Current Research assistants 

Kendall Abbott

Kendall Abbott is a senior getting her Bachelors of Science in Psychology and a Minor in Communications.  After graduating, her plan is to attend graduate school to receive a PhD in Counseling.
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Elyse bryant

Elyse Bryant is a junior majoring in Psychology, with minors in Statistics and Sports Performance Leadership. After graduation, she plans on earning a master's degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology.

Windsor hall

 Windsor Hall is originally from Phoenix, Arizona. She is a senior studying Psychology and Neuroscience at SMU, and works as a Research Assistant in the Anxiety and Depression Research Center under Dr. Ritz. Her research interests include psychosomatic symptoms and the relationship between chronic illness and depression and anxiety. With Graduation quickly approaching, she plans on working in research for a year while applying to graduate schools where She hopes to earn a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.

Eliana Abraham 

Eliana Abraham is a senior studying on the pre-health track with majors in Biology and Health & Society and a minor in Psychology. She has been a Research Assistant with the lab since the Fall of 2019. For the past two years, Eliana has worked on a project related to stress during pregnancy. Now she assists with research focused on positive psychology for college students. She will be begin medical school after graduation and looks forward to coming back to SMU for the traditions that have shaped her time on campus.
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kareena arora

Kareena is a senior studying on the pre-health track with majors in Biology and Health & Society and minors in Chinese and Neuroscience. She is a member of AED, Business and Healthcare, and Best Buddies. Outside of school, she works as a scribe. After graduation, she hopes to continue on to medical school. 

Aiden egbuchunam

​Aiden is a junior at SMU majoring in Psychology with a minor in Human Rights. They plan to get a Ph.D. in Social Psychology following graduation.
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amber franklin

Amber Franklin is a freshman studying on the pre-health track with a major in Biology and a minor in Psychology. Her future plans include either medical school or a PhD program in Psychology. 

Maria izaguire 

kristin kulik
Maria is a senior studying Psychology, Sociology, and Human Rights with minors in Statistics and Women’s & Gender studies. Maria has been with the lab since Fall 2019. After graduation, she plans on pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology. 
Kristin is a junior transfer student majoring in psychology and potentially minoring in neuroscience, as well. Her future includes getting a masters a degree and becoming a child therapist. After graduation, she plans on traveling for the summer.

finn lamastra

aashna mangal

Isabelle mermilliod
​Finn is a sophomore from Atlanta majoring in Psychology, and plans on minoring in Neuroscience and Philosophy. His future plans include either a PhD program in Psychology or Law School.
 Aashna is seventeen years old and a senior in high school. Outside of school, she teaches elementary school kids about the human body through the nonprofit “Youth Passion Project” and math through “intellichoice.” She is excited to pursue a premed track when she goes to college next year to hopefully become a pediatric surgeon.
Isabelle is a junior double majoring in Biology and Psychology on the pre-med track with a minor in Law and Legal Reasoning. She is a member of the University Honors Program, Dedman Scholars, and AED. Outside of school, she works as an EMT. After graduating, she hopes to continue on to medical school. 

Payton neiberger

Nushah rahman

chloe raines
Payton is a senior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Cognitive Science. Her interests broadly include investigating the etiological factors and novel treatments for anxiety and depression. Payton plans to further her education by earning a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
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Nushah is a junior double-majoring in Health and Society & Psychology and minoring in Spanish & Biological Sciences on the pre-med track. On campus she is involved with MHPS as an RA, Student Foundation, AED, and the University Honors Program. She  hopes to attend medical school after graduating and aim to become an ophthalmologist. She is also pursuing an independent research project examining the relationship between anxiety and self-efficacy.
 Chloë Raines, is a current undergraduate (junior) at Bowdoin College, working as a research student for SMU’s Psychology department. She is a dual-majoring in Neuroscience and Law, looking to go to medical school when she graduates. She is particularly interested in research on sleep and its relation to our mental health, and how negative mental health effects may affect the physiology of our brains and bodies.

Michael reese

Michael Reese is a junior working towards a major in Psychology and minors in Art History, Statistics, and Cultural Anthropology. He is interested in novel treatments related to anxiety and depression as well as the role of misconceptions in peoples’ understandings of psychology. Outside of school, he works part time in the digital arts and graphic design. ​

TRicia tsang

Tricia is a sophomore double majoring in Psychology and Health & Society on the pre-med track with minors in Neuroscience and Biomedical Anthropology. On campus, she is a resident assistant in the Upper Division Housing community and is involved with the University Honors Program, Gamma Phi Beta, and Alternative Breaks. After graduating, she plans on attending medical school to hopefully become a psychiatrist. Her research interests broadly include investigating novel treatments for anxiety and depression and connections between anxiety disorders and pulmonary diseases.

joshua venus 

​Joshua is a senior majoring in psychology at UNT. He hopes to someday be accepted into a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program where he can continue being a part of research.

Olivia woodson

Olivia is a senior majoring in Psychology and Philosophy, with minors in Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, and Statistics. Her research interests broadly include novel treatment interventions for depression and anxiety and contributing factors of stigmatization and help-seeking attitudes within athletic culture. She hopes to continue her education and research at a Clinical Psychology PhD program.  ​

Andrew wright 

Andrew Wright is a senior SMU student from Plano, Texas. He is majoring in Biochemistry and is on the premed track. After graduation, Andrew hopes to continue his education by attending medical school.

Past research assistants 

alexandra murdy

mackenzie zimmerman

Ashlynn Joseph 
Alexandra is a junior pursuing majors in health & society and psychology. She is also minoring in neuroscience. 
​Mackenzie Zimmerman is currently a senior at SMU. She is majoring in Psychology and Human Rights with a minor in Women and Gender Studies

Lauren steel

Lauren is a junior pursuing environmental science, psychology, and geology majors. She is also minoring in religious studies.

Becky morris 

Becky junior double majoring in Health and Society and Psychology on the Equestrian team here at SMU.
Ashlynn is a junior majoring in biology. She is also minoring in neuroscience and ​Human Rights. 

Samiah Woods

Samiah is a junior double majoring in biology and religious studies ​