundation Fellowships, and was recently awarded an NSF Rapid Grant to explore students\u2019 ethnic identity development during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to joining BU Wheelock, he was a postdoctoral scholar in the Peer Relations Lab at the Department of Human Ecology at the University of California, Davis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a news-block-editorial-q-and-a has-quaternary-theme\"><div class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-title\"><h2 class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-title-heading\">Q<span>&amp;<\/span>A<\/h2><h4 class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-title-subheading\"><\/h4><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-question\"><span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-name\">Question:<\/span> <span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-content\">What is your research focus?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-answer\"><span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-name\">Medina:<\/span> <span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-content\"> My area of research is positive social identity development over time, including ethnic and racial identity development, exposure to diversity and discrimination, and experiences of socialization. I look at how young people in the US develop a positive or negative understanding of their background or the background of others, and how that shapes the way they go through school, how they navigate relationships and feel about themselves, and ultimately, the role they think they should play in our society.&nbsp;<br><br>For example, some young people who experience racialized discrimination might come to further embrace the part of their identity that has been discriminated against, as a kind of a protective measure. My research interacts with those young people to determine what are the factors that promote a positive outlook about their social identity and how schools, communities, and families can promote that.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-question\"><span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-name\">Question:<\/span> <span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-content\">What kinds of policy or advocacy work are you involved in?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-answer\"><span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-name\">Medina:<\/span> <span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-content\">I am a staunch proponent of educational policy keeping up with the changing population in the country. There are so many policies designed to try to support students that aren\u2019t all drawing from the most relevant educational data or keeping up with the changing demographics of student populations. My research aims to give directly back to schools and educational administrations findings that are relevant to how they can better serve their students, which in turn they may use to update their practices to better accommodate student needs.&nbsp;<br><br>As a field, education is so massive and so nuanced that the practices we pursue can easily become outdated. Policy needs to keep up with research, research needs to be involved actively in schooling, schools must listen to their students, and students must ultimately benefit from policy. It\u2019s a necessary cycle.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-question\"><span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-name\">Question:<\/span> <span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-content\">What motivates the research you do?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-answer\"><span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-name\">Medina:<\/span> <span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-content\">They say most research is me-search, and that\u2019s definitely true with me. I grew up in a very poor and underserved community in New Jersey. My schools were lacking a lot of essentials. I struggled, and many of my friends struggled. My family had trouble getting involved, and I think the teachers weren\u2019t well-equipped\u2014through no fault of their own\u2014to serve us. I\u2019m a first-generation college grad and that wasn\u2019t for lack of trying on the part of my family.&nbsp;<br><br>My hope is that my work through research, teaching, service, or community involvement will make education more accessible to students who are under-resourced, underserved, or undermotivated. I wouldn\u2019t be here if I didn\u2019t have people actively pushing me toward the finish line as I was running in the opposite direction. My ultimate hope is\u2014when it comes to student admissions, retention, and engagement across diverse and historically marginalized populations\u2014to be that hand reaching out and pulling them toward education, in the same way that I was pulled.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-question\"><span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-name\">Question:<\/span> <span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-content\">How has the educational landscape changed over the course of your career?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-answer\"><span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-name\">Medina:<\/span> <span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-content\">Right now, there is such a push toward multiculturalism, which is beneficial for those of us who want to support diverse student groups. It wasn\u2019t that long ago that segregation in schools was the norm, and we\u2019re still recovering from that. Schools are still incredibly segregated, both on the student side and the instructor side. But what I\u2019ve seen is that we\u2019re identifying our gaps in understanding around multiculturalism, around diversity, and we\u2019re taking steps to correct that.&nbsp;<br><br>Research like mine receives national funding, and universities are successfully pushing out diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and pouring millions of dollars into those initiatives. That acknowledgement goes a long way to ensuring student interest in these topics, securing funding, and encouraging schools to hire experts in these areas. Education is a massive industry that moves incredibly slowly, so these incremental steps are necessary for that creep of change towards progress.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-question\"><span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-name\">Question:<\/span> <span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-content\">What are some challenges you\u2019ve encountered during your research or education?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-answer\"><span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-name\">Medina:<\/span> <span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-content\">When it comes to topics like race, ethnicity, and diversity, people define them in very different ways. It\u2019s been difficult to come up with comprehensive theories that keep up with the nation\u2019s changing views on these topics. I\u2019m interested in capturing the experiences of multiracial youth who are consistently left out of psychological research and conversations because they are so unique in terms of their ethnic-racial background. I\u2019ve had grant funding agencies say they are not a population of interest, despite the fact that they\u2019re one of the fastest growing populations in the country. You can get challenges at every level, but this is a credible topic for understanding how diverse young people are going to succeed in a racialized society.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-question\"><span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-name\">Question:<\/span> <span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-content\">What are some of your next steps?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-answer\"><span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-name\">Medina:<\/span> <span class=\"wp-block-editorial-q-and-a-content\">I\u2019d like to continue teaching about topics related to positive educational experiences and productive change in the educational system. I\u2019d like to continue services that target recruitment and retention of students from marginalized backgrounds. In my research, I&#8217;d like to learn more about the most underserved and ignored student populations, such as multiracial youth, so that we might work toward educational and social policies that serve them before we find ourselves with a diverse and complex student population that we do not at all understand.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<h4><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As a Latino first-generation college graduate, Michael A. Medina is interested in the systems and contexts that support student success. 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