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1 Applicant ID: Name: Isabela Solis Major: Psychology Project Title: Emotional Distress and Maternal Health at the Intersections of Immigration and Health Policy Previous Mentored esearch: Documents to review: From the Mentor: Project Summary Mentoring Plan IB Approval (if req d) No From the Student: Student Project Description Student Personal Statement Student Transcript Applicant eview Information eview Guidelines eviewer Notes File

2 Project Description Page 1 Emotional Distress and Maternal Health at the Intersections of Immigration and Health Policy This research aims to explore the emotional experience of pregnancy among immigrant women in El Paso, TX. Current enforcement of immigration policies is likely contributing to experiences of emotional distress within immigrant communities, with potentially catastrophic implications for immigrant health, including the health of pregnant immigrants (Grossman 2017; Novak et al. 2017). This is particularly relevant on the southern border, which has been cast as a symbolic battleground in the execution of immigration policies, and women s reproductive capacities have been a central focus of anti-immigrant sentiment (Chavez 2008). On the Texas border, immigrationrelated stressors among pregnant immigrants are intersecting with a pre-existing reproductive health crisis, with Texas having the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world (MacDorman et al. 2016). eproductive health disparities are particularly stark along the border. Numerous scholars writing of the Hispanic health paradox note that immigrant Hispanics have comparatively good birth outcomes, despite having a lower average socioeconomic status and less access to healthcare than their non-hispanic white counterparts. However, there is evidence that periods of heightened stress over immigration policing tactics can trigger a higher prevalence of negative stress-related maternal and infant health outcomes among Hispanics (Novak et al. 2017). While reproductive health disparities are complex, these patterns point to pressing questions: How are current immigration policies shaping the emotional health of pregnant immigrants on the border? How do these emotional experiences shape the experience of pregnancy for this group of women? What strategies are women engaging in to navigate their pregnancy-related concerns? To address these questions, this research will investigate the emotional experiences of pregnant Mexican-origin immigrants in the El Paso, TX border region. We plan to explore these questions using in-depth semi-structured interviews with pregnant immigrant women. Potential participants will be identified using convenience sampling and snowball sampling. Specifically, we will advertise the study using existing relationships that we have with community organizations that provide support for pregnant women. This includes the Maternidad La Luz birthing center, Luna Tierra birthing center, UMC neighborhood clinics, and El Jardín. Alongside conducting the interviews, we will transcribe the interviews and analyze them for themes. By the spring semester, we also anticipate having enough data to present at a conference and begin preparing a manuscript for publication. This research will also serve as a pilot study for a larger-scale mixedmethods project that we are currently seeking support for through the National Science Foundation (NSF). The IB protocol for this project was submitted in April, and we will provide a copy of IB documentation to COUI upon project approval. eferences Chavez, Leo The Latino Threat: Constructing Immigrants, Citizens, and the Nation. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Grossman, Daniel "Sexual and eproductive Health under the Trump Presidency: Policy Change Threatens Women in the USA and Worldwide." Journal of Family Planning and eproductive Health Care 43 (2): MacDorman, Marian, Eugene Declercq, Howard Cabral, and Christine Morton "Is the United States Maternal Mortality ate Increasing? Disentangling Trends from Measurement Issues." Obstetrics and Gynecology 128 (3): Novak, Nicole, Arline Geronimus, and Aresha Martinez-Cardoso Change in Birth Outcomes among Infants Born to Latina Mothers after a Major Immigration aid. International Journal of Epidemiology. doi: /ije/dyw346.

