***If you are a previous member of the Brauer Group Lab, and have updated information, please contact Kamila Redd so we may keep these pages current.***
Graduate Students
Naomi Isenberg
Naomi’s Twitter
Naomi’s Website
Naomi received her Ph.D. in social psychology in 2023. She is currently a Scientist at Diversity Science. She graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 2017 with her B.A. in Psychology.
Her general research interests are on inter- and intra-group processes. She is specifically studying pro-diversity interventions within organizations and finding ways to positively change behavior toward outgroup members.
Mitchell Campbell
Mitchell Campbell received his PhD in Social Psychology in 2021. He received his B.A. in Psychology from Carleton College in 2014.
Mitchell’s work focuses on how to utilize behavior-based approaches to fostering inclusive behaviors and reducing discriminatory behaviors, in turn improving attitudes toward social outgroups. The interventions he designs are intended to manipulate behavior in individuals who may have little motivation to be non-prejudiced or do not have particularly strong egalitarian values or positive attitudes toward marginalized social groups. Rather, they employ techniques that have successfully changed behavior in other domains (e.g., education), including social norms, personal benefits, and self-efficacy. Another line of research considers factors that could make intergroup contact more productive.
Mitchell is now the Director of Research and Evaluation at Inclusity and a Visiting Professor of Psychology at Carleton College.
Sohad Murrar
Sohad Murrar received her Ph.D. in Social Psychology in 2018. Her interests are in group and inter-group processes involving prejudice and identity formation, cross-cultural group dynamics, social interventions and Entertainment Education. She received her B.A. from Northwestern University in Psychology and Asian & Middle East Studies in 2010 and her M.A. in the Social Sciences specializing in Comparative Human Development from the University of Chicago in 2011.
She now works as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Sarah Gavac
Sarah Gavac received her PhD in Social Psychology in 2020. Her interests are in normative tightness and morality. Normative tightness is the degree social norms are pervasive, clearly defined, and reliably imposed. Sarah has a B.A. in Psychology and a B.S. in Biochemistry from Case Western Reserve University.
Lab Managers
Kevin Kennedy
Kevin was the Lab Manager for the Brauer Group Lab. He is currently attending the Social Psychology PhD program at Stanford University. His research interests are focused on the social-contextual nature of prejudice and inequality, focusing on how contextual factors, such as peers, norms, policies, and institutions, not only shape individuals’ self-perceptions, motivation, and behavior, but how changes in the social environment can be used to mitigate inequality. Much of Kevin’s work in the Brauer Group Lab focused on developing and testing interventions in educational or healthcare settings. He received a B.A. in Leadership Studies with a minor in psychology from the University of Richmond.
Kira Means
Kira was the Lab Manager for the Brauer Group Lab. She is currently attending the Social Psychology PhD program at Purdue University. She is primarily interested in studying gender-based prejudice, prejudice occurring within social groups, and social cognitive roots of prejudice. She is also interested in advanced quantitative methods and best practices in data analysis. Kira received her M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Western Washington University in Spring 2021. Prior to completing her M.S., Kira participated in a year of AmeriCorps VISTA service in Washington, DC, working in DC Public Schools’ Office of Out of School Time Programs to assess afterschool participants’ learning outcomes. In Spring 2017, Kira earned a B. A. in Psychology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the University of Montana.
Gil Moreu
Gil is a former Lab Manager for the Brauer Group Lab. He is primarily interested in studying prejudice interventions in educational settings, reducing reactance to pro-diversity initiatives, and examining the impact of different identities in intergroup interactions. He received his B. A. from the University of Texas at El Paso in Psychology with a minor in Sociology in May 2020. Gil is currently attending the Social Psychology PhD program at UCLA .
Jordan Schwakopf
Jordan is a former Lab Manager for the Brauer Group Lab. She is primarily interested in studying prejudice interventions in educational settings and reducing reactance to pro-diversity initiatives. She received her B. A. from Gustavus Adolphus College in Psychological Science with Honors and a minor in Statistics. Jordan is currently working at Milliman IntelliScript.
Marna Dunne
Marna is a former Lab Manager for the Brauer Group Lab. She is primarily interested in studying prejudice, beliefs about controllability, and assumptions about social class based on appearance. She received her B.A. from Bard College in Psychology and Sociology, where she received the Andrew Jay Bernstein Memorial Award for best Psychology senior project. Her study, “Beliefs about Weight, Socioeconomic Status, and Controllability,” was featured in a poster session at the Society for Personality and Social Psychology conference.
