Stress, Emotion & Physical Health Lab
Alumni
STEP Lab Graduate Student & Post Doc Alumni
Desi Delgadillo
Ph.D in Psychological Science (2023)
Graduate Student Alumnus
UC President's Post Doctoral Fellow
UCLA
Desi was first a post bac student researcher in the laboratory (2015-2016) followed by being accepted into the PhD program as a STEP lab grad student 2017-2023. Her program of research focuses on the interplay between emotions, stress, close relationships, psychophysiology and the composition of the microbiome in both children and adults. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Saint Martin's University in Washington and her MA in Social Ecology in 2019. Dr. Delgadillo, a first generation college student, received numerous awards during her time at UCI including the UCI 2023 Latino Excellence Award, the UCI Microbiome Initiative Pilot Project Award, the NSF graduate research fellowship, the Eugene Cota-Robles Fellowship and many more.
Amanda Acevedo
Ph.D. in Psychological Science (2019)
Graduate Student Alumnus
Program Director,
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Basic Biobehavioral and Psychological Sciences Branch (BBPSB)
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Behavioral Research Program (BRP)
National Cancer Institute
Amanda was a STEP lab grad student from 2013-2019. Her program of research focuses on how positive emotions influence responses to physical pain and how ethnocultural factors might moderate the relationship between emotions and the pain experience. She is generally interested in exploring the ways in which positive emotions, health behaviors, and cultural factors interact with physiological mechanisms to influence physical health outcomes. She received her undergraduate degree with Honors from Alverno College in Psychology. In her senior thesis, she studied the gap between cognition and action during health behavior change and how behavioral economics may help close that gap. Prior to UCI, she obtained a NIH-funded post-baccalaureate research position at the University of New Mexico where she learned about health disparities and the importance of considering culture in research.
Marie Cross
Ph.D. in Psychological Science (2019)
Graduate Student Alumnus
Assistant Teaching Professor of Biobehavioral Health
Pennsylvania State University
https://hhd.psu.edu/contact/marie-cross
Marie was a graduate student in the STEP lab from 2013-2019 and immediately started her new position at Penn State University upon defending her dissertation. Her program of research focuses on exploring whether naturally occurring smiles and experimentally manipulated smiles are associated with health and health-relevant outcomes. Her work on natural smiling involves coding facial expressions in photographs and investigating the connections between these and various health outcomes, such as health care center visitation (i.e., how often someone goes to the doctor). Her work on experimentally manipulated smiling involves investigating whether smiling during different types of acute pain can buffer the psychological and physiological effects of pain. She is especially interested in the possible mechanisms behind this relationship, such as statepositive emotion. In addition to her research, she is passionate about techniques she can incorporate into her classes to effectively teach different aspects of health psychology.
Brooke Jenkins,
Ph.D. in Psychology & Social Behavior (2017)
Graduate Student Alumnus
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Chapman University
Brooke was a graduate student in the STEP lab from 2013-2017 and immediately started her new position at Chapman University upon defending her dissertation examining the connections between emotion variability and health. Brooke’s research program focuses on the intersection of stress, emotion, and health. She investigates how individual differences in emotion and emotion regulation affect health outcomes related to stress. She examines these processes across several different stress contexts in diverse populations, including children, adults with chronic illnesses, and individuals of minority backgrounds. Her work focuses on physiological and behavioral health outcomes such as recovery from surgery, pain, autonomic nervous system activity, sleep, and dietary adherence. Working both in the lab and natural environments, she uses a multi-method, theoretically-driven approach to solve health problems related to stress by applying rigorous study designs and advanced data analytic techniques, including multilevel modeling, spline growth curve modeling, survival analysis, and nonlinear methods. A unique aspect of her work is the development of methods to accurately measure the emotion and health outcomes that emerge during the stress process.
Emily D. Hooker,
Ph.D. in Psychology & Social Behavior (2017)
Graduate Student Alumnus
Postdoctoral Research Scientist
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Dr. Emily D. Hooker is a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the University of California, Irvine, and she examines the association between social class and close relationships. Dr. Hooker capitalizes on advanced statistical modeling to demonstrate that social class can moderate the protective and aversive psychological and physiological correlates of experiences in close relationships. Dr. Hooker worked with Dr. Pressman as a doctoral student at the University of California, Irvine and as an undergraduate student at the University of Kansas.
