Post-Doctoral Fellows
Ashley Berkebile-Weinberg (She/Her)
Ashley seeks to understand how intergroup contact shapes the nature of people’s social relationships, as well as the ways it impacts larger group-level relations (e.g. support for BLM or immigration reform). Her research focuses on the psychological dynamics underpinning social interactions within intergroup relationships (e.g., friends), as well as intimate discussions centered on group differences within various intergroup contexts. She aims to assess how discussions about race, discrimination, and inequality affect interpersonal and intergroup processes, focusing on racially minoritized people. Currently, Ashley is working to extend her work to examine broader health and belongingness outcomes that result from intergroup contact and close intergroup relationships. Ashley has a passion for communicating research to the public and using research to address social issues and advocate for social change. For fun she loves to take dance classes, do yoga, spend time with her family, and dabbles in interior decorating!
Graduate Students
Nicole Johnson (She/Her)
Nicole's research focuses on examining the influence of adversity on close relationships and how these relationships can either mitigate or exacerbate the consequences of adversity. While pursuing her undergraduate and master's degrees at Stanford University, she studied how the development of friendship networks could predict the well-being trajectories of college students. Now, in her first year at Princeton, Nicole is developing a scale to assess adversity in adulthood. This scale will enable her to trace the impact of adverse life experiences on the close relationships and overall well-being of adults. In her leisure time, Nicole likes to visit New York City, spend time with family and friends, chill in cafes, and bike around New Jersey.
Priscilla Diaz-Gonzalez (She/Her)
Priscilla's research focuses on examining and addressing the systemic educational inequities that first-generation college students experience in academic institutions. While pursuing her undergraduate degree at the University of California - Santa Barbara, she studied how social support influences first-generation Latinx/e college students' belonging and university fit. Prior to joining the lab, Priscilla was a research coordinator at Northwestern University studying how to create culturally inclusive educational environments for students from marginalized backgrounds. In her free time, Priscilla likes to spend quality time with her loved ones, try new coffee shops, and watch the sunset.
Maddy Paxson (She/Her)
Maddy’s research aims to understand how people form, maintain, and benefit from their social connections. In particular, she’s interested in 1) identifying and addressing barriers to social connection, 2) understanding how intergroup connections impact people from marginalized backgrounds, and 3) exploring changes in the nature of close relationships during life transitions. As an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, her thesis examined the role of color-evasive racial ideology in close interracial relationships. Before coming to Princeton, she was a predoctoral fellow with Behavior Change for Good at the University of Pennsylvania where she supported the analysis and implementation of megastudies – massive field experiments – including those aimed at increasing student performance through social interventions. For fun, she likes to eat ice cream, watch live theatre and comedy, and take long walks with good people.
Lab Manager
Colten Harper (He/Him)
Colten’s research interests lie broadly in the intersections of queer theory and social psychology. He is interested in how identity-based adversity influences how LGBTQ-identifying folks form, value, and navigate their social relationships. Specifically, he is curious about the concept of “chosen family” and seeks to examine how experiences of stigma or familial estrangement direct who queer people seek support from. He received his B.A. in Psychology and Gender & Sexuality Studies along with a minor in History from Vanderbilt University. Outside of research, Colten enjoys playing volleyball, practicing his Spanish, and listening to 90s/early 2000s RnB.
Research Assistants
Ellie Berman (She/Her)
Ellie is a senior at Princeton University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Global Health Policy with a certificate in Spanish. She is interested in health inequities and how social networks can be leveraged to increase the efficacy of public health interventions, as well as how the healthcare system can be changed on a systemic level. In her free time, she loves reading, spending time with her dogs, and watching TV with friends.
Lily Parris (She/Her)
Lily is a senior at Princeton University, majoring in psychology with a minor in French. Her primary interest lies in studying resilience, particularly within families, and understanding how they unite in the face of adversity. For her thesis, she focuses on economic challenges, aiming to determine whether specific family structures or coping strategies contribute to resilience. Outside of academics, Lily runs the hurdles as part of the Track & Field team, enjoys playing card games, and will watch any rom-com.
Melissa Ruiz (She/Her)
Melissa is a senior at Princeton University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Latinx Studies. She is passionate about exploring how different types of institutions impact the perceived cultural fit of First Generation Low-Income (FGLI) students. Specifically, she is interested in whether students from strongly interdependent backgrounds, such as Latinx or Asian communities, experience a heightened sense of cultural mismatch at institutions that do not align with their values. In her free time, Melissa enjoys baking, binge-watching TV shows and listening to albums repeatedly until she gets tired of them.
Aarushi Adlakha (She/Her)
Aarushi is a Junior in the Psychology Department at Princeton University. She is interested in studying how identities and backgrounds impact forming and sustaining different kinds of relationships, and how adversity can have impacts on relationship networks. Outside of classes, Aarushi is the Secretary General for PMUNC 2024, a Residential College Advisor and the Social Chair for the Class of 2026. During her free time, Aarushi can be found reading, crocheting or taking pictures around campus.
Lena Chau (She/Her)
Lena is currently a Junior at Princeton University majoring in Psychology with a prospective minor in Neuroscience. Her research interests lie in understanding how being a part of an underserved population influences one’s thoughts and behaviors when reaching out to healthcare providers and receiving adequate treatment. During her free time, Lena will either be at Junbi taking a boba break or in her dorm doing her daily NYT games like Wordle and Connections.
