We asked our 2016-2017 Student Committee members to introduce themselves, give us a fun fact about their non-academic life, and talk about what they are most looking forward to at the 2016 convention. Here are their answers!
Leigh Smith, University of Texas at Austin
I am a 3rd year PhD student at the University of Texas at Austin in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences. Broadly, I am interested in how people differentially rely on internal cues (such as bodily sensations and affective experiences) versus external cues (such as interaction partners and the social environment) to guide relationship processes. As such, I would describe my research as sitting at the intersection of close relationships, psychophysiology, and affective science. I have very recently begun to study how the human microbiome (the trillions of bacteria that we share our bodies with) influences psychological experiences (e.g., mood and interpersonal preferences). I am looking forward to serving as the Chair of your Student Committee this coming year, and can be reached at [email protected].
Fun Fact: I played the drums in a punk rock band for many years. We called ourselves Epson Energy. This was the late 90s, so we released a cassette tape (seriously) and a 10" record. Back then, people in the music scene called me 'Leigh Vega' because I was super into astronomy and used my cut of the money we made at gigs to buy my first telescope. It was pretty dinky, but I could see Jupiter and four of its moons on a clear night.
2016 Convention: For me, SPSP is both a time of reunion as well as adventure. I most look forward to being reunited with friends and collaborators who live far away, and to meeting new, inspiring researchers whose work is exciting!
Eric Russell, University of Texas at Arlington
Hi everyone! My name is Eric Russell, and I’m a third-year PhD student studying social and personality psychology with Dr. William Ickes at the University of Texas at Arlington. My general research interests include close relationships/friendships, initial interactions, evolutionary psychology, and consumer behavior. Currently, I am developing a line of experimental research examining the close relationship between straight women and gay men. Specifically, I am interested in applying an evolutionary psychological perspective to better understand and examine the unique behavioral patterns exhibited within straight female-gay male relationship dyads. I look forward to the upcoming year! Feel free to email me anytime: [email protected]
Fun Fact: I am a die-hard foodie. If a dish looks good, I will likely (and unashamedly) take a picture of it.
2016 Convention: I am most looking forward to seeing my SPSP friends and networking with other graduate students at the Student Social Night! Oh, and the beach – can’t forget the beach!
Jessie Briggs, Temple University
Hello! My name is Jessie Briggs. I’m currently in my third year of the Social Psychology PhD program at Temple University in Philadelphia. My interests broadly fall within the realm of implicit social cognition, with my primary line of research focused on examining when and why people construe the past more abstractly than they do the future, and how this asymmetry influences their decision-making and self-concept. I would love to hear from you about any questions or suggestions you have for the SPSP GCS, your own research, and/or being a graduate student in general! You can email me at [email protected].
Fun Fact: I’m obsessed with my two dogs, both beagles, and will enthusiastically share pictures with anyone who is interested. A fun fact – I adopted my second dog from the Beagle Rescue League Lab to Leash Division, a nonprofit organization that finds homes for dogs that have been retired from biomedical research facilities. So, my dog has worked in a research lab too!
2016 Convention: It’s hard to choose just one thing at the 2016 Convention that I’m looking forward to the most but I think my favorite part is the poster sessions. They are a great way to meet other graduate students with similar interests as my own and to get new feedback. I always leave the Convention feeling energized and ready to get back in the lab. There is so much to get excited about, I hope to see you there!
Lameese Eldesouky, Washington University in St. Louis
Hi everyone! I'm a third-year in the social and personality psychology PhD program at Washington University in St. Louis. I work with Dr. Tammy English where my research is focused on emotion regulation. I am interested in why people regulate their emotions using different strategies and the consequences that different strategies can have for important domains, such as well-being, health, and social relationships. I'm excited to be working with the Student Committee and look forward to serving the needs of both undergraduate and graduate students. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions at [email protected].
Fun Fact: I see colors and patterns when I listen to music (i.e., music-color synesthesia).
2016 Convention: I'm excited to hear about some of the big questions that the field is currently tackling at the invited sessions (in addition to being in sunny San Diego!).