Michael Ro
Michael is a former Lab Manager for the Brauer Group Lab. He is primarily interested in studying cyberbullying, formation of norms in on online environment, and bicultural selves. He received his B.A. from University of Pennsylvania in East Asian Studies and East Asian Languages and Civilizations, and a M.A. from Stanford University in East Asian Studies.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Najla Hall
Najla Hall is a sophomore at Howard University, a member of the inaugural cohort of the Humanities and Social Science Scholars Program, and is double majoring in Psychology and Afro-American Studies. She is interested in how identity and self-efficacy are developed through the K-12 education system and how the systems and procedures within it influence how students see themselves and establish self-worth. After graduation, her goal is to pursue a Ph.D in developmental or social psychology. In the meantime, she hopes to explore her interests through research and community engagement. In her home university, she mentors for the Youth Justice Advocates and serves as a Community Service Chair for the Muslim Student Association.
Yuxiao (Reggie) Wu
Yuxiao (Reggie) graduated in 2024 with a double-major in Psychology and Economics. Being an international student from China, social psychology intrigues him as it explains the numerous ways people interact with and influence each other within the bigger global community. After graduation, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in either behavioral finance or management with an emphasis on healthcare and psychological well-being. In his free time, Reggie likes traveling, binge-watching TV shows, and singing.
Max Bross
Max graduated in 2024 with a major in Psychology with certificates in Business and Entrepreneurship. He has an interest in what makes people “tick” and different from one another, thus explaining his choice in pursuing Psychology. He is interested in going to law school and exploring a career in criminal law. Through law school, he hopes to apply his background in psychology to cases centered around the mental health of the accused (NGRI cases). Outside of school, Max loves music and sports. He enjoys playing guitar, going to the gym, and watching his New York teams lose in every sport imaginable.
Miranda Gibbons
Miranda graduated in 2024 with a major in Psychology and a certificate in LGBTQ+ studies. They are interested in counseling LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, as well as advocacy and educating others about LGBTQ+ people. After graduation, they plan on pursuing a Master’s degree and thus becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). In their free time, Miranda enjoys watching TV shows, listening to music, and traveling.
Natalie Bovin
Natalie graduated in 2024 and studied Psychology and Neurobiology. She is interested in clinical and social psychology and is planning on going to medical school to receive her MD. She is interested in studying the effects of stigma on an individual with a mental disorder, and how certain people are motivated to exhibit specific behaviors that do not align with societal norms. When on campus, Natalie is involved in the NAMI campus chapter at UW and plans to get involved in the Psychology Club. In her free time, Natalie enjoys spending time outside, listening to music, and being with her friends.
Sabhyata Prakash
Sabhyata graduated in 2023 with a double major in Psychology and Gender and Women studies and a certificate in LGBT studies. They are interested the intersection of queer theory and social psychology. They hope to go to graduate school for psychology. They enjoy cooking, baking and playing with their dog in their free time.
Madeleine Paradis
Madeleine graduated in 2024 with a double major in Psychology and Social Welfare and a certificate in Consulting. She is interested in how organizational culture impacts employee retention for those belonging to various marginalized groups, and how the intersectionality of social identities plays a role, implicitly and explicitly, in organizational recruitment practices. She plans to attend graduate school for Industrial/Organizational psychology, with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. She currently works on staff at PAVE-UW, a sexual violence prevention and survivor support organization on campus, and is involved in Psi Chi and Students for Social Welfare. In her free time, she enjoys reading, painting, and playing guitar.
Jiaxuan Li
Jiaxuan Li graduated in 2024 with a double major in Psychology and Zoology. She is interested in clinical, social, and neuropsychology and hopes to attain a Ph.D. in clinical psychology after graduation. She is interested in studying brain development in relation to human decision-making. Additionally, she enjoys learning the social structures and behaviors of animals. In her free time, Jiaxuan enjoys painting watercolors and reading novels.
Kayla Bote
Kayla graduated in 2024 with a double major in Neurobiology and Psychology and a certificate in Asian American Studies. She is intrigued by the psychological phenomenon that underly the interactions and experiences of various social groups. She is interested in how viewing social categories through the lens of social psychology can come to inform interventions and policy aimed at promoting more inclusive environments. Following graduation, Kayla hopes to pursue a graduate degree in Psychology. On campus, Kayla currently works within the Department of Biochemistry as well as serves as the Vice President of the Filipinx American Student Organization. In her free time, she enjoys going to concerts, binge watching TV shows, and spending time with friends and family.