3 Mentoring Plan Page 1 Isabela has been a student in two of my undergraduate courses: Global Health and Medical Anthropology. In both courses, she exceeded my expectations and I used one of her written assignments as an example for other students. Her critical thinking skills are particularly strong, and she regularly impressed me with thoughtful questions related to course material. I am confident that Isabela has the foundations to excel in conducting research. Given Isabela s goal of pursuing a Ph.D., this research experience, and subsequent collaboration on publications and conference presentations, can give her skills that will help her graduate school applications be more competitive. Through this research experience, our goal is to complete interviews in the fall and begin writing up the results of the interviews in the spring. The first two weeks of the program will be dedicated to interview training and having Isabela practice interview techniques. Following this training, we will aim to schedule 1-2 interviews per week throughout the fall semester. During the first month of conducting interviews, we will conduct each of these interviews as a team to facilitate Isabela s training. After each of these interviews, Isabela will transcribe the interview. We will then upload the transcript to Atlas.ti qualitative data analysis software, and I will train Isabela in how to look for themes and code qualitative data. This software is available through the UTEP GIS lab, and we have permission to use one of the work stations reserved for research assistants. Following this training period, we will aim to conduct one interview each per week for the remainder of the fall semester. I will accompany Isabela in her interviews for as long as she needs to feel comfortable with this process. She will then be given the opportunity to conduct interviews independently. Isabela will also be transcribing and analyzing the interview material following each interview. Additionally, I will be reviewing Isabela s interview transcriptions and analysis to provide feedback. There is some cushion worked into the fall timeline to account for any bumps in scheduling interviews. In transitioning into the spring semester, we will finish up any additional interviews we need to reach our desired sample size and begin working on a manuscript for publication and a conference paper that Isabela can present at a local conference. Since this stage will become more writing intensive, we will meet at least once per week and develop a writing plan that will enable us to make consistent progress on these items. Interviews will last approximately minutes and will be conducted in Spanish, English, or a mix of languages, depending on the preference of participants. Both of us are bilingual. To facilitate recruitment, I have funds in my research account to provide participants with a $20 gift card. I will be in charge of recruiting through existing relationships with local organizations that provide prenatal support services. Isabela will be welcome, but not required, to join in recruiting efforts, but the interviews, transcription, analysis, and our regular meetings will likely put her at 15 hours / week. To ensure Isabela receives sufficient guidance, we will meet at least once per week. Additionally, I will be available by phone and as needed. There is one additional professor, Dr. Ophra Leyser-Whalen, who will be a collaborator on this project. Dr. Leyser-Whalen can provide an additional source of support for Isabela as we conduct interviews and data analysis. Additionally, she is well networked with the organizations where we will be recruiting participants. However, I will be primarily responsible for Isabela s mentorship. Beyond the MEITUS program, we hope to continue collaboration on this research project. To facilitate continued engagement in future years, I am developing a NSF proposal to fund a more robust version of this research.

4 Project Description Women with precarious immigration statuses are often subjected to stressors and obstacles when it comes to giving birth in the United States, specifically in Texas. Our goal is to look at how immigration policies affect pregnancy for immigrant women in El Paso, Texas. Dr. Heckert and I will be interviewing pregnant immigrants about the stressors they are experiencing in relation to being an immigrant. Current immigrations policies are likely to contribute to women s stress or fear when it comes to being in another country without or pending documentation. With this research, we hope to explore how immigration status contributes to disparities in reproductive health among pregnant women with pending or undocumented statues, with the hope to improve and change policy. In this project, I will be conducting interviews with Dr. Heckert on pregnant immigrants. I will be involved in conducting and analyzing interviews as well as co-authoring a conference paper and article based on this research. As a part of this process, I will also transcribe interviews and learn qualitative data analysis skills. These skills will be building on the coding skills I have from previous research as well as learning a more in depth understanding of how to code. Building on that foundation will allow me to take these skills to graduate school and potentially conduct my own research. The publication opportunities will help me strengthen my academic writing skills and make me more competitive for graduate programs. The timeline for the year will be as follows: in September I will have a training period where I learn interviewing skills as well as qualitative data analysis. From October to December, Dr. Heckert and I will each conduct an estimate of 1-2 interviews a week. Once the interviews of the week have been conducted, I will transcribe them and analyze them. In the months of January and February, we will complete any interviews that might be unfinished and move into the writing of the results. Finally, from March to May our primary focus will be writing and presenting the results. This includes preparing a co-authored article for submission to a peer reviewed journal and preparing for a local conference where we will present the research. With the year of collaboration, I hope to not only gain and build on research skills but also apply to graduate school with the experience needed to excel in an anthropology Ph.D. program. The most important goals we will achieve will be interviewing pregnant immigrants, analyzing qualitative data, finalizing the research into a paper to submit to a peer reviewed journal, and presenting the research at UTEP s Women s History Month Conference. With COUI s program, I hope that their professional development seminars will also help me with applying to graduate school and giving me the support I need to be able to pursue my Ph.D.

