Ximena Ibinarriaga SolteroGraduate Student

My research centers on promoting mental health, socioemotional competencies, and individual and collective well-being through evidence-based interventions in educational, healthcare, and community settings. This work is interdisciplinary, leveraging knowledge from psychology, education, contemplative practices, and prevention science to develop approaches that are responsive to the complex contexts in which individuals and communities develop and flourish.

With over a decade of experience in research, teaching, and program development, I specialize in the design, implementation, and evaluation of mindfulness-based and socioemotional interventions. As a pioneer in the development and application of contemplative practice-based interventions in Mexico, I am particularly committed to advancing socially and culturally grounded approaches that are responsive to the experiences and needs of diverse populations, especially Spanish-speaking communities.

My research integrates mixed methods and community-based participatory approaches to bridge academic knowledge with real-world impact and to co-create solutions with students, educators, healthcare professionals, and community stakeholders. A central focus of my work is understanding how individual, relational, and contextual factors shape mental health and well-being, and translating this knowledge into accessible and sustainable interventions.

Teaching Experience

• Lecturer Student Assistant, HDFS 262: Development of the Young Child (Fall 2023, Spring 2024)
• Teaching Assistant, HDFS 362: Development of the Young Child (Fall 2025, Spring 2026)
• Teaching Assistant, HDFS 363: Development: Adolescence-Old Age (Fall 2022, Spring 2023)

Certifications

• Diploma in Professional Training in Mindfulness, Instituto Mexicano de Mindfulness
• Diploma in Life Skills for the Comprehensive Development of Adolescents, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
• Diploma in Buddhism, Instituto de Estudios Buddhistas Hispano S.C.

Awards and Recognition

• Jane Marie Hampton Ausman Mentored Teaching Fellowship, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 2026–2027
• 4W Emerging Scholar Grant, 4W Initiative, 2026
• New Investigator Summer Research Institute Fellowship, Mind & Life Institute, 2025
• Shannon Graduate Fellowship in Early Childhood Development, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 2024–2025
• HDFS Teaching Award, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 2024
• Graduated with Distinction, MSc in Psychology of Education, University of Bristol, 2019
• Fellowship to study an MSc in Psychology of Education, University of Bristol, 2018
• Graduated with Honors, BS in Psychology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 2014
• Mobility Fellowship to study one semester at Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2011
• Academic Achievement Award for ranking among the top three students in the Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 2011