Graduate Students

Mikayla is a fourth-year graduate student in the Spark Lab. She earned her Bachelors from Oklahoma State University. She is interested in how hormonal contraceptives influence biobehavioral processes. She is funded by the National Science Foundation as a Graduate Research Fellow, and her Master’s thesis is funded by a grant from the Women’s Giving Circle. Outside of the lab, Mikayla likes to spend time snuggling with her fur babies (Dark-Matter and Lumiere), weight training, trying new recipes, and getting out in nature.

Ari is a third-year graduate student in the Spark Lab. She earned her Bachelors from the University of Florida and her Masters in Experimental Psychology at Nova Southeastern University. Ari is interested in examining the function of social relationships and their underlying biological mechanisms. She is also interested in social perceptions and prejudice. Outside of the lab, Ari loves to spend her time exploring nature, traveling, and listening to live music.

Marius is a second-year graduate student in the Spark Lab. He earned his Bachelor’s from Central Methodist University. He is interested in the relationship between personality, pathogen avoidance, intergroup prejudice, culture, and political orientation. Outside of the lab, Marius likes to spend time on philosophy, traveling, nature, soccer, drawing, and music.

Honors Thesis Students

Undergraduate Research Assistants

• Charles (Ethan) Coombs
• Haadiya Muhammad
• Lily Degrace
• Luke Thurlby
• Sam Brown
• Hannah Seaton
• Holly Metersky
• Jenna Thomas
• Rachel Wilbourn
• Lauren Matthews
• Carson Chappell
• Jacob Ward
• Kelly Shrieve
• Abbie Brien
• Sophia Bastian
• Charlotte Edds
• Patsy Cox
• Emma Elrod
• Matthew Moore
• Alyssa Childress
• Nicholas (Nick) Tabbah
• Jessica Lobb
• Quan Le
• Aashvi Dahiya
• Melia Whitcomb
• Tyler Mizner
• Kathleen Tarver
• Kat Viebrooks

Lab Alumni

Post-Bac Research Assistants

• Zach Buckner – currently a graduate student at the University of Southern Mississippi

Undergraduate Research Assistants Graduated from the Lab

• W. Allen Lambert
• Michael Moretta
• Kaylie Mahar
• Ryan Blanchard
• Preston Stone
• Kayla Thuet
• Olivia (Kelsey) Yearwood
• Aurthi Arumugam
• Abby Sibson
• Abigail Doran
• Gabrielle Harville
• Kaylee Phimmasene
• Alisa Newbold
• Emily Furlow
• Alyssa Sullins
• Sloan Teeuwen
• Noah Bogart
• Sam Brown
• Abigal Doran
• Hannah Seaton