George I. Sanchez was one of the first to challenge biased intelligence research and question the use of IQ tests. He founded Chicano Psychology and was the first national president of LULAC. Martha Bernal was the first woman of Mexican descent to earn a PhD in clinical psychology in the US. She pioneered the use of learning theory and methods in assessing and treating children. John Garcia conducted research showing that rats could detect and avoid radiation, and his taste aversion research changed theories of associative learning. Melba Vasquez was one of the first recipients of the APA's minority fellowship and co-founded Division 45. She became the first Latina president of the APA.

3. George I. Sanchez
• 1931 Master of Science degree in
Education with a specialization in
Educational Psychology and Spanish
• 1934 Doctorate in Education
Contribution and Accomplishments:
• His contributions extended far beyond
the fields of Psychology and Education.
He was one of the first to challenge
biased research on Intelligence.
• He was also one of the first to question
the legitimacy of and speak out against
the use of I.Q. tests.
• Founder of Chicano Psychology
• In 1941 he became the national
president of the League of United Latin
American Citizens (LULAC)

4. Martha Bernal
• She was the first woman of Mexican
descent to obtain her PhD in clinical
psychology in the United States.
• In 1966- built a laboratory to study
classical conditioning and orienting
responses in children with autism
Contributions and Accomplishments:
• She was a pioneer in implementing the
rigorous theories of learning and its
methods to assessing and treating
children with behavior problems.
• She was one of the most effective early
advocates for a multicultural
psychology.
• 1979 Helped to create the National
Hispanic Psychological Association and
later became the president of the
organization.

5. John Garcia
• Born a farm worker to Spanish immigrants.
• Used his G.I. Bill money to pay for college.
• 1965 received his Master’s degree and his PhD
from UC Berkeley
• Conducted research on radiation and brain
research, and finds that rats could detect and
avoid low doses of radiation.
Contributions and Accomplishments:
• After the mass deaths of sheep living downwind
from nuclear test sites, he and his lab find the
cause to be radiation poisoning.
• He accompanies JFK and MLK to Vienna to meet
with the Russians, and he testifies against nuclear
testing.
• His research with rats also lead him to one of his
most notable contributions: The Garcia Effect (a
conditioned taste aversion effect named after
him)
• His taste aversion research changed the way of
thinking about associative learning. Instead of all
senses being equal, he showed that taste is highly
powerful.

6. Melba Vasquez
• In 1978, she completed her doctoral
studies in counseling psychology at the
University of Texas in Austin.
• She taught in the counseling psychology
doctoral program at Colorado State
University.
• Contributions and Accomplishments:
• She was one of the first recipients of the
APA’s minority fellowship.
• She co-founded the APA Division 45 (the
society for the psychological study of
ethnic minorities)
• In 2011 she was elected as president of
the APA, making her the first Latina APA
president.
• She currently serves on the APA board of
Directors.