TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Florida State University researcher has been selected as a fellow of the American Psychological Association.
Amy Ai is a professor at the College of Social Work, and has been selected for outstanding contributions to the field of trauma psychology.
“It’s quite an honor for me,” Ai said. “The division is filled with leading national trauma and traumatic stress experts. For them to approve my work, although quite different from their traditional research is inspiring. It means they recognize my expertise in an innovative dimension in this division.”
She has published extensive research, looking in to collective crisis's in recent history, and their impacts.
She's done research on the effects of Hurricane Katrina, and the September 11th terrorist attacks.
“I have seen so many people who are traumatized in my life,” Ai said. “In a national study, they found that most Americans have a traumatic experience in their lifetime, but only 7 percent of people end up having a diagnosis of PTSD. This is important to study — how we can stand up as Americans, as a strong people together, even though we encounter all types of trauma historically and today.”
Ai is currently looking in to the impact of childhood trauma on Latino Americans.