5 Personal Statement 1 I have always been concerned with immigration issues, health disparities, cultural issues, etc. However, I never felt a need to make a change or to want to study populations until I started to work for a non-profit children s organization in El Paso, Texas. There was a little boy who had emigrated with his dad without documentation. They had been caught and had been separated. The dad had been sent to prison, and the son was in the process of going to a foster home. I saw that little boy question why they had taken his dad away, what policy issues had contributed it, and why it had happened? It was then that I knew I had to be one to look into policy, study cultures, and ultimately present that research and raise awareness. It was then that I found anthropology and decided to pursue it as my graduate degree. The MEITUS program will give me the opportunity to develop and build on the skills of a researcher, thus, making me more competitive for top anthropology graduate programs. I pursued a psychology degree for my undergrad and had always known that this is what I wanted to study, until I took anthropology classes. Anthropology helps me immerse myself in cultures and conduct research with the intent of understanding them and even explaining certain phenomena. I hope to continue my education and pursue a PhD in anthropology and potentially be able to teach and conduct research on a regular basis. This opportunity to work with a mentor who teaches and conducts research will help further my research skills as well as potentially open doors to publishing research and preparing me for my career in anthropology. In addition, working with my mentor will further skills in interviewing, transcription, qualitative data analysis, and coding. I am currently a volunteer research assistant looking at diabetes in the online community; therefore, I have the background to code, analyze results, and understand qualitative data analysis. In addition, by reinforcing these research skills and developing new ones could enable me to conduct my own research in the future, and that is my goal. I am also fluent in both English and Spanish. Since the population we will be looking at will speak primarily Spanish, I can successfully conduct interviews and analyze them. With this program I hope to enhance the skills I have learned as a research assistant and learn additional anthropological skills. In addition, I hope to be able to provide answers for people like that little boy. In the future, I hope to conduct my own research into policy and health disparities, as well as study cultures who live with the consequences of benefits of these disparities. The research skills I will learn throughout the year will lead me to be able to conduct research on my own and take those skills with me to graduate school and my future career.

6 Display Transcript Isabela Solis Jun 05, :15 pm This is NOT an official transcript. Courses which are in progress may also be included on this transcript. Institution Credit Transcript Totals Courses in Progress Transcript Data STUDENT INFOMATION Curriculum Information Current Program Bachelor of Arts Major: Minor: Psychology Sociology ***Transcript type:uno is NOT Official *** INSTITUTION CEDIT -Top- Term: Fall 2014 Academic Probation-See Dean Subject Course Level Title Grade Credit ATH 1306 Main UG History of Art II (C) C MATH 1508 Main POLS 2310 Main PSYC 1301 Main UG Precalculus (C) F UG Introduction to Politics (C) D UG Introduction to Psychology (C) C E E

7 Term: Spring 2015 Eligible to e-enroll Subject Course Level Title Grade Credit MATH 1508 Main UG Precalculus (C) C POLS 2310 Main WS 1301 Main UNIV 1301 Main UG Introduction to Politics (C) B UG hetoric & Composition I B UG Seminar/Critical Inquiry (C) C Term: Fall 2015 Eligible to e-enroll Subject Course Level Title Grade Credit BIOL 1107 Main UG Topics in Study of Life I A BIOL 1305 Main HIST 1302 Main PSYC 1303 Main WS 1302 Main UG General Biology B UG History of U.S. Since 1865 (C) C UG Statistical Methods B UG hetoric & Composition 2 B Term: Spring 2016

8 Additional Standing: Eligible to e-enroll Dean's List Subject Course Level Title Grade Credit BIOL 1306 Main UG Organismal Biology C COMM 1301 Main HIST 1301 Main POLS 2311 Main UG Public Speaking (C) A UG History of U.S. to 1865 (C) A UG American Gover & Politics (C) A Term: Fall 2016 Eligible to e-enroll Subject Course Level Title Grade Credit PHIL 2306 Main UG Ethics (C) B PSYC 3101 Main PSYC 3201 Main PSYC 3346 Main PSYC 3347 Main UG Lab for Gen Exper Psyc C UG Gen Experimental Psychology B UG Drugs of Abuse and Behavior B UG Behavior Modification C Term: Spring 2017 Eligible to e-enroll Subject Course Level Title Grade Credit AAB 1501 Main UG Elementary Arabic I A PSYC 2302 Main UG Social Psychology B

9 PSYC 2305 Main UG Psychology of Human Sexuality B PSYC 2306 Main UG Psychology of Personality B Term: Fall 2017 Additional Standing: Eligible to e-enroll Dean's List Subject Course Level Title Grade Credit PSYC 4309 Main UG History & Systems Psychology A SOCI 1301 Main SOCI 3341 Main SOCI 4346 Main UG Introduction to Sociology (C) A UG Special Undergraduate Topics A UG Global Health A Term: Spring 2018 Eligible to e-enroll Subject Course Level Title Grade Credit PSYC 3331 Main UG Cross-Cultural Psychology B SOCI 3311 Main SOCI 3341 Main SPAN 2304 Main UG Methods of esearch A UG Special Undergraduate Topics B UG Spanish for Spanish Spkrs Two B

10 TANSCIPT TOTALS (UNDEGADUATE) Total Institution: Total Transfer: Overall: COUSES IN POGESS -Top- -Top- Term: Fall 2018 Subject Course Level Title PSYC 3315 Main UG Psychology and the Law Credit S 3350 Main UG Spec Topics-eligious Studies SOCI 4301 Main UG General Sociological Theory WS 3331 Main UG Gender & Popular Culture ELEASE: Ellucian Company L.P. and its affiliates.