Student Spotlight

Student Spotlight:
Yustine Carruyo Soto

Yustine Carruyo Soto is currently completing an undergraduate degree in psychology at McGill University and is mentored by Dr. Leandra Desjardins at the Sainte-Justine University Health Center. In her first summer as a research student, she led a submission and was the co-recipient of the 1st place award at the Brain Tumor Foundation of Canada student research competition. She has since been involved in many research activities and stands out amongst her peers for her dedication, innovation, and contributions to pediatric psychology, as well as equity, diversity, and inclusion. Yustine is developing a body of research focused on understanding sociodemographic factors which may impact long-term outcomes in children diagnosed with cancer. She first presented a poster examining community contextual factors impacting transition readiness skills in pediatric cancer survivors at the Society of Pediatric Psychology annual conference in 2022. That same year, she was invited to publish a student commentary for the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, which addressed factors impacting outcomes such as access to health insurance and included information on opportunities for advocacy within pediatric psychology. In recognition of her achievements, personal status as a diverse scholar, and commitment to furthering diversity initiatives in pediatric psychology, Yustine received the Society of Pediatric Psychology Diverse Scholar Award in 2022. In addition to her research pursuits, Yustine is a champion of promoting policies and practices that reinforce inclusivity at an institutional level. At McGill University, Yustine led advocacy efforts to allow part-time students to apply to the Psychology honors program, thus reducing barriers to access and facilitating greater inclusion for future students.