Aída Mencía-Ripley, Ph.D., is the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation and the Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair in Intersectional Gender Studies in Education and Psychology at UNIBE. Dr. Mencía-Ripley is a graduate of St. John´s University (B.A., M.A., Ph.D.), and The New School for Social Research (M.A.), both in the city of New York.
While at St. John´s University, she was Doctoral Research Fellow at the Social Stress and Health Research Unit, a research unit that carried out research funded by the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health. She was also Teaching Fellow, where she taught the research methods in psychology laboratory.
Her clinical training was conducted at the St. John’s University Center for Psychological Services and Clinical Studies, Queens Hospital Center and Roberto Clemente Center, the latter of which are part of NYC Health & Hospitals. Prior to her doctoral training, Dr. Mencía-Ripley worked for supported housing and welfare to work programs that focused on social functioning of people with disabilities and with chronic mental health diagnoses.
Upon returning to the Dominican Republic in 2007, she joins UNIBE´s Department of Psychology where in 2009 she begins her research projects. Since 2009, she has been research coordinator, director, and dean of research. Under her leadership, UNIBE began building its research infrastructure along with the creation of UNIBE´s research policies and research programs.
From 2013-2017, she was UNESCO Chairholder in Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities and Special Education Needs and she also represents UNIBE for the UNITwin Network on Gender, Media, and ICT. She also represents UNIBE at CINDA and ADRU´s research networks. Her academic work has been recognized by the Association of Hispanic Mental Health Professionals.
She has won several awards for her work including the Enerio Rodríguez Arias Prize from FUNDEPSIC and the Interamerican Psychological Society´s Salazar Prize for best publication. In 2022, she received a special award from the Dominican Republic´s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for her contribution to science in the Dominican Republic and abroad.
Since 2018 she is a member of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology´s researcher accreditation system, holding the highest level of accreditation.
Her work has been published in several international journals such as Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, Revista Interamericana de Psicología, Frontiers, among others. She has presented
her work and has represented UNIBE at international meetings such as the PAL Network meeting in Xalapa, Mexico and UNESCO events in París and Barcelona.
She has also participated in conferences of the Society for Behavioral Medicine, CIES, WPATH and at partner universities such as Universidad de Nebrija, Clemson University, and Michigan State University. In 2021, Forbes Central America chose her among its list of the 100 most powerful women of Central America for her role in UNIBE´s COVID – 19 response.
Stay Updated
and be the first to hear about the latest event news.
