RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

Lab Manager & Honors Thesis Students

Email: gaelle.elhelou@ufl.edu

Gaelle el Helou | Lab Manager & Visiting Scholar
I am a post-bac visiting research scholar and lab manager at the Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab. I was born in Beirut, Lebanon. My goal is to pursue a doctoral program in psychology and become a clinical psychologist and researcher. My main interests include the interlink between clinical and social psychology, and the effect of emotional intelligence /self-regulation on health. Aside from school, I love traveling, singing, dancing, and playing the piano.

Email: tlai1@ufl.edu

Tram Lai | Senior Honors Thesis
I'm a fourth-year Psychology and Criminology student. I was born in Vietnam and grew up in West Palm Beach, FL. The