Cassie Liu
Cassie graduated in 2024 with a double major in Educational Studies and Sociology. She is interested in many psychology-related topics, especially developmental and social psychology. She wants to learn more about the developmental processes of human perception, thinking, memory, and other cognitive abilities, and to explore the connections between human cognitive processes and certain social phenomena. After college, she will pursue a graduate degree and work as a teacher or researcher in the future. Apart from academics and research, Cassie assists with local elementary and middle school activities as a volunteer. For fun, Cassie enjoys traveling alone, going to concerts, and trying new things.
Sarahi Garcia
Sarahi is a senior majoring in Psychology and Neurobiology with a certificate in Health Policy. She is interested in social psychology and behavioral neuroscience. More specifically, she is interested in stigmatization of mental health disorders among minority populations. In the future, she plans to pursue medical school and receive her MD and MPH. On campus, Sarahi is a communications assistant at UHS and a member of psychology club. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going to concerts, and spending time with family and friends.
Abdullah Marei
Abdullah graduated in 2023 with a major in Psychology. He is interested in clinical and social psychology and hopes to attain a PhD in clinical psychology after graduation. He is interested in studying how intergroup behaviors are influenced by factors such as descriptive norms and how that could lead to different interpersonal interactions. On campus, Abdullah is involved in the NAMI club and volunteers in the GUTS program. In the future, Abdullah wants to return to the Middle East with his education in order to destroy the stigma around mental illnesses and normalize seeking treatment through practicing psychotherapy in his private clinic there, publishing a book and starting an Arabic talk show about mental health. In his free time, he loves meditating and playing the piano.
Anna Shaul
Anna graduated in 2023 with a major in Psychology and a certificate in Global Health. She is interested in a variety of topics including prison reentry, deep brain stimulation treatment for autoimmune diseases, and emotion regulation strategies. Outside of psychology, her professional interests include improving healthcare access and reproductive health and managing communicable and non-communicable diseases. After graduation, she hopes to work in different areas of interest to me before deciding on a grad school tract with a focus on either Psychology or Public Health. During my free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with friends.
Claire Salmi
Claire graduated in 2023 with a double major in Psychology and Political Science. She is interested in a range of topics including group norms, social and political affiliation, mental health, and how to motivate environmentally-friendly practices. She hosts the Political Science department’s podcast, “1050 Bascom,” and plays the cello in the UW Symphony. Off campus, she also interns for a congressperson. In her free time, Claire enjoys attending music shows of all kinds, being outside, trying new foods, making art, and dog watching at Madison parks.
Christine Lin
Christine graduated in 2023 with a double major in Psychology and Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies. She is interested in understanding how humans perceive information and form attitudes under the influence of social groups. She is a project leader of the Chinese Psychelogos, a psychology-focused academic club on campus. In her free time, Christine enjoys watching movies, hiking, and hanging out with friends.
Haile Jiang
Haile Jiang graduated in 2023 with a double major in Psychology and Legal Study with a certificate in Photography. He is interested in the thoughts and behaviors of individuals when grouped together and how social context can change people’s beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes. He is also interested in clinical psychology and plans on going to grad school to pursue his Ph.D. He is the president of the Chinese Psychelogos, the only Chinese psychology club on campus. In his free time, Haile enjoys playing with his sweet Pitbull, watching movies, and eating six meals a day. He trains six days a week and hopes to become a professional bodybuilder in the future.
Jassia Ahmad
Jassia graduated in 2023 with a major in Psychology and a certificate in Disability Rights and Services. She is interested in clinical and social psychology and plans on going to grad school to pursue either clinical or social psychology. Additionally, she is interested in how intersectionality plays a role in one’s interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships. Jassia is also a board member for the UW Madison Campus Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. In her free time, Jassia enjoys going on jogs, cooking, journaling, and spending time with friends.
Lindsay Edwards
Lindsay graduated in 2023 with a double major in Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies. She plans on attending graduate school to pursue social work, clinical psychology, or counseling psychology. Lindsay is interested in social and clinical psychology, specifically how mental health stigmas impact individuals living with mental disorders. On campus, Lindsay is involved in Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, and Phi U, the National Honor Society in Family and Consumer Sciences. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, being outdoors, watching movies, and discovering new restaurants.
Nick Guden
Nick is a UW Madison graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and has previous experience as an RA at the Center for Healthy Minds. He is interested in multiple topics including behavioral change, mindfulness-based practices for mental health and sustainability/environmental conservation practices. He hopes to gain further lab experience before pursuing further education in psychology research. Outside of research, Nick enjoys playing guitar and writing music, running, gardening, and camping.
