Alfredo J. Velasquez is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Human Development and Family Sciences Department at the University of Texas at Austin, working in the SOGI: Health and Rights Lab.

Alfredo’s research aims to investigate the intersectionality of race/ethnicity and sexual minority status with respect to physical and mental health outcomes. Alfredo is also interested in how family dynamics (e.g., caregiver-child interaction, foster care status) & environmental settings (e.g., neighborhoods, communities, schools) relate to health, longitudinally. Alfredo’s previous work has included late childhood, adolescent, and older adult populations, with an emphasis on underrepresented research populations. Given that the United States continues to become increasingly more racially/ethnically & gender/sexual diverse, Alfredo’s goal is to produce scientifically sound research that will aid in positive developmental trajectories for youth and ultimately lessen the lifespan disparity gap for those with marginalized identities.

Areas of Interest:

  • Racial/ethnic marginalized populations
  • Gender and sexual minority youth
  • Resiliency & adversity exposure
  • Healthy adolescent development

 

Publications:

Velasquez, A. J., Douglas, J.A., Guo, F., & Robinette, J.W. (2021). What predicts how safe people feel in their neighborhoods and does it depend on functional status? SSM – Population Health, 16, 100927. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100927.

Guo, F., Bostean, G., Berardi, V., Velasquez, A.J., & Robinette, J.W. (2022). Obesogenic Environment and Cardiovascular Disease: A Multiple Mediation Analysis Using National Data. BMC Public Health. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-13100-4.

 

Presentations:

Velasquez, A.J., Guo, F., & Robinette, J.W. (2021, Nov). Crime and Perceived Neighborhood Safety Across Racial/Ethnic Groups. Paper to presented at the annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, Virtual Event.

Guo, F., Velasquez, A.J., & Robinette, J.W. (2021, Oct). Interaction Between Neighborhood Crime and Polygenic Score on Type 2 Diabetes. Paper to presented at the annual meeting of the Integrating Genetics and the Social Sciences Conference, Boulder, CO.

Guo, F., Bostean, G., Berardi, V., Velasquez, A.J., & Robinette, J.W. (2021, May). Obesogenic Environment and Cardiovascular Disease: A Multiple Mediation Analysis Using National Data. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Virtual Event.

Velasquez, A.J., Douglas, J.A., & Robinette, J.W. (2021, May). What predicts how safe people feel in their neighborhoods and does it depend on functional status? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Population Association of America, Virtual Event.