Nestor Tulagan

Biography

Nestor Tulagan (he/him/his) joined the Warner School’s human development department in 2023, holding a joint appointment with the University of Rochester’s Arts Sciences & Engineering in developmental psychology. Before joining the University of Rochester faculty, Tulagan was a National Science Foundation Graduate Student (2016-20) and Postdoctoral (2020-23) Research Fellow in the School of Education at the University of California in Irvine.

Tulagan’s primary research examines the family factors contributing to the development of achievement motivation of adolescents from racially/ethnically minoritized backgrounds. Specifically, his research addresses three interrelated questions. First, in what ways do family socializers (e.g., parents, siblings, and extended relatives) use their cultural funds of knowledge to support adolescents in their academic development? Second, in what ways are families developmentally responsive to youths’ academic and psychological needs and barriers during adolescence? Third, under what conditions does family academic support most strongly predict adolescents’ academic motivation and achievement? Tulagan’s secondary research also examines the family socialization processes involved in adolescents’ gender and racial/ethnic identity development and overall flourishing.

In his work, Tulagan uses strength-based and promotive theoretical frameworks that highlight the cultural assets that minoritized families possess but are often disregarded by deficit-based research. Aligned with his commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, Tulagan has also partnered with local communities and academic programs to deliver research-based and family-informed workshops to enhance parents’ educational support at home.