Dr. Smith received her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from the College of Education and Human Services at West Virginia University in 2015. She has a teaching degree from California State University Chico (2008) and an undergraduate BA in Psychology (with an emphasis on diverse populations and education) from University of California, Santa Cruz (2006). Dr. Smith endeavors to bridge the research across human development, education, and public health with her work. Her research primarily focuses on the ways in which environments can contribute to risk and protective factors for young people with an emphasis on the early adolescent population. Her most current research investigates the ways in which the school context can positively impact the developmental trajectories of young people. Less