Onawa LaBelle, University of Michigan
Hi everyone! My name is Onawa LaBelle, and I am a 3rd year doctoral student at the University of Michigan, working under the direction of Dr. Robin Edelstein. My research interests lie at the intersection of positive psychology and physical health, and they are driven by my curiosity about the mind-body connection, particularly in diverse populations. In other words, how do emotions, both positive and negative, affect physical health? How do the effects of positive emotions differ for at-risk and/or minority populations? Further, what role do individual differences and hormones play in this process? I examine questions such as these using a mixed-methods approach to better understand the nuances inherent in special populations that may be missed using more traditional methods. My current work with Dr. Edelstein examines gratitude as a facilitator of wellness for insecurely attached people in 12-step recovery programs. If you are interested in my research, the Student Committee, SPSP events, or more generally, if you have questions about any aspect of the graduate school experience, please contact me at [email protected]. I’m excited to serve on this year’s Graduate Student Committee!
Fun Fact: I recently discovered that I love to cook, especially when cooking is ALL I have to do! Besides eating, of course (see Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, or Plated websites for details). Now if I just had more time to cook!
2016 Convention: I am especially looking forward to meeting new people at the upcoming 2016 SPSP convention!
Lindsay Roberts, University of Toledo
Hi everyone! My name is Lindsay Roberts and I'm a fourth-year doctoral student working with Jason Rose at the University of Toledo. My research interests are somewhat varied, but I primarily focus on the social and cognitive factors that influence health behaviors and perceptions. Much of my research has integrated expectation effects (i.e. placebo effects) into social and normative contexts to determine how social information augments self-relevant health beliefs. I'm also interested in how specific features of health communication materials (such as the slope of a line graph) influence risk perceptions and evaluations of ambiguous health behaviors. Currently, I'm working on a study that examines the impact of deliberative versus intuitive processing of drug-related health messages and subsequent changes in attitudes, perceived norms, and intentions. I look forward to serving as a member-at-large and hope to see you at the conference! Feel free to email me anytime at [email protected].
Fun Fact: Outside of work, I enjoy spending time outdoors and love to cook (I've been told I make amazing tacos and cookies), and I'm always willing to talk about my adorable dog.
2016 Convention: I'm excited about the professional development panels at SPSP 2016 and think they'll be a great resource for graduate students.
Calvin M. Sims, North Carolina State University
Greetings and Salutations everyone! My name is Calvin M. Sims, and I am a 4th year PhD student studying Lifespan Developmental Psychology at North Carolina State University with Amy Halberstadt. My research interests are best described as utilizing a developmental framework to understand education. Specifically, I'm interested in the relationships between teachers and students, and how emotions may color those interactions. I'm interested in how teachers come to understand ambiguous situations, and what roles teachers' cultural experiences, and their racialized beliefs may play in how they interact with students. I am additionally interested in the concept of teacher compassion burnout, as well as studying the ways in which we can encourage students to really enjoy the process of learning in the classroom and being successful at achievement. I am this year's Member-at-Large for Undergraduate Affairs and I am really excited to work for you and put your interests first! Please always feel free to contact me to ask about anything ranging from applying to graduate school to what psychology concentrations would be best for you. Just think of me as your friendly, neighborhood graduate student over here. Drop me a line and send me ideas! You can always find me at [email protected] or connect with me on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/calvinmsims.
Fun Fact: If you just caught my Spider-Man reference is that I am huge into comic books so I can always converse about movies, storylines, and art! Psychology and Comics books both seem to adequately capture my inner geek
2016 Convention: At this year's 2016 SPSP Convention, I am most excited to meet the other Student Committee members, talk with undergraduates and get a sense of how I can best take SPSP to the next level in attending to undergraduates.
Nick Brown, Florida Atlantic University
Hello! My name is Nick Brown and I'm a PhD candidate studying Personality/Social Psychology at Florida Atlantic University with Ryne Sherman, graduating in Spring 2016. I'm interested in how personality interacts with our everyday situations to produce the psychological triad (i.e., cognition, affect, and behavior). My research focuses on identifying the psychological properties of situations and developing tools to measure them. More recently, I've been involved with using cutting-edge technology-- such as lifelogging devices-- so that researchers can actually see the moment-to-moment situations individuals experience. In 2016-2017, I'll be serving as the Student Committee Past Chair and will be providing guidance to the incoming Student Committee. I have also served as the Member-at-Large for Undergraduate Affairs, so if you are an undergraduate, I am happy to chat about applying to graduate school or any other questions that you might have regarding professional development. Please feel free to email me anytime at [email protected], or visit my website at www.nicolasabrown.com.
Fun Fact: I have a two-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Lilo.
2016 Convention: I'm looking forward to the new Q&pAy at SPSP, because Shark Tank is one of my favorite shows! It'll be great to see the academic spin on it.
SPSP Elects New Student Leadership
Yuen J. Huo to Lead Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin as Editor