Johnny Hunter,
Ph.D. in Psychological Science (2019)
Graduate Student & Post Doc Alumnus
Assistant Professor of Teaching
Chapman University
https://www.chapman.edu/our-faculty/john-hunter
My research falls at the intersection of health, social, and positive psychology to investigate the interplay between technological devices and biopsychosocial factors. My work explores various situations in which smartphone interaction influences physiological stress and psychosocial well-being. The overarching goal of my research agenda is to recognize ways in which we can harness the positive potential of digital technology (e.g., smartphones) to reduce stress, boost health and happiness, and augment social relationships. I hope to illuminate pathways of how to fruitfully engage with technology in a harmonious manner that will maximize well-being.
Tara Kraft,
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (2014)
Graduate Student Alumnus
Clinical Psychologist
CHI St. Alexius Health, Bismarck, ND
www.tarapsyc.com
My research interests are Understanding resilience to minor and major stressors and how positive psychological factors may help. I completed my undergraduate degree in psychology at the Catholic University of American in Washington DC, working with Dr. David Jobes and at the American Association of Suicidology to research suicide and promote suicide prevention. I completed my Masters and PhD at the University of Kansas with the wonderful Dr. Sarah Pressman, where my research primarily examined psychological and physiological stress and how positive psychological factors contribute to resilience to and recovery from stressful experiences. Additionally, my dissertation has focused on using psychophysiological data to better understand noted communication deficits in individuals with symptoms of clinical depression. On a lighter note -- I am an aspiring runner in my free time, an avid meditator, and lover of all things chocolate! I also believe in the power of positive thoughts and emotions and love to practice increasing positivity in my personal life daily.
STEP Lab Undergraduate & Post Baccalaureate Program Student Alumni
Meryl Olah
Ph.D. Student in Clinical Psychology
Arizona State University
meryl.olah@asu.edu
Research Interests: mindfulness, emotion regulation, stress, long-term health outcomes, pain
About: I joined STEP lab as a post-baccalaureate student and ended up working on a handful of studies that dealt with facial coding, using a biofeedback application to aid in stress recovery, and even launched my own observational study looking at various physical activities and prosocial behavior. I became the lab manager after finishing my post-bacc and have continued to work with the lab remotely. As of Fall 2019, I am a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Arizona State University where I work with Dr. Mary Davis on a longitudinal twin study examining dyadic emotional experiences, distress tolerance, and various health outcomes.
Dan Faraci
Ph.D. Student in Clinical Psychology
University of South Florida
About: As an undergraduate in the STEP lab, I completed the Social Ecology Honors Program, for which I conducted a research project that focused on smiling and moral decision making. I am currently a clinical psychology Ph.D. student at the University of South Florida and research the placebo effects of drinking alcohol.
Emily Frances Wong
Ph.D. Student in Cognitive Psychology
University of California, Los Angeles
Research Interests: Political Psychology, Moral Decision Making, Game Theory, and Mathematical Modeling of Decision Processes
About: I joined STEP lab back in my first year, amounting to nearly 4 four full years! STEP lab has been a space where I’ve gained some of the most enriching research experiences as a research assistant. I graduated from UCI in Spring 2018 with a B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior. Beginning Fall of 2018, I will embark on a new journey, pursuing a PhD in Cognitive Psychology at UCLA under the supervision of Dr. Keith Holyoak. How has STEP lab inspired me? I’m thinking that people’s affect plays an integral role in their decision making processes, and understanding this nature of human decision making can maybe, just maybe, help us understand one another a little better.
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Rebecca Corona
Ph.D. Student in Social/Personality Psychology University of California, Berkeley
Research Interests: Positive emotion, experiences of awe within natural versus built environments, psychological and physiological effects of communal intensely positive experiences versus individual, positive constructs (e.g. appreciation, gratitude).
