Alumni
Meet past alumni who've made exceptional contributions to the lab.
Noah Ayers
Noah majored in Psychology. He is interested in how sibling relationships influence our lives. He is involved in Best Buddies actively identifies opportunities to volunteer with the special needs community. Noah plans to work for two years after undergrad and return for a graduate degree after. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, walking his dog, golfing, and playing recreational sports.
Rebecca Steele
Rebecca is interested in Clinical Neuropsychology. She is involved in the Panhellenic sorority Delta Zeta as the previous leadership positions Historian and Alumna Relations Chairwomen. Her plans post-grad are to continue onto graduate school to pursue a PhD in Neurodivergence research and clinical work. In her free time, she enjoys practicing latte art and writing.
Nathan Sampath
Nathan is a junior majoring in Psychology, with a minor in chemistry and health studies on the pre-health track. He is interested in social psychology with an emphasis on sibling relationships. He is involved in the eSports team at USF, and also plays a number of instruments, like the violin, piano, ukulele, and saxophone.
Christian Shammami
Christian majored in Biomolecular Science and Biopsychology, Cognition, & Neuroscience. He was a project manager and research assistant from 2021- 2023. In the lab, Christian conducted research on competition and trash talk. He is currently preparing to apply to medical school. In his free time, Christian enjoys cooking and playing video games.
Joshua Condry
Josh is finishing up his Bachelors in psychology along with with his pre-medical requirements at the University of San Francisco in Fall 2023 hoping to pursue an MD. He is interested in how video games influence mental health — in his free time he plays video games and does research on them!
Izzy Tomlinson
Izzy majored in Public Policy. She was an assistant for the 2021-2022 academic year. In the lab, she conducted research on the psychology of competition and worked on the Trash Talk lab. She is currently an intern at the CFPB, and will return to UofM for her senior year. In her free time, she enjoys long walks exploring Washington, D.C. and Ann Arbor.
Ingrid Worth
Ingrid Worth majored in Psychology with a minor in Gender & Health. She was a research assistant from 2020-2021. In the lab, she conducted research on the effects of social comparisons made over social media platforms. She is currently working as a lab director for the FAST Lab at the University of Michigan. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, playing sudoku, and reading.
Leilani Fonseca
Leilani Fonseca is majoring in Sociology and Psychology. She was a research assistant and project lead from Fall 2020 to Spring 2022. In the lab, she conducted research on competition in the workplace and psychological climate. She is currently a rising senior and in her time she enjoys running, journaling, and hammocking.
Hasan Zai
Hasan Zai is majoring in Political Science and International Studies with a minor in Education for Empowerment. He was a Research Assistant from Fall 2020 to Winter 2022. In the lab, he conducted research on Close Relationships, Trash Talk, One-Upmanship, and Psychological Competitive Climate. He is currently a rising senior at the University of Michigan. In his free time, he enjoys coaching soccer, explore nature, and spend time with his family and friends.
Ellie Falahee
Ellie majored in Biology, Health, and Society and Spanish. She was a UROP Summer Fellow in 2020. In the lab she conducted research on Close Relationships. She is currently in medical school at the University of Michigan pursuing her MD. In her free time, Ellie enjoys hiking, exercising, and reading.
Martin Hansknecht
Martin Hansknecht double majored in psychology and German with a minor in the joint field of anthropology and sociology at Kalamazoo College. He was a summer research assistant in 2019. In the lab, he conducted research on friendship selection. He is currently a writer in marketing and communications. In his free time, he enjoys running, going on hikes, playing board games, reading and joking with his friends.
Kaitlin Clark
Kaitlin Clark majors in Psychology; with a special focus in Organizational Psychology and Leadership. She was a UROP Community College Fellow, and consequently a Blue Ribbon award recipient in Summer 2019. In the lab, she conducted research on (Romantic Partnerships. She is currently (a University of Michigan Senior. In her free time, she enjoys Yoga and Photography.
Paritosh Joshi
Paritosh Joshi received degrees in Sociology and Psychology with a minor in Cognitive Science from Case Western Reserve University. He was a Research Assistant during the Summer of 2018 and the Summer of 2019 in the SCCR Lab. In the lab, he studied the relationship between trash talk and competitive performance. He is currently studying Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. In his free time, he enjoys working out and spending time in nature.
John Raupp
John Raupp majored in Neuroscience during his time at the University of Michigan. He was a research assistant from the summer of 2019 - the summer of 2020. In the lab, he conducted research on close relationships and competition. He is currently a first-year medical student at the University of Michigan. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter and going fly fishing.
Jennifer Ho
Jennifer majored in Psychology and minored in International Studies. She was a research assistant from Fall 2018 to Spring 2020. In the lab, she conducted research on close relationships. She is currently a product designer. In her free time, she enjoys doing yoga and pilates as well as reading.
Dominick Sokotoff
Dominick Sokotoff majored in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience (BCN), Political Science, and Communication and Media. He was an undergraduate research assistant from September 2018 through April 2020. In the lab, he conducted research on social comparison and implicit attitudes in close relationships. He is currently a Digital Manager working on Capitol Hill. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis, reading, and listening to new podcasts.
Rainey Pesheck
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Austin Haag
Austin Haag graduated with a dual degree in computer science and business administration. He was a research assistant from fall 2016 to spring 2018. In the lab, he conducted research on social comparison in close relationships, with an interest in understanding the effects of social comparison on relationship satisfaction and outcomes for dual-earning couples. He is currently a product manager at Salesforce in San Francisco. In his free time, he enjoys climbing, sailing, skiing, hiking, and playing guitar.
Austin Haag
Austin Haag graduated with a dual degree in computer science and business administration. He was a research assistant from fall 2016 to spring 2018. In the lab, he conducted research on social comparison in close relationships, with an interest in understanding the effects of social comparison on relationship satisfaction and outcomes for dual-earning couples. He is currently a product manager at Salesforce in San Francisco. In his free time, he enjoys climbing, sailing, skiing, hiking, and playing guitar.