Clin-Com Psychology Associate Prof @University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Health & parenting in minoritized groups ‘18 Pre @NASEMFordFellow & @universityofga PhD she/her. views = minehttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mv6qjkdxl227Excited to share my new @science.org Working Life essay, “Letting go of certainty,” reflecting on uncertainty, taking chances, and pursuing tenure three years early. “Sometimes action comes first.” #ScienceWorkingLife https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.science.org/content/article/academic-scientist-u-s-i-m-learning-live-uncertainty__;!!DZ3fjg!6WXWP_iq48Np7SqPjCvvKIsxFRj0vDpy3mPoGXUyU0UJ_SrC2qxmYoUkW9wG13cyMYOl7p-NqISZHfqKd1g$10 Sep 2026 19:03 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mv6qjkdxl227https://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mukqywuxic2qWonderful to welcome Dr. Becky Miller, Program Leader for the NIH Common Fund’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research Program, to Illinois for my Early Independence Award visit and an SBSI seminar. Grateful for her time and insights! @psychillinois.bsky.social #NIH #NIHCommonFund #HighRiskHighReward02 Sep 2026 20:18 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mukqywuxic2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3ms526dlifk22Honored to officially receive notification of my promotion to Associate Professor with Indefinite Tenure at the @psychillinois.bsky.social! So grateful to the NIH Director’s DP5 Early Independence Award, mentors, collaborators, students, colleagues, and the families who make this work possible!02 Aug 2026 22:35 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms526dlifk22https://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mria2eiyb22lFolks have started reaching out again, and yes! I will be reviewing PhD applications this fall! 📅 Deadline: Nov 15, 2026 🔗 Info: https://publish.illinois.edu/healthequitylab/ 📨 Questions? vjrodrig@illinois.edu 🔵 @vjrp.bsky.social #PhDChat #HealthEquity #ClinicalPsych25 Jul 2026 15:54 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mria2eiyb22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mn6muzj2rc23From P.E.O. Scholar Award recipient (2022) to convention speaker (2026). Honored to speak at the Illinois State Chapter P.E.O. Convention this weekend. Grateful to Meg Cline, Chapters BL and KD, Fran Becque, Amy Peterson, and the many P.E.O. women who make these opportunities possible.31 May 2026 22:36 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mn6muzj2rc23https://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mlwc3zysgs2aProud mentor moment 💙 Congrats to Aadarsh Nair on graduating with honors and heading to Tufts for a research MA in Clinical Developmental Psychology, Antonia Yuxin Hua on the Graduate Award for Excellence in Psych Science, and Jess on the Frederick & Ruby Kanfer Community Action Award. So proud!15 May 2026 21:37 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlwc3zysgs2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mlsttpexjs25One of the most meaningful parts of grad school was helping found the UGA Racial Trauma Task Force during COVID-19 and anti-Black racism in 2020. Big lesson: sometimes you just have to DO. Grateful to Dr. Isha W. Metzger and everyone involved in this work. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.7007214 May 2026 12:44 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlsttpexjs25https://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mkko7eyie22dNew paper in Developmental Psychology: Rethinking parenting: A function-based framework for understanding caregiving across contexts We move from labeling parenting and focus on the goals behind behaviors (emotional connection, structure, cultural values). w/ Sungha Kang & @qmmmmliu.bsky.social! https://doi.org/10.1037/dev000218928 Apr 2026 13:16 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkko7eyie22dhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mkh2y4ivpk2zNew scoping review with @dllabarrie.bsky.social, Isha Metzger, & Sawyer Adams on racial socialization interventions for Black youth showing that caregiver involvement & culturally grounded approaches are linked to better coping, racial identity, & communication about race. A small evidence base! https://doi.org/10.1177/0021934726143430027 Apr 2026 02:54 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkh2y4ivpk2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mju4mr2bf22uNew paper led by Yasmin Butt on transgender and gender diverse families with @qmmmmliu.bsky.social. We examine how stigma, parenting emotion regulation, and mental health are interconnected using network analysis. Internalized stigma and anxiety were central. 🔗 https://doi.org/10.1080/27703371.2026.265449919 Apr 2026 14:03 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mju4mr2bf22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3miz7vt5o722kSo proud of @antoniayuxinhua.bsky.social and this exciting work being presented at #ADAA2026. If you are at the conference, be sure to stop by Poster S64 on Saturday afternoon. Great work on maternal depression, parenting, and youth mental health! [contains quote post or other embedded content]08 Apr 2026 21:20 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3miz7vt5o722khttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mhrfowib522dSo proud of @jpstand.bsky.social on his first first-author paper (!!) 🎉 Important findings on disparities in suicidal ideation and unmet mental health needs using national data with a team lead by @qmmmmliu.bsky.social. Excited to see this work out in Archives of Suicide Research! [contains quote post or other embedded content]24 Mar 2026 01:17 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhrfowib522dhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mgn7r7syzk2lMy new career column in Nature is out. After reviewing hundreds of PhD applications for my lab and admissions at the UIUC, I kept seeing the same mistakes. I share 8 common application and interview mistakes and what applicants can do differently. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-04128-809 Mar 2026 15:55 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgn7r7syzk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mggkhm7r5k2kShared a poster at the NIH High-Risk, High-Reward Symposium on structural topic modeling and network analysis of parent interviews—early results from my DP5 project. Shoutout to the Health Equity and Action Lab team for helping interview 151 parents in one semester. #NIH #EarlyIndependenceAward07 Mar 2026 00:18 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mggkhm7r5k2khttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mgbie4iock2bGrateful to be in Bethesda for the NIH High-Risk, High-Reward Symposium. Honored to be here through the NIH Director’s Early Independence Award and to meet fellow awardees, including others in psychology. Inspiring science across fields!! #NIH #HighRiskHighReward04 Mar 2026 23:57 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgbie4iock2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mf3vr5rph22hNew paper w/ @qmmmmliu.bsky.social Network analysis of LGBTQIA+ parents linking parenting, stigma, & mental health. Supportiveness, reinforcement, & transphobia were central. Child psychopathology & parent anxiety bridged domains. Patterns varied by identity doi.org/10.1037/fam0001459 https://doi.org/10.1037/fam000145918 Feb 2026 01:15 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mf3vr5rph22hhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3mf35rognw22pWe loved having you @gramos.bsky.social!! Thanks so much for generously sharing your amazing work with us! [contains quote post or other embedded content]17 Feb 2026 18:06 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mf35rognw22phttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3malvllvquc2qWow! Honored that my essay was named one of Science’s Top Personal Essays of 2025 for the second year in a row! It means a lot that honest stories about the real pressures + joys of research resonate. Grateful to all who read, shared, and reached out. Read here ➝ https://www.science.org/content/article/academic-betrayal-tapping-silliness-science-s-top-personal-essays-202522 Dec 2025 18:49 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3malvllvquc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3ma2neoxyc22gI’m excited to be a panelist at APF’s second annual Springfield Town Hall on sustaining impact in LGBTQIA+ psychological research. 🗓 Feb 11, 2026 | 6 PM ET | Zoom 🔗 https://ampsychfdn.org/events/springfieldtownhall-research/ Open to all. Please share.15 Dec 2025 22:07 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3ma2neoxyc22ghttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3m7433idrzc2zThrilled to share my new study validating the Regulation of Emotions in Parenting Scale (REPS) in a large, racially diverse U.S. sample https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1073191125139032103 Dec 2025 18:20 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7433idrzc2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3m67swbwzdk2hSO HONORED AND GRATEFUL to receive the Emerging Latino Leader Award at the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation Gala. Thank you Senator Karina Villa and Rey Raigoza. Grateful to @psychillinois.bsky.social Head Diane Beck, Dean Venetria Patton, & @benhankin.bsky.social for nominating me.22 Nov 2025 12:39 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3m67swbwzdk2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3m3zqkymftc2iNew paper in Assessmentauthored by @psychillinois.bsky.social MSPS student @antoniayuxinhua.bsky.social, with @qmmmmliu.bsky.social. We validated the Regulating Emotions in Parenting Scale (REPS) across LGBT parents. Read: https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191125138203125 Oct 2025 15:50 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3zqkymftc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3m2wg4zasdk2uOfficially licensed as a clinical psychologist in Illinois!!!!11 Oct 2025 14:41 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3m2wg4zasdk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3m23c33zt2s2qSo proud to share our paper on Academic Brokering with brilliant #LatinaScholars. 🌟 Grateful to @dllabarrie.bsky.social for leading the way & to Amanda Perozo Garcia, Michelle Perez, and @thaniagalvanphd.bsky.social for making this project come to fruition. 💜 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dev.7008930 Sep 2025 19:46 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3m23c33zt2s2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3lzrk4mh2ds23Grateful to NIH OAR for inviting me to join the panel at the Early Career Investigator Workshop in HIV. 🙏 Loved being in conversation about the many pathways research careers can take, and inspired by the leadership + commitment across institutes. 📺 Recordings: https://oar.nih.gov/nih-workshop-early-career-investigators-hiv26 Sep 2025 22:43 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lzrk4mh2ds23https://bsky.app/profile/vjrp.bsky.social/post/3lzlvmarcmc2oExcited to be included in Nature’s roundup of 99 lab hacks! I shared advice on lab meetings + clear expectations for trainees. Small structures that can make a big difference in mentoring. Check out the full piece here: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-02719-z24 Sep 2025 16:53 +0000at://did:plc:inv4svd3g24fv2zxnsfgprbn/app.bsky.feed.post/3lzlvmarcmc2o