Joshua Torres

I conduct weekly mentoring sessions, guiding students in academic success strategies, professional communication, and college preparation. I also assist students in building resumes, searching for scholarships, and preparing for the SAT and college admissions interviews. Overall, my purpose is to build meaningful relationships with students to provide continuous support

Conducted a literature review on the "Too-Much-Talent" (TMT) effect, examining its theoretical foundations in social psychology and organizational behavior, particularly the idea that excessive individual talent can hinder coordination and reduce overall team performance. I also investigated the validity of the effect using statistical analysis and empirical data, applying quantitative methods to assess patterns across professional basketball teams. This means I collected and analyzed over 4,000 rows of archival NBA statistics, evaluating how talent distribution correlates with team outcomes, and exploring whether diminishing returns or negative performance trends emerge in highly talented rosters.

10-week summer project focused on revitalizing Old Town Portland. Working alongside 2 other students, we’re partnering with local leaders to develop strategies that increase foot traffic, support small businesses, and promote sustainable economic growth. Our work blends organizational psychology, business strategy, and community engagement, with an emphasis on actionable solutions and public-private collaboration.

As an Atomistic Coder at the Willamette University Personality Lab, I assist in a study focusing on coding personality traits from archival interviews, specifically for musician Bob Dylan. Tasked with coding 401 personality trait-descriptive adjectives extracted from interviews, I analyzed and categorized each word to contribute to our understanding of Dylan's personality. This experience has enhanced my proficiency in qualitative data analysis and deepened my understanding of personality psychology research methodologies.

Developed Pedalogical, an AI-driven platform incorporating psychological theories to mitigate teacher burnout and improve student engagement. I also conducted literature reviews and wrote a research paper on Self-Determination Theory, Zone of Proximal Development, and AI to support the project. Lastly, I provided empirical consultation on integrating learning theories to enhance user experience in software applications.

I execute various research projects related to the HB 4052 recommendations, including but not limited to: housing, education, maternal mortality and more. I also do research related to anti-racist initiatives, programs and policies in other states across the country as well as assist with collaboration efforts with community-based organizations to develop relationships and partnerships with the Health Equity (HE) team.

As a High School Refugee Tutor at Salem for Refugees, I coordinated efforts to support high school refugee students in their academic and language development. I provided guidance on homework assignments, clarified key concepts, and helped students strengthen their English language fundamentals.

Conducted assessments of cornfields to evaluate seed extraction feasibility. Regularly communicated findings to the managerial team. Oversaw the quality of detasseling operations, ensuring the precision and efficiency of the crew's work. Demonstrated punctuality and reliability by consistently conducting daily morning examinations of cornfields.

Learned Auto body repair skills such as sanding, welding, and washing. Monthly book-keeping In charge of maintaining a clean working environment Work 5-6 days a week