Biography

Diya Dharmendran (she/her/hers) is a first-year doctoral student in Social and Personality Psychology at Texas A&M University. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, she earned a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Miami and a Master’s in Medical Sciences from Boston University. Diya’s research focuses on pain, discrimination, and social inequality, with a particular interest in how marginalized groups experience and respond to chronic pain, especially at the intersection of racial/ethnic identity. Drawing from her personal experience with chronic pain, her work examines how psychological, social, and cultural factors influence pain perception and coping. She aims to inform policies and interventions that improve pain management and the quality of life for individuals facing chronic pain.