Daniel Sanji
Daniel is a UW graduate, majoring in Psychology and History with a certificate in Asian American Studies. He is interested in how social psychology intersects with social justice, especially as it relates to racial and ethnic minorities, sexual minorities, and environmental justice. On campus, Daniel works at the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Student Center within the Multicultural Student Center. He is also the Chair of the APIDA Heritage Month Planning Committee, Social Justice Coordinator for the Japanese Student Association, and a member of the Multiracial Student Union. In his free time, Daniel enjoys drawing portraits, trying new Japanese recipes, and expanding his Asian and Asian American literature collection.
Kate Roberson
Kate graduated in 2023 with a double major in Psychology and Marketing. An aspect of psychology that fascinates her is how people perceive information about others and how that information influences the way they interact in groups on varying scales. On campus, Kate is on the executive board for The Women’s Network which is an organization that celebrates female ambition. In her free time, she enjoys running, traveling, reading, and listening to music.
Yan Li
Yan is a graduate student in the Human Development Area of the Department of Educational Psychology at UW-Madison. She is also in Robert Enright’s Forgiveness Lab. Her academic interests are in moral psychology and cultural psychology, and especially forgiveness and culture. A question that guides her research is: “How could we utilize the cultural wisdom all around the world to promote people in forgiving others for the sake of love?” In the future, she would like to be a pioneer in the communication of morality and culture between the East and the West. As an international student, Yan values love and forgiveness among people of different races. She has a dream of world peace and happiness.
Alyssa Ronk
Alyssa is a senior majoring in Neurobiology. She plans on taking a gap year after graduation and then going to Physician Assistant School. She is mostly interested in behavioral and social psychology, more specifically concerning racial, ethnic, and sexual minorities as well as those in poverty with an interest in reducing discrimination against marginalized groups. Outside of the lab, she is the president of the Neuroscience Advocacy Program on campus, she works as a CNA at the Aurora BayCare Medical Center, and she volunteers at the Red Caboose Child Care Center. During her free time, she enjoys crocheting, painting, drawing, reading, running, and spending time with her loved ones.
Alisha Jones
Alisha is a senior studying cultural anthropology at UW. In general, she is interested in studying group behavior at the cultural, social, and psychological levels. Having an interdisciplinary background is important to her, as she hopes to use her breadth of knowledge to help combat human/civil rights issues in her career. In her free time, Alisha likes learning languages, dancing, and spending time with friends by the lake.
Greta Schwiesow
Greta is a senior studying Biology with certificates in Biocore, Studio Art, and Sustainability. She is interested in the intersection between psychology and environmental studies and how we can promote conservation-style thinking and action in a more feasible manner. She plans on taking a gap year after graduation to travel and build up her resume before applying to graduate or medical school programs. In her free time, Greta enjoys going for runs, painting, reading books, drinking tea, baking with friends, and taking care of her Jack Russell, Rex.
Josie Schaefer
Josie is a senior studying Psychology and Sociology with a certificate in Legal Studies. She is planning on pursing a counseling psychology degree to become a sports psychologist. She is interested in understanding how humans interact, make decisions, and how to change existing biases. On campus Josie volunteers with BGB and has represented the Women’s Track and Field team within SAAC and SAESO. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends, family, her dogs, and watching the sunset (especially at Memorial Union Terrace).
Sai Nagisetty
Sai is a senior studying Neurobiology and Psychology with a certificate in Health and the Humanities. He is planning on going to Medical School in order to pursue an MD. He’s interested in studying the disparities that exist in healthcare and learning about various intervention methods to reduce discrimination in healthcare. On-campus, he’s involved in the Running Club @ UW and also participates in Badger Volunteers. In his free time, he enjoys going for runs, listening to music, and spending time with friends.
Tazman Abramowicz
Tazman is a senior studying psychology with a certificate in French. He is planning on pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology after he graduates. He is interested in the link between nature and nurture during development, and how mental disorders arise and can be treated without or alongside the help of medication. Tazman is also a diver on the men’s swim and dive team at UW-Madison, where he has been named a three-time honorable mention all-American. In his free time, he enjoys going for walks and bike rides around the city, as well as hanging out in the park with his friends.
Trinity Olson
Trinity is a senior majoring in Psychology and Neurobiology. Trinity is interested in social, behavioral, and cognitive psychology. She is interested in how behavior and attitudes can alter due to changes in social groups. In her free time, Trinity enjoys spending her time walking the paths around Lake Mendota and Monona when it isn’t too cold outside. She also enjoys writing, reading, and spending time with friends.
