Athena Thai is a rising junior in the School of Arts and Sciences with a double major in Psychology and Cognitive Science. At Rutgers, she gained an interest for academic research through becoming an undergraduate research assistant at The Hamilton Lab, examining the relationship between adolescent suicidality, social media, and sleep. Her passion lies in the field of mental health, and she is currently a volunteer Crisis Counselor for the Crisis Text Line, in which she helps texters identify helpful coping strategies to overcome their struggles. Through the Gardner Fellowship, Athena hopes to learn more about how research can inform public policy, and how legislative reform can improve the mental health of adolescents. Athena aspires to continue onto graduate school and pursue a career in clinical psychology. In her free time, Athena enjoys listening to music, finding new shows to watch, and spending time with her family and friends.
