2026 - 2027 Marshall Fellow

Esmeralda Soriano received her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, with concentrations in developmental psychopathology and quantitative methods, from Temple University. Her research, policy engagement, and advocacy are grounded in her commitment to strengthening support systems for marginalized youth and advancing policies that promote more equitable outcomes. Her doctoral research examined how risk and resilience processes differentially shape youth’s delinquent behaviors across ethnoracial groups. Throughout her graduate career, she served multiple terms on the executive board of the Temple University Graduate Students’ Association, where she advocated on behalf of graduate student workers regarding overwork, underpayment, and harassment. Esmeralda’s passion for advocacy and policy reform converged during her fellowship of Temple University’s Public Policy Lab, where she evaluated policy implications for interdisciplinary research beyond her own field of expertise. In the future, Esmeralda aims to continue applying developmental science to reduce systemic and structural inequalities faced my marginalized youth.

As the James Marshall Public Policy Fellow, Esmeralda will spend one year working full time in a Congressional office here in Washington, DC! The SPSSI James Marshall Public Policy Fellowship trains early career scientists to 1) contribute to the effective use of scientific knowledge about social issues in the formation of public policy at the federal level; 2) educate the scientific community about how research can contribute to the development of public policy; and 3) establish a more effective liaison between social scientists and various policymaking mechanisms.

Click here to learn more about SPSSI's Marshall Fellowship program.