Anisha Desai
Anisha is a Junior studying Psychology with a certificate in Graphic Design. This is her first semester at the Brauer Group Lab. She is interested in how descriptive social norms influence intergroup attitudes and behaviors. She hopes to one day earn a doctoral degree in psychology and become a practicing psychologist. In her free time, Anisha loves baking cookies, practicing yoga, drawing, and going to coffee shops.
Nicole Hendry
Nicole graduated from UW-Madison in Spring 2021 with a degree in Psychology and Gender and Women’s Studies. On campus she is a Badger Volunteer Team Leader and a Writing Fellow. Nicole’s interests fall broadly under the realm of social psychology and she hopes to pursue a career in academia in the future. In her spare time she enjoys reading, coffee shops, and creative projects.
Emma Lai
Emma graduated from UW-Madison in Spring 2021. She majored in Economics-Math Emphasis, Psychology, and Religious Studies. She is interested in the way humans make choices, and how behavior and beliefs influence those choices. Fascinated by the relationship between identity and productivity, she hopes to someday better understand the mechanisms by which they are correlated. Around campus, Emma is the Vice President and High School Outreach Chair for Women in Economics, Digital Coordinator at the Center for Religion and Global Citizenry, a WUD Film member, and a Badger SPILL volunteer. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, practicing piano, and reading philosophy.
Isaac Siegel
Isaac graduated from UW-Madison in Fall 2020. He majored in Psychology with a certificate in Health and the Humanities. He is interested in the alleviation of racial disparities in medical treatment, particularly in behavioral and mental health care. On campus, Isaac’s involvements include the GUTS Conversational English tutoring program and volunteering at Capitol Lakes Independent Living. In his free time, Isaac enjoys listening to music, reading great literature, and eating breakfast foods.
Nakita Xiong
Nakita graduated from UW-Madison in Spring 2021. She majored in Psychology with certificates in Public Health and Religious Studies. She is interested in social psychology and how affiliations with social groups affects the way we think and interact. In the future, she hopes to work in Public Health Administration to help address health inequities for underrepresented groups. On campus, she is involved in the Chancellor’s Scholars Program, HOSA: Future Health Professionals, and Circle K. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, reading, and binge watching shows on Netflix.
Zeyu Li
Zeyu is a Graduate student majoring in Statistics-Data Science. He graduated from Stony Brook University with a double major in Psychology and Applied Math. He is interested in promoting diversity, developing interventions to prevent discrimination, and how minority status affects personality, especially in sexual minority communities. In the future, he hopes to pursue a Ph. D. in Psychology and implement research findings to address the inequalities faced by minority groups. He has volunteered to help natural disaster victims and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations in Texas and Florida and has worked at the Child Care Center to help create an unbiased environment for the infants and toddlers. In his free time, he likes to listen to music, watch Netflix, and try different restaurants in Madison.
Insa Schaffernak
Insa is a Junior majoring in Psychology and joining the Brauer Group Lab as an exchange student from the University of Freiburg, Germany. She has a broad interest in social psychological topics ranging from prosocial behavior to stereotypes and is especially fascinated by means to accomplish behavioral change. After graduation she plans on going to graduate school. At her home university, she is an active member of the Psychology Student Council and represents the interests of the Freiburg Psychology student body nationwide. Insa is also part of the Fulbright network and hopes to contribute to international understanding during her exchange year. In her free time, she enjoys Zumba, hiking and cooking with friends.
Benjamin Brown
Ben is a graduate from the University of Wisconsin, Madison where he majored in Political Science and Communication Arts. His experience working in the Wisconsin State Senate has brought about an interest in social psychology, particularly the interactions between various social/ideological groups. He is looking to gain an understanding of the principles of group psychology, as well as an introduction to academic research. In his free time he enjoys spending time with friends, playing video games, and watching TV.
Michael Ni
Michael is a Junior majoring in Psychology and Human Resource. Michael is fascinated by the interplay between these subjects in fields such as industrial/organizational psychology and behavioral economics. He is interested in how organizational structure, social norms, and diversity management affect productivity, job satisfaction, and other outcomes. He hopes to pursue a graduate degree in I/O Psychology and learn insights into the dynamics within the workplace.
Peter Reinke
Pete is a Senior majoring in Psychology, with a leadership certificate. He is planning on going on to graduate school to earn a PhD in school psychology. Pete is very interested in social psychology and the power of group affiliation on individuals, specifically concerning in-group/out-group bias. Pete is also currently involved on campus as an Undergraduate Teaching Fellow and as a Coordinator for the Student Leadership Program.
