Director
Dr. Alan Meca
Dr. Meca (él, he, him) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Dean's Fellow for Faculty Success within the College for Health, Community and Policy at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Meca received his PhD in Applied Developmental Science from Florida International University (FIU) and completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Department of Public Health Science at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Consistent with the goals of the TARDIS lab, Dr. Meca’s research has focused on advancing the understanding of identity development, across various domains (e.g., ethnic/racial, military, and parental identity), and its associations with psychosocial functioning and engagement in health risk behavior, primarily among marginalized populations. Within the context of this program of research, Dr. Meca and TARDIS have maintained three active lines of research focused on understanding 1) acculturation and cultural identity, 2) the impact of cultural adaptation and stressors, and 3) how identity development more broadly impacts psychosocial functioning.
For more information, please see his Curriculum Vitae.
Contact
Associate Professor, Assistant Department Chair
Psychology
Graduate Students
Bethany Cruz, Assistant Lab Director, Third Year, Doctoral program
Bethany (she/they/ella/elle) is a first-year graduate student in the psychology doctoral program at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She earned her Bachelor of Arts, and Master of Science in Psychology from UT San Antonio. Bethany’s primary research interests are focused on identity development and its role in health (e.g., mental health, substance use, risky behaviors), particularly among ethnic-racial, gender, and sexual minoritized groups who face pervasive health disparities.
Specifically, her research sits at the intersection of health and developmental psychology, wherein she examines the role that stressors (e.g., cultural, gender, sexual minority) and sociocultural factors (e.g., cultural values, etc.,) play in forming identity development, globally and across identity domains (e.g., ethnic-racial identity, etc). Her broader aim is to inform and design culturally responsive, developmentally attuned interventions that recognize the realities of intersectional identities and the dynamic ways people navigate who they are across settings and time.
Additionally, Bethany is particularly interested in studying the intersectionality of identities, such as Hispanic/Latinx gender and sexual minorities. Outside of her research endeavors, Bethany has spent her time working with various national nonprofit and local community organizations as a counselor, educator, and research associate. Upon completion of her doctoral degree, she hopes to work towards developing culturally competent assessments and interventions. Beyond academics, Bethany enjoys reading, writing, crafting, hiking, and baking.
Isabella Cruz, Active Alumni
Bella (she/her) is a graduate student in the psychology master's program at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). Her research interests focus on how cultural values and expectations (such as body ideals, familism, and religion) impact identity development, psychosocial functioning, and mental health, primarily among Latinx populations. She is also interested in the acculturation process in the Hispanic community and its psychological outcomes. Outside of academics, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and spending time with her pets.
Julian Pena, Second Year, Master’s program
Julian (he/him) is a first-year graduate student in the Master of Science in Psychology program at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in English from Texas A&M International University. Julian’s primary research interests are the affective and emotional elements underlying identity development, particularly in context of personal identity and occupational identity.
His current work is focused on understanding how affective states tie to elements of ones’ sense of self and relate to their own development. Aside from his research and aspirations, Julian enjoys reading literature and philosophy, watching thought-provoking films, and enjoying fun communal storytelling with others through table-top role-playing games.
Chelsea Roblenalt-Hart, Fourth Year, Doctoral program
Chelsea (she/her/they/them) is native to San Antonio and received both her BA and MS degrees at UT San Antonio and is now earning her PhD. She joined the TARDIS lab in the Fall of 2023. Chelsea's research interests involve women's health and identity development within the family unit, as well as the identity development and interactions of the family unit members. Chelsea is working on her dissertation that examines parental identity among new mothers. She is also passionate about mentoring and teaching undergraduates and hopes to stay in academia after receiving her degree. Beyond academics, Chelsea loves to be involved with her four kids and their own school and extracurricular activities.
Madison Stout, Third Year, Doctoral program
Maddie (she/her) is a first year doctoral student at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She joined the TARDIS lab in the summer of 2023. Her primary research interests involve identity development among people with disabilities, primarily autistic and neurodivergent students. She is interested in examining how systems of oppression and ableism may impact certain mental health outcomes, including substance use. Maddie is hoping to teach and do research.
Outside of academia, Maddie enjoys painting, listening to heavy metal, and playing with her synthesizer.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Mackenzie Carter, Research Assistant
Mackenzie (she/her) is second-year an undergraduate psychology student at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her goal is to make psychology more accessible to the public. Mackenzie argues that mental health should be less stigmatized and feels that the best way to do that is to increase education. Beyond that, Mackenzie is a huge fan of anime, video games and creative expression.
Catelyn Crowder, Lab Manager
Cate (she/her) is a second-year undergraduate student at UT San Antonio, majoring in psychology. She joined the TARDIS lab in the spring of 2024. She is interested in understanding the implications of intersectional identities, more specifically for marginalized groups. She is queer and African American, so she seeks to aid these communities in doing research. In the future, she plans to use her understanding of intersectionality to better our societal systems. She spends her time engaging in creatives such as poetry and book writing. You can find her at the Poetry Society and the John Peace Library.
Juan Gonzalez, Research Assistant
Juan (he/him) is a second-year, first-generation undergraduate student at UT San Antonio with a major in psychology and a minor in business administration. He will be joining the TARDIS lab in the summer of 2026. He is interested in understanding the effects that cultural and environmental stressors have on identity development and self-perception, especially in minority populations. Outside of academics, Juan enjoys listening to albums and watching movies, especially horror.
Ashton Page, Research Assistant
Ashton (she/her) is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She joined the TARDIS Lab in the fall of 2025. Her research interest is in neurodevelopmental disorders and how they impact identity development as well as academic and professional success. As someone who is neurodiverse, she hopes to expand the existing body of knowledge on autism, ADHD, and related disorders over the course of her career. After graduating from UT San Antonio, Ashton plans to enroll in a PhD program out of state and eventually become a research psychologist. Outside of academia, Ashton enjoys being involved in her community. She serves as the District 8 Board Member on the San Antonio Higher Education Student Advisory Board, where she advocates for college students like herself. In her spare time, she loves hiking in the Hill Country, trying new coffee shops, and spending time with her beloved senior cat, Sampson.
Htoo Htee Ywar, Research Assistant
Htoo Htee (she/her) is a third-year Honors undergraduate psychology student at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research interests focus on identity development, cultural adaptation, and health equity in refugee and immigrant communities. She is particularly passionate about supporting women affected by domestic violence and sexual abuse, as well as individuals struggling with alcohol use disorders. She is also a part of Rowdy Corps, a work-study internship opportunity that places students in non-profits in the San Antonio community. She works with the Center for Civic and Community-Engaged Leadership as a GivePulse ambassador through RowdyCorps. At the TARDIS Lab, Htoo Htee hopes to contribute to projects exploring how culture and migration shape psychosocial well-being. Outside of her academics, Htoo Htee enjoys reading, watching movies, and hanging out with her friends.
