Search Institute is welcoming four new research fellows as part of our Summer Scholars Fellowship for 2025: So Jung Lee, Briana López, Gabrielle Hayashi, and Ayah Phuly.
A collaboration between Search Institute and emerging scholars in positive youth development, the Summer Scholars Fellowship offers the opportunity to contribute to ongoing projects while introducing fresh insights to support youth thriving. The scholars will be paired with mentors from Search Institute’s research team to develop actionable knowledge that can inform best practices and advance scholarly insights in the field of positive youth development. They will also gain new analytical skills, career support, and insights into large-scale projects, with opportunities to connect with practitioners and community partners. The fellowship also aids career development, focusing on career fit, work-life balance, mentoring networks, and experiences of underrepresented groups in research.
This is the fourth year Search Institute has offered the Summer Scholars Research Fellowship. This year, we received more than 300 applications, representing an incredibly diverse range of research training and focuses.
“Our Summer Scholars Program continues to be a highlight for Search Institute—each fellow brings fresh perspectives, energy, and expertise that enrich our work," says Joanna Williams, Search Institute’s Senior Director of Research. “In turn, they gain hands-on experience in applied research and contribute meaningfully to advancing positive youth development. The close mentoring relationships allow us to live into our model of developmental relationships, from support and care, to growth, shared power, and expanded opportunities. It’s a powerful exchange of learning and impact.”
Meet the Summer Scholars Research Fellows
So Jung Lee is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Educational Psychology program (Human Development and Learning strand) at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she also earned her B.A. in Applied Psychology and M.Ed. in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics, and Assessment. Her research examines youth-adult relationships within informal learning contexts as central to fostering positive youth development. Grounded in antiracist praxis, her current work explores how ethnic-racial socialization unfolds within community-based youth programs and how mentoring relationships in these settings can serve as spaces for healing and affirmation. Drawing on her own experiences of transformative mentorship, So Jung is committed to ensuring that all adolescents, especially those navigating systemic inequities, can find guidance and agency in their growth. She looks forward to extending her research into school-based settings and delving deeper into practitioner-informed interventions that promote positive youth outcomes. So Jung’s mentor is Katherine Ross.
Briana López is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) program at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research examines how families, schools, and other social contexts influence the academic and socioemotional well-being of youth throughout K–12 schooling. A central focus of her scholarship is identifying strengths-based mechanisms that promote positive developmental outcomes in the face of sociocultural and structural stressors, including marginalization tied to race/ethnicity, language, and socioeconomic status. This summer, Briana looks forward to collaborating with fellow scholars and researchers at Search Institute and contributing to rigorous, practice-based research in positive youth development. With plans to pursue an applied research career post-graduation, she is eager to deepen her understanding of the day-to-day work of research scientists, expand her professional network, and strengthen both methodological and technical skills to support her future goals. Briana's mentor is Kara Hirano.
Ayah Phuly is a rising third-year Ph.D. student in the Developmental Science program at the University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Development. She is broadly interested in attachment, relationships, and prevention in development. More specifically, she is interested in teacher-student relationships and what makes these relationships high-quality, especially for historically underserved populations. Ayah is also interested in doulas and how they can support and nurture the mother-child relationship. In the context of the Summer Scholar fellowship program, Ayah is most excited to interface with a community that cares about translating research into practice and remaining open to learning all that she can from them. Ayah's Search Institute mentor is Erica Van Steenis.
Gabrielle Hayashi is a first-year Ph.D. student in International Education Policy at the University of Maryland. She is passionate about mentorship programs and career development opportunities for vulnerable youth. Originally from Brazil, Gabrielle holds a Bachelor's degree in International Relations and a Master's degree in Development and Governance. Her current research interests are connected to how career internationalization opportunities through education impact the career development and socio-economic mobility of Brazilian youth. She is especially excited to work with her mentor to strengthen her analytical skills and deepen her research expertise. Gabrielle’s mentor is Nanyamka Redmond.
The Fellowship runs through August 29, 2025. It is funded through a generous grant from the Bezos Family Foundation.
Learn more about the Summer Scholars Fellowship and the Scholars' work.