Almira Khan
Almira is a Senior majoring in Psychology with certificates in Gender and Women Studies as well as Entrepreneurship. She has a new found interest in social justice and wants to find ways to get more into grassroots work. She is also interested in intersectionality and how having different identities changes the way you may experience interpersonal interactions as well as environmental interactions. She is a Social Justice intern at the Multicultural Student Center as well as an Outreach Chair for Multiracial Student Union. She also works for the UW Department of Medicine. She loves being with the people that she loves, lifting at the gym, and spending time outside.
Claudia Lowe
Claudia is a Graduate from the University of Sydney in Australia, where she majored in Psychology. She has a broad interest in social psychology and wants to develop a further understanding of psychological practices in a research setting. Claudia is specifically interested in how one’s belonging to a particular social group can influence their perception and behaviour, and the association with bias and discrimination. In her free time she enjoys spending time with friends, drinking coffee, going to the beach and playing sports.
Aiman Shafiq
Aiman is a Junior majoring in pre-health Neurobiology and Psychology with a certificate in Gender and Women Studies. She is interested in diversity and prejudice in various groups and how an individuals’ thoughts, feelings and behavior are intertwined with their diverse social environments. She is also fascinated with psychology concerned gender and how gender roles are appropriated and affect different groups and their interactions. In the future, she hopes to incorporate pro-diversity and inclusion initiatives into the healthcare environment. Aiman is an active member of the Associated Students of Madison and the Equity and Inclusion Committee and works on campaigns that address the various needs of minority students around campus. In her free time she likes to watch Korean dramas, read, play with her cat, and try new foods with friends.
Channi Ernstoff
Channi graduated in May 2017 with a degree in psychology and philosophy. After spending a year in AmeriCorps working to address the graduation crisis in inner city schools, she decided to return to academia. In addition to her work in the lab, Channi is a TA for Research Methods and a GRE instructor for Kaplan. She plans on going to graduate school to study effective methods for increasing civil interactions among different groups. In her free time, Channi enjoys kickboxing, crocheting, cooking, reading, and playing board games. Channi is currently a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
Julian McCown-Berndt
Julian graduated from the University of Minnesota in December 2017 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. He hopes to enroll in a graduate level psychology program in the future, but is currently taking time to volunteer in the lab while he narrows his research interests and learns more about the statistical analysis of psychological data. In his free time he enjoys exercising, attending live music events, and socializing.
Janiece Piolet
Janiece is a Senior double majoring in Psychology and Sociology with a certificate in Educational Policy Studies. She is interested in how cognitive processes and social identity affect sense of belonging and group inclusion. Currently at UW, Janiece is a Fellow for the Undergraduate Research Scholars program, a House Fellow, and is a national Posse scholar. In her future, Janiece plans to continue on to graduate school to study post-secondary educational leadership and student affairs. In her spare time, Janiece enjoys gardening, attending live jazz performances, discussing social justice, being among nature, and playing with her hamster, Sammie.
Wenqi Li
Wenqi majored in Psychology and Classical Humanities, with a certificate in Criminal Justice. Wenqi is really interested in rehabilitation and working with people related to the system in the future. She has interned at Mendota Mental Health Institute and hopes to continue a career down the mental health path. She also hopes to continue onto graduate school and become a therapist from there. She enjoys drawing and exploring nature.
Jonathan Godinez
Jonathan majored in Psychology with a certificate in Entrepreneurship. He plans on going to graduate school to learn more about different realms of psychology, especially neurological and social. He enjoys learning about why people are the way they are, and being able to help them apply meaning to their lives and empower them whenever possible. On campus, he is a Powers-Knapp Scholar, in Psychology Club, Latinx Badgers, Badger SPILL, and the Latinx Student Union. During his leisure, he enjoys reading philosophy, lifting weights, discovering new music, and hanging out with friends.
Samuel Vincent
Sam is majored in Psychology and Philosophy. He is interested in research involving various types of threats and their relationship with normative tightness. He was accepted as a Clinical Psychology doctoral student at Rosalind Franklin University. He will be researching cognitive and emotional mechanisms underlying psychopathy with Dr. Dave Kosson. His hobbies include playing sports, being with friends, and watching movies.
Joshua Deitte
Joshua majored in Psychology and Legal Studies. He is interested in the role of social interactions on motivating/affecting one’s actions. After graduation he would like to go on to graduate school and potentially get a Psy.D in clinical psychology. His hobbies include sports, video games, traveling, and living with an active lifestyle.
