Undergraduate Research Assistants
Maha Bilal
Maha is a senior at SMU, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Cognitive Science and Art. Her research interests are in mental health, child development, and neuroscience. She hopes to eventually become a child psychiatrist or neurologist.
Nina Castaneda
Nina is a junior from Austin, Texas. She is studying Psychology and Biology, with a minor in Neuroscience. She is passionate about studying mental health and has research interests in child psychology.
Jacqueline Fidellow
Jacqueline is a senior at SMU working towards a B.S. in Psychology and minors in Neuroscience, Statistical Science, and Philosophy. She aims to attend graduate school to study counseling psychology. Jacqueline is excited to be working in the Family Health & Development Lab and to gain experience conducting research and learning about the psychology of relationships. Outside of the lab, she enjoys playing with dogs, driving, making very specific playlists on Spotify, and spending time with friends.
Ainsley Johnson
Ainsley is a freshman at SMU, studying Biological Sciences with an interest in psychology. Her research interests include adolescent health psychology, interpersonal relationships, and autism spectrum disorders.
Jordan Judson
Jordan is a senior at SMU, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience. His research interests involve attachment styles and dyadic coping. Specifically, he is interested in changes in romantic attachment style during transitions from dating to marriage and in early parenthood among young adults with affective disorders.
Rachel Marchand
Rachel is a sophomore at SMU, pursuing a B.A. in Psychology with minors in Cognitive Sciences and Sociology. Her research interests are in adolescent development; specifically, she is interested in how adolescent experiences and inherited traits impact development. Rachel is excited to learn more about the psychology of relationships and gain research experience. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, painting, working out, and spending time with family.
Connor McAlpin
Connor is a junior at SMU from Stuart, FL. He is majoring in Psychology, with a minor in Neuroscience. His hobbies include reading, hiking, and hunting.
Ruthie Miller
Ruthie is a senior at SMU, majoring in Psychology with minors in Spanish and Neuroscience. In the future, she hopes to attend graduate school to get her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests include adolescents’ mental health, externalizing symptoms, and substance use. She’s enjoyed being in the Family Health & Developmental Lab and learning about family processes. In her free time, she loves to cook with friends, jog, read, and watch true crime shows on Netflix.
Sophia Shapiro
Sophia is a senior at SMU, obtaining a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Applied Physiology and Health Management. Her research interests are in relationship functioning. Specifically, she is interested in examining relationship domains that are associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms among couples raising a child with developmental differences.