Michale S. Sferra Curriculum Vitae Department of Psychology Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-4235 Phone: (979) 845-6053 msferra@tamu.edu EDUCATION 2012-2014 Master of Science, Clinical Psychology (ancitipated) Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 2005-2009 Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, St. Petersburg, FL RESEARCH EXPERIENCE 2012 present Graduate Research Assistant, Health Behavior Research Group Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University College Station, TX Advisor: Sherecce Fields, Ph.D. 2009 2011 Undergraduate Research Assistant, Rothman Center for Neuropsychiatry Department of Pediatrics, St. Petersburg, FL Advisor: Eric Storch, Ph.D. 2009 2011 Undergraduate Research Assistant, Family Study Center Department of Psychology, St. Petersburg, FL Advisor: James McHale, Ph.D. HONORS AND AWARDS 2012 Psychology Department Travel Award ($400) Texas A&M University
2008-2009 Dean s List 2007 Regional Chancellor s Scholar List (4.0 GPA during semester) 2005-2006 Dean s List 2005 Presidential Scholarship ($10,000) GRANT EXPERIENCE Graduate Student Contributor Active Awarded, ($100,000): NSF 1346553. Foundations for Combining Normative Behavioral Research to Study Systems Engineering (Role: Contributed to writing of proposal) PUBLICATIONS Revise and Resubmit Huffhines, L., Zale, E., Thamotharan, S., Sferra, M., Lange, K. L., Ditre, J., & Fields, S. (revise and resubmit). Intimate partner violence, childhood sexual abuse, and cigarette smoking risk in adolescents. Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma. Manuscripts Under Review Lange, K., Thamotharan, S., Sferra, M., Ramos, A., Fields, S. (under review). Gender differences in the role of inattention on weight status in adolescents. Journal of Attention Disorders. Ramos, A., Thamotharan, S., Sferra, M., Lange, K, & Fields, S. (under review). The role of parental smoking status on adolescent delay discounting. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Manuscripts in Preparation
Sferra, M., Coates, E., & McHale, J. (in preparation). Links between coparenting adjustment and toddler s differential engagement with parents during family play. Sferra, M., & Ramos, A. (in preparation). Effectiveness of contingency management for smoking cessation in adults versus adolescent populations. Thamotharan, S., You, D. S., Ramos, A., Sferra, M., Nova, A., & Fields, S. (in preparation). Early sexual debut among MSM: An association with increased HIV risk related behaviors. CONFERENCE POSTERS Fields, S., Thamotharan, S., Lange, K., Herrick, A., & Sferra, M. (2013, June). Frequency of alcohol use and reported engagement in risky sexual behaviors. Poster presented at the 2013 College of Problems on Drug Dependence Annual Conference, San Diego, CA. Herrick, A., Sferra, M., Thamotharan, S., Lange, K., & Fields, S. (2013, June). The Role of Parental Smoking Status on Adolescent Delay Discounting. Poster presented at the 2013 College of Problems on Drug Dependence Annual Conference, San Diego, CA. Lange, K., Thamotharan, S., Sferra, M., Herrick, A., & Fields, S. (2013, June). Effects of gender and weight on errors of omission during an inattention task. Poster presented at the 2013 College of Problems on Drug Dependence Annual Conference, San Diego, CA. Sferra, M., Herrick, A., Lange, K., Thamotharan, S., & Fields, S. (2013, June). The effects of the interaction between body weight and depression on adolescent and emerging adult alcohol use. Poster presented at the 19th annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Boston, MA. Thamotharan, S., Lange, K., Herrick, A., Sferra, M., & Fields, S. (2013, June). Adolescent and emerging adult marijuana triers and non-users: The difference in potential HIV risk. Poster presented at the 2013 College of Problems on Drug Dependence Annual Conference, San Diego, CA. Herrick, A., Sferra, M., Thamotharan, S., Lange, K., & Fields, S. (2013, March). Parental involvement and adolescent smoking. Poster presented at the 19th annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Boston, MA. Lange, K., Thamotharan, S., Sferra, M., Herrick, A., & Fields, S. (2013, March). Body mass index and cigarette use as predictors of sexual behavior. Poster presented at the 19th annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Boston, MA.
Sferra, M., Herrick, A., Lange, K., Thamotharan, S., & Fields, S. (2013, March). Peer influence and self-esteem as associated risk factors for adolescent cigarette smoking. Poster presented at the 19th annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Boston, MA. Thamotharan, S., Lange, K., Herrick, A., Sferra, M., & Fields, S. (2012, March). An examination of adolescent and emerging adult non-smokers, triers and smokers and subsequent HIV risk behavior. Poster presented at the 19th annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Boston, MA. Sferra, M., West, W., & McHale, J. (2011, August). Links between coparenting adjustment and toddler s differential engagement with parents during family play. Poster presented at the 2011 APA Conference, Washington, D.C. TEACHING EXPERIENCE Teaching Assistant, Texas A&M University, Department of Psychology Introduction to Psychology (aided in transition from face-to-face to online format) Abnormal Psychology Teaching Assistant,, Department of Psychology Introduction to Psychology Research Methods Infant Family Mental Health RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 2011 2012 Instructional Technologist Department of Psychology / Distance Learning Department, St. Petersburg, FL Supervisors: James McHale, Ph.D.; David Brodosi Assisted professors in the process of transferring historically face-to-face courses into accessible distance learning formats to be offered online Assisted in the development of newly offered distance learning courses Worked extensively in the BlackBoard Learning Management System Received training in Quality Matters certification for distance learning courses Developed an online training program for future teaching assistants in the Department of Psychology
Provided online support for all distance learning courses offered throughout the Department of Psychology