Yuka Childers (She/Her)
Yuka is a Junior at Princeton University majoring in Psychology with a prospective minor in English. She is interested in studying childhood adversity and the impacts on their social behavior in adulthood. Outside of classes she is the secretary for the Princeton University Mixed Association, a SHARE Peer, and on the Mental Health Committee for the Undergraduate Student Government. In her free time she enjoys working out, thrifting, doing DIY crafts, trying new matcha drinks and watching movies.
Aidan Mahoney (He/Him)
Aidan is a senior at Princeton University, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Gender & Sexuality Studies. His research interests lie in the intersection of mental health and social psychology. For his senior thesis, he is interested in how the prevalence of emotional eating and food addiction can vary across cultures, as well as how these health behaviors are mediated by demographic factors such as gender, race/ethnicity, and sexuality. After graduation, Aidan seeks to study how cultural variations in standards of masculinity affect male mental health. Outside of research, Aidan is on the Varsity Men’s Tennis Team, bakes cookies at Murray Dodge Café, and loves to create social media food and travel content.
Alina Ho (She/Her)
Alina is a junior at Princeton University majoring in Psychology and potentially pursuing a minor in Global Health Policy and a certificate in Cognitive Science. She is interested in the varying ability to be open about mental health in close relationships and the social norms that drive our daily interactions, especially in lower-class backgrounds. Outside of school, she loves excessively cleaning, playing video games, and eating spicy food.
Emi Yun (She/Her)
Emi is a junior at Princeton University majoring in Psychology, with a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies. She is broadly interested in the psychological impacts of socioeconomic status on interpersonal relationships, with a focus on first-generation, low-income college students and their transition to college. Outside of classes, Emi is the president of the Princeton Wellness Club and a member of the Princeton Cheerleading Team. She loves listening to music, watching romcoms & thrillers, and exploring the city with her friends!
Viulka De Jesus Cruz (She/Her)
Viulka is a junior at Princeton University, majoring in Psychology and pursuing a certificate in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. She has a keen interest in exploring the impact of adversity on our everyday lives. Specifically, she’s fascinated by how our perceptions of adversity shape our future selves and influence our sense of attainability. She is particularly intrigued by psychological mechanisms that shape resilience and perseverance in the face of challenges. Outside of academics, you’ll often find Viulka engaged in lively UNO matches with friends or enjoying leisurely walks, often ending with a scoop of ice cream. Viulka is also a self-professed Criminal Minds enthusiast — analyzing behavioral patterns on screen has become a bit of an addiction for her!
Lale Kurtulush (She/Her)
Lale is a sophomore at Princeton University majoring in Psychology. She is interested in how mental illness varies as a concept in different cultures as well as how certain social and cultural values can contribute to the pervasive stigma around seeking therapy and utilizing mental health resources. In her free time Lale enjoys singing as part of various groups on campus, baking, and listening to her Discover Weekly.
Nicole Ndayishimiye (She/Her)
Nicole is a sophomore at Princeton University majoring in Psychology with a prospective minor in African Studies. She is interested in studying how adversity affects underserved youth, specifically in the classroom, as well as how social norms affect the way varying populations think about mental health and mental health resources. In her free time, Nicole enjoys dancing, reading, watching reality TV, and listening to music!
Lab Pets
Luna Carey
Luna is studying the processes by which we can avoid peeing when excited. How do our close relationships influence our ability to regulate our bodies? She knows how to sit and heel when asked. Her favorite nightly tradition is stealing Rebecca’s napkin at the end of a meal.
Sunny Carey
Sunny is researching why the blue toy tastes so good. More specifically, he is investigating whether we can eat toys without experiencing shame or stomach problems. He knows how to sit when asked. Sunny’s favorite tradition is riding in the car, and it does not matter whose car it is.
Stanley
Lily
Holly
Blue
Yogurt
Lab Alumni
Graduate Student and Post-Docs Alumni
2022-2024 | Lori Hazel | Graduate Student | Graduated with a Masters in 2024
2024 | Kanvarbir Gill | Graduate Student | Educational Psychology PhD student at University of Oklahoma
Lab Manager Alumni
2022-2024 | Danny Hang | Social Psychology PhD student at University of Utah
2023-2024 | Ivania Asencio | Counseling Psychology MA student at Teacher's College
2022-2023 | Courteney Parry | Currently an Intensive Case Manager at Sevita
2021- 2022 | Emma Miller | Psychology PhD student at Columbia University
Lab Research Assistant Alumni
Summer 2024 | Cooper Harris | Student at the University of Rochester
2021-2024 | Tiffanie Cheng |
2021-2024 | Angel Kuo |
2022-2024 | Marlene Cardoza | Clinical Psychology PhD student at Clark University
2021-2023 | Samantha Lopez Carrizales | Program Associate for Open Path Psychotherapy Collective
2021-2023 | Selinay Kaplan |
2022-2023 | David Eniola | MD student at Rutgers Medical School
2021-2022 | Helen Wang | Postbaccalaureate Scholar at NIH
2021-2022 | AJ Wallace |