Jenna Goldstein
Jenna majored in Psychology. She is interested in developmental and social psychology and hopes to work with kids in the future. She plans on pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Work or a PhD in clinical psychology. Jenna spent her second semester of junior year in Copenhagen, Denmark and hopes to take a break after college to travel more. She loves music, her dog and anything fashion related.
Andy Hung
Andy majored in Psychology and Neurobiology. He is interested in studying social and clinical psychology and hopes to go to graduate school to continue studying clinical psychology. He currently works as a research assistant in the Nelson Lab at Nationwide Children’s Hospital studying social cognition in youth with epilepsy, the effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on attention networks in children, and the effects of hormone treatments on adolescents with gender dysphoria. He enjoys baking, playing tennis, watching sports, playing video games, and spending time with friends.
Jake Lundy
Jake majored in Psychology and Sociology. He is interested in social norm research, social reform, and exploring the relationships between the structural problems of society, and how they influence the individual. In his free time, he likes to write, watch movies, and bike along the lake.
Jennifer Terrell
Jen majored in Psychology with a certificate in Global Health. After graduation she is taking a gap year to have some fun and then hopes to pursue a career in medicine and implement skills she learns from this lab to promote diversity and the diminishment of stereotypes in her professional environment. She is very excited to be involved with this lab for the next semester up until she travels abroad to Barcelona, Spain. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her friends, eating Thai food, watching movies, going to concerts, binging tv shows, and singing along to almost any song despite her lack of singing ability.
Lorraine Wang
Lorraine majored in Psychology and Economics. She is interested in studying cultural diversity, the relationship between social interaction and prejudice, and how cultural background influences and shapes people’s personality. She was accepted into the Human Development Psychology program in Harvard Graduate School of Education. She loves music, photography, and traveling.
Abbigail Wehrhahn
Abby majored in Psychology. She is very passionate about the research interests of the lab, especially with issues related to diversity and prejudice. Abby plans to pursue research about well being and stress/coping in the future. She was accepted into the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology Clinical Psychology program as a PsyD candidate. She enjoys hiking and camping, but also loves to binge-watch Netflix and cuddle her heated blanket.
Tyler Ballweg
Tyler majored in Psychology and Economics, and he is interested in how the social sciences can be used to improve individual and community well-being. After graduation, he is considering working as an academic advisor and may eventually attend graduate school to study clinical psychology. In his free time, Tyler enjoys playing tennis, reading, and staying up way too late having long conversations with friends.
Zaakir Abdul-Wahid
Zaakir majored in Psychology and Marketing with a certificate in Criminal Justice. He is interested in exploring the different ways that discrimination presents itself and how the ability to hide minority status interacts with discrimination. He is part of the Working Class Student Union and Associated Students of Madison and is interested in using the information learned from this lab to make both of these bodies more attuned to the needs of minority students on campus. After graduation he plans on taking two years off before going to law school.
Vidushi Saxena
Vidushi majored in Psychology and Economics. She is interested in how cognitive processes and cultural difference influence consumer decision-making. She was accepted at Columbia University for a Masters in Social Work with a specialization in Health, Mental Health and Disabilities. She loves writing for The Badger Herald, dancing, traveling, trying new restaurants and binge watching TV shows.
Alexandria Owens
Alex majored in Psychology with a certificate in Gender and Women’s studies. She is interested in research on social norms, prejudice, and mental health. She plans to go into Clinical or Counseling Psychology in the future. In her free time, she enjoys attending all kinds of Badger athletics, dancing, listening to music, and hiking and biking when the weather permits.
Tara Brennan
Tara majored in Psychology and Strategic Communications. She is interested in consumer psychology, industrial-organizational psychology, and social psych and will would like to attend grad school for one of these after gaining more work experience. In her free time she enjoys active endeavors, traveling, baking, and spending time with family. She spent last semester studying in Cape Town, South Africa.
Morgan Mclinden
Morgan majored in Psychology and Marketing. She is currently most interested in consumer psychology and social marketing. Specifically, she would like to understand how media and advertising affect consumers’ emotions and decision-making. After graduation, she would like to gain some experience working for a few years then go to grad school for market research. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going on vacation with her family, golfing, and going to movies.
Charlotta Bergh
Charlotta is an exchange student from Umeå University in Sweden who studied at UW-Madison. She is majoring in Psychology at a Master’s level in Sweden. She is interested in learning more about how we perceive others from a cognitive and social perspective. After graduating she is going to do one year of supervised clinical training in order to get her license as a clinical psychologist (Ph.D is not required in Sweden), and after that she is hoping to pursue a Ph.D. in either forensic or social psychology. In her free time she enjoys exploring the city of Madison and meeting all the friendly people of Wisconsin, hiking and yoga.
