Erica Molinario is an Assistant Professor of Social Psychology at Florida Gulf Coast University and a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Center for Social Cognitive Studies at Jagiellonian University. Dr. Molinario's research interests broadly focus on understanding pro-environmental behaviors, political activism, extremism and radicalization, migration intentions, and intergroup conflicts. She approaches these topics from a motivational perspective, analyzing needs and goals, social identity, values, and social norms. 

At Jagiellonian University, she serves as the Principal Investigator of the NCN SONATA 16 project titled "How frustration of basic and higher-order needs affects extremism and radicalization vs. cohesion and prosociality." Additionally, she conducts research under the Behavior Chris Lab on the perception of refugees and their needs. Additionally, Dr. Molinario represents Jagiellonian University in the ERASMUS + KA2 project "ELCRA – Environmental Literacy in Higher Education Context for Preventing Radicalization in Climate Activism." The project aims to enhance environmental literacy among university students and understand their attitudes toward the emerging phenomenon of radicalization linked to environmental activism.