Stella Lopez

Stella Lopez, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), affiliated with the College for Health, Community and Policy (HCAP). She serves as Undergraduate Advisor of Record and focuses on person perception, academic performance, and stress coping mechanisms.

• Education: Ph.D. in Psychology (University of Texas at Arlington), B.A. in Psychology (Southern Methodist University)

Research Interests: Her work examines factors influencing academic success, self-compassion, insomnia, and demographic inclusivity in psychological research. She investigates behavioral inhibition/approach systems in smoking cessation and cultural sensitivity in prevention programs.

Publications Trends: Recent work focuses on ethical research practices, pandemic effects on student mental health, and faculty burnout. Earlier studies explore body image perception across ethnic groups and behavioral systems in addictive behaviors.

Labs & Teams: Collaborates with UTSA's HCAP (Health, Community and Policy) initiative, emphasizing community partnerships and translational research.