Julie Garcia

Julie Garcia is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at California Polytechnic State University. Her research focuses on social identities, contextual identity meanings, and strategies for enhancing well-being in marginalized groups. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from California State University, San Bernardino, an M.A. and Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Michigan, and a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University.

Her work examines intergroup dynamics, STEM representation challenges for underrepresented populations, and adaptive identity negotiation. Key areas include how situational cues impact identity valuations and psychological outcomes. She has contributed to understanding stigma management, compassionate goal frameworks, and the role of mindset beliefs in educational settings.

Publications span social psychology topics like racial identity fluidity, mental health interventions, and educational equity. Her research methods include experience-sampling approaches to capture real-time psychological processes. Garcia’s work aims to improve intergroup relations, STEM retention, and holistic identity management strategies.