Undergrad Spotlight: Maria Khan

Maria Khan is a fourth-year undergraduate student at York University under the mentorship of Rebecca Pillai Riddell, PhD. Khan’s areas of research interest include the contributions of infant pain regulation and caregiver emotional availability to preschool executive functioning, and she also has conducted research examining the role of therapeutic alliance in therapeutic change for youth with autism spectrum disorder. She also has experience in a wide variety of research skills, including conducting systematic reviews, administering standardized psychological tests, conducting behavioral coding and training junior staff. She is currently the project coordinator for the Building Resilience in Communities & Kids project, which involves an impressive level of leadership for a student at her stage.

Khan is recognized as an outstanding student who has made contributions to the field of pediatric psychology through research and volunteerism. She has been recognized for her accomplishments and leadership through numerous awards.

In the future, Khan plans to obtain her PhD in school and child clinical psychology. Her career goals include working as a scientist and clinician in community mental-health settings. Ultimately, she hopes to work with children and youth in marginalized, high-risk contexts.