Laurel Standiford Reyes

Dr. Laurel Standiford Reyes is a faculty member in the Psychology Department at the University of Southern Indiana (USI), part of the College of Liberal Arts. She leads the Human and Family Development Lab, focusing on projects addressing attachment interventions, maternal mortality disparities, mental health among students, and community-driven racial justice initiatives. Her work emphasizes collaboration with local organizations and student researchers to bridge academic research with community needs.

• Affiliations: USI Psychology Department, Human and Family Development Lab, Grassroots Maternal and Child Health Initiative, USI History Department.
• Research Interests: Parent-child attachment dynamics, racial disparities in healthcare, community reparative justice, adolescent mental health, and evidence-based parenting programs.

Current projects include:

• Attachment Interventions in Evansville (AIE): Evaluating local parenting programs and developing community resources like The Bridge website.
• Maternal Mortality: Investigating racial disparities in Indiana and advocating for policy changes.
• Historical Reparative Justice: Partnering with the Evansville African American Museum to address regional racial violence history via historical markers and educational programs.

Dr. Reyes mentors numerous student researchers, including project leads like Tarah Roth, Mary Bender, and Jessica Yorgason. She also collaborates with institutions like Rice Library and local healthcare organizations to expand community access to mental and physical health resources.