Queer individuals are currently experiencing a significant rise in negative sentiments due to growing political divides, among other factors. Queerness is more than sexuality or gender; it's an intrinsic identity that interacts with every facet of life, as one's identity shapes an individual's perception of their environment and social interactions. Our research aims to understand the border-crossing and intersectional nature of queer students' identities and their STEM identities. Using a mixture of photo-elicitation methodology and focus groups, we aim to examine the current attitude surrounding STEM fields among current and former queer STEM majors. We asked participants to produce a photo or drawing representing a time they felt welcomed and unwelcomed in their current or former major, alongside a description of what is being expressed. We designed the focus groups to include two phases: first, we asked students general questions about their majors, allowing for open discussion between questions, and then we provided the previously received photos for group discussion; participants were asked for their observations before and after hearing the provided description. Participants were also given the option to elaborate on their submission. Once the focus groups have concluded, the data will be coded using reflexive thematic analysis, a process that sees the researchers examine how their own personal identities affect the results of the study. The results of this research will help guide policy changes in STEM departments within NMSU to create more welcoming environments where students can be their full scientific selves.

This research study examines the concept of Latina sexuality in terms of its development and negotiation, with particular attention to the cultural frameworks of machismo and marianismo. These gendered ideologies have culturally shaped expectations of femininity, respectability, and sexual behavior. Additionally, they have influenced how Latina students understand desire, intimacy, and self-presentation. The objective of this research is to examine how Latina college students navigate and perform sexuality in relation to machismo and marianismo, while also exploring the psychological implications of these frameworks on mental health. Drawing from qualitative methods, this study will conduct in-depth interviews (platicas) with Latina college students, including participants familiar and unfamiliar with the aforementioned frameworks. By comparing these groups, the research will explore how cultural narratives persist, transform, or operate implicitly in shaping sexual identities and practices. This includes overall attitudes toward sexual activity, desirability, sexting, and experiences of perceived stress, anxiety, and depression. The study hypothesizes that even when participants do not explicitly recognize machismo and marianismo, their underlying values continue to shape perceptions of what is an acceptable form of sexuality that may contribute to negative mental health outcomes. Findings regarding the implications of harmful cultural frameworks on mental health could potentially inform the creation of women-based support programs within Latinx communities, attending to the sex, health, identity, and the gendered limits of Latinidad.

The purpose of this research is to examine differences in cannabis and delta-8 use between college students who identify as sexual/gender minorities (SGM) and their heterosexual counterparts. Research consistently shows that SGM individuals are at greater risk for cannabis use and cannabis-related problems, with minority stressors like microaggressions contributing to cannabis use and misuse (Mereish, 2019; Threeton et al., 2024). However, relatively little research has examined whether cannabis use motives differ between SGM and heterosexual college students, and even less in the context of delta-8 use. Data were derived from an online survey completed by 371 cannabis users from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Using the Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test (CUDIT) and Marijuana Motives Questionnaire (MMQ), a 2x2 multivariate ANCOVA was conducted to examine SGM status and binary gender (cisgender male/female). Significant multivariate effects were found for both SGM status, F(6, 325) = 3.09, p = .006, and gender, F(6, 325) = 2.84, p = .010. No significant SGM status by gender interaction emerged, F(6, 325) = 1.39, p = .218. Follow-up analyses indicated that SGM individuals reported significantly higher enhancement, coping, and social cannabis use motives, whereas males reported higher CUDIT scores and enhancement, expansion, and social motives. These findings suggest that SGM college students may be more likely to use cannabis for enhancement, coping, and social reasons than their heterosexual peers. The elevated coping motives among SGM individuals are consistent with minority stress theory; the higher enhancement/social motives indicate that disparities may extend beyond stress-related explanations alone.