Kyle Sherman
Kyle graduated UW-Madison Spring 2015 with a degree in Psychology. His research interests focus on social psychology, primarily non-verbal behavior and how it connects to bigger picture concepts such as how individuals are perceived, interpersonal communication, leadership, group dynamics, etc. He plans on pursuing a PhD within the next couple years. He enjoys writing/playing music, adventuring outdoors, and traveling whenever he has free time.
Elisa Perez
Elisa majored in Psychology and Spanish. She is interested in the role a person’s culture and ethnicity has in shaping the way they see the world and interact with others both inside their respective social groups and with others of differing backgrounds. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school to study Industrial-Organization Psychology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going to museums, and hanging out with friends.
Yannan Gao
Yannan majored in Psychology. She is interested in studying practical approaches to reducing prejudice in real life, and she wishes to study this topic from a cross-cultural perspective. She also wishes to learn about the different methodologies used in the field of social psychology. She is currently a grad student at the University of California Irvine. In her free time she likes to cook, read, and go running.
Ashley Lee
Ashley majored in Psychology. She is interested in understanding social interactions that shape how people behave and think, and impact the quality of life. She wants to pursue a Ph.D in clinical psychology after graduation. She hopes to help individuals who may struggle with their psychological/mental problems but do not realize the sources of dysfunction can be sometimes treated with support. She loves watching movies, traveling, and discussing social issues with friends.
Leah Gilbertsen
Leah studied Psychology and Criminal Justice with plans to, eventually, advocate for youth as a juvenile court therapist. She is currently studying Marriage and Family Therapy at Fairfield University. She is personally interested in learning more about the salience of group identities. In her free time she enjoys the outdoors, writing, and cooking.
Maham Hasan
Maham majored in Psychology and Philosophy. She has always been fascinated with different personalities; how they are shaped and influenced by our environment and major life events. She hopes to go to grad school to be able to do research within the realms of social psychology, and then engage with young impressionable minds as a college professor. In her free time, she loves writing for the daily cardinal, listening to classic rock music, traveling and experiencing new things.
Hanna Brostowitz
Hanna majored in Psychology and Elementary Education with a minor in ESL and a certificate in leadership. As a future teacher, she is interested in how educational institutions shape students’ behaviors and thoughts towards others. After graduation, Hanna hopes to jump right into teaching abroad while attaining her Master’s degree. In her very little free time, Hanna loves volunteering at a local middle school, as well as binge watching her favorite shows on Netflix and taking long afternoon naps.
Aaron Irving
Aaron majored in Psychology and earned a certificate in Health Care Management. He is interested in emotional intelligence and how being part of a social group plays a role in decision making. He is pursuing a masters in Social Work at the University of Texas. In his free time he likes to play sports, travel and watch TV.
Austin Jasniewski
Austin majored in Psychology. He plans on going to med school and practice psychiatry. He is interested in studying norm formation and people’s reactions to norm transgressions. In his free time he likes to read and play video games. He also likes to go camping.
Lydia (Harim) Ahn
Lydia majored in Psychology and Communication Arts. She is interested in the effects of social behaviors of various cultures and how they are shaped. She is now an Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology at Arizona State University.
Julia Honoroff
Julia majored in Psychology. She was accepted into Northwestern’s Human Development and Social Policy doctoral program. In her free time, she likes reading, dancing, and being outdoors.
Tayler Nowak
Tayler majored in Psychology. She is interested in learning about consumer psychology and using the field of psychology to promote prosocial behavior. After graduation, she hopes to attend graduate school and further her learning on consumer psychology.
Devonna Jackson
Devonna majored in Psychology, with a certificate in Gender and Women Studies. She is interested in looking at representations and indicators of prejudice in our daily lived experience. Her future goal is to go onto graduate school and obtain a degree in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Forensic Psychology.
Rachel Mooney
Rachel worked in the lab from Fall of 2012 to Winter of 2013. She received her BA in Psychology with a certificate in LGBT Studies.
Hannah Frazee
Hannah majored in Psychology and Com Arts. She is interested in how media psychologically effects us and how psychology could potentially benefit what is shown in the media. Hannah obtained her MBA and now works with a talent agency in LA.
Timothy Neis
Tim majored in Psychology at UW-Madison. He is interested in free will, and how our beliefs about free will can affect behavior. Tim is considering pursuing a PhD in social psychology.
Molly Yoder
Molly majored in Psychology and Political Science. She is interested in how group membership affects political decisions. Molly would like to go to graduate or law school after graduation.