About: I am a former STEP lab RA, having worked in various projects, most notably the Smile Stick Study. I am also a former honors student with Dr. Pressman, where I did work as part of my thesis on positive psychological intervention using the construct of appreciation. As of Fall 2019, I am a graduate student at UC Berkeley, working under Dr. Dacher Keltner, with aspirations to continue conducting research on positive emotion until the end of time. I am endlessly fascinated by those emotions, so often positive, that can only be described as indescribable. It is my hope to forever continue to deepen my understanding of emotion and share the knowledge I gain from my studies with others.
Research Interests: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health Care
About: After I graduated from UCI in 2017 with a B.A. in Psychological Science, I remained in the lab to pursue more responsibilities and become involved with studies examining nature connectedness, microbiome, and parental attachment, as well as college students’ cellphone use. I feel very blessed to have had exposure to different research settings, projects, and methodologies during my studies at UCI. When not frantically typing away at a computer under fluorescent light, I love being surrounded by nature, meditating, writing and discovering new food - especially fruits!
Lily Suting Chen
Study Coordinator at THRIVE lab and Research Assistant at the Chicago Booth: Center for Decision Making
I was a former STEP lab research assistant and study coordinator from 2016-2019. During my time here, I learned a great deal and picked up skill sets that continue to serve me in my academic pursuits. It is also in this time that I further developed my research interest. My research interest includes decision making, political psychology, and social psychology. I will receive my B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior from the University of California, Irvine in the Spring of 2019. After that, I will continue to work in the THRIVE lab as a study coordinator and at the Chicago Booth: Center for Decision making as a research assistant as I continue my research adventure. Although the future holds uncertainties, I am excited for what awaits.
Research Interests: Acculturation, College Student Retention, Immigration, International Students, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
About: I graduated from UCI in 2014 with a BA in Psychology and Social Behavior. After graduation, I worked with AmeriCorps leading after-school programs at an elementary school. In 2022 I graduated as a Counseling Psychology doctoral student at the University of Oregon. My current research interests involve critical consciousness, discrimination, and Latino youth development.
Dr. Irene Sarmiento, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin at Madison's Department of Communication Arts
I was a former STEP Lab research assistant. I completed my Communications PhD in the summer of 2020 and I was fellow for the Interdisciplinary Training program in Youth Development, Social Media, and Assessment. My research interests are in personal communication, specifically computer-mediated communication and close relationships. My master’s thesis was on attachment theory, interpersonal media use, and romantic breakups. In the future, I hope to attain a faculty position at a major research institution.
More on Irene Here
I was a former honors student for Dr. Pressman. I have worked on various projects with the STEP lab since 2013, including an honors thesis on facial feedback and moral decision making. In addition, I am co-authoring a manuscript with STEP lab members that focuses on cultural differences in affect valuation. I am now a Ph.D. student in social psychology at the University of Michigan.
Monica Becerra
Ph.D. Student in Counseling Psychology
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
I was a former Honors student for Dr. Pressman (2015-16).
My research is strength based and focuses on obtaining a deeper understanding of Racial Ethnic Minority (REM) experiences in higher education, improving mental health programs and resources for college students, and to promote cultural competency in order to provide quality mentorship in graduate departments and strengthen multiculturalism in counseling practices and training.
More on Monica here
I am a former STEP Lab research assistant. My research explores the cognitive processes behind insight problem solving. I also study cultural, computational, and linguistic theories of humor and joke construction. My Research Interests include Cognitive Modeling, Human Problem Solving, Humor, Computational Humor, Psychometrics, and Pedagogy.
More on Alex here
I am a former STEP lab manager and honors student. Currently, I am working in NYC as an Organization Design Consultant at The Ready. My research interest include Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Positive Psychology, Positive Organizational Psychology, Self-Development, and STEM Education.
More on Tim Here
Tina Singh
Post-Baccalaureate in Pre-health professions
University of California, Berkeley
Research Interests: Psychiatric diagnostic software and mental health awareness in minority communities.
About: I graduated Spring of 2018 with a B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior, and was also a former project manager of the Smile Stick Study. I was a part of the STEP lab from 2016 to 2018 and my time there was incredibly rewarding. I am currently in medical school (CHSUCOM) where I am working towards my path to becoming a Psychiatrist! My interests are hiking, going to the gym, cooking, and watching movies.
I was a former STEP Lab research assistant and study coordinator for the Smile Stick Study. I have worked on various projects as an honors student and was able to cultivate a passion for research and positive psychology. I will receive my B.S. in Public Health Sciences in Spring 2020, and I plan to continue my journey in medical school. I aspire to become a physician who is able to take multidisciplinary approaches to overcome medical barriers and help others heal.
I am currently working towards my Masters in Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania. This past year, I interned at a community center, SEAMAAC, located in South Philadelphia as a Case Manager working with low-income immigrants and refugees. Over the summer, I also worked as an academic counselor to assist rising seniors with their college application and enrollment preparedness. This fall, I will be interning at Belmont Behavioral Hospital and their Adolescence Mood Disorder Psych Unit. I am expecting to graduate in May 2023 and will continue my journey to become a licensed clinical social worker!
I graduated Cum Laude in the Spring of 2020 with my B.S. in Biological Sciences. I was a part of the STEP lab from 2018 to 2020 where I was a research assistant for the SEE study. During my time in the SEE study I was fortunate enough to present my research findings at the American Psychosomatic Society and to share my findings in a publication in Psychosomatic Medicine. I am currently working as a medical assistant for an ob/gyn private practice and have recently received an acceptance to the UC San Diego School of Medicine. I hope to one day become a physician who is able to treat medically underserved communities. In my free time I like to read, bake, practice yoga, and most importantly spend time with family and friends.
Research interests: Anesthesia, community health disparities, pain medicine
About me: Former STEP Lab RA and was involved in the smile stick study during my undergraduate studies. Received my B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior in 2019 and did a DIY post-bacc while working as an EMT, Clinical Research Coordinator, and Physical Therapy Aide after graduating. Now I'm a second year medical student that is aspiring to become an anesthesiologist (?) Presently working at Hartford Hospital in conjunction with University of Connecticut and Integrated Anesthesia Associates to conduct research looking at the effectiveness of various analgesics and post-surgical outcomes. Currently involved in UCSF's Area Health Education Center (AHEC) scholar program that responds to health needs of underserved and rural communities.
I am a former STEP Lab study coordinator for the Physical Activity and Prosocial Behavior Study. I received my B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior from UC Irvine in 2019 and am currently a master’s student at Columbia School of Social Work. Since my time at UCI, I have pursued the fields of education and mental health counseling. My work primarily focuses on media-literacy, substance use, assertive communication, queer healthcare, and intimate partner violence prevention. I strive to become a licensed clinical social worker, consultant, and policy-shifter who supports people who historically and presently experience identity-based harm. I am especially motivated to increase healthcare professionals' LGBTQ-competency and trauma-expertise.
Chelsey joined STEP Lab in 2015 as a research assistant and later became the study coordinator for the Smile Stick Study. STEP lab holds a special place in Chelsey's heart because it was her first introduction to the world of research and it is where she met many of her wonderful friends. After UCI, Chelsey completed a post-baccalaureate in health sciences at Chapman University, where she published a study on microgel nanoparticles. Chelsey then coordinated OC's first non-profit COVID clinic and resource center. Afterward, she worked as a neurology technician, where she collaborated with scientists and physicians to develop and administer a new form of clinical rTMS therapy. Now enrolled in medical school at CHSU, she aspires to become a neurologist. Chelsey hopes to provide compassionate care to vulnerable and underserved populations by finding and introducing more innovative and accessible treatment options to the community.
Ben was a member of the STEP lab from summer 2015 until summer 2017, during his time in UCI’s Post-Baccalaureate Program in Psychological Science. Ben graduated with a PhD in Cognition, Brain, and Behavior from the University of New Mexico in May of 2023. During his graduate training, Ben’s research focused on measuring and improving cognitive functions like attention, working memory, and creativity, and on the application of different methods of noninvasive brain stimulation towards improving these same functions. After graduating, Ben transitioned into private sector human factors work. In his free time, Ben enjoys the company of his partner and their two cats, and is also an avid hiker, documenting the sights of his hikes on his Instagram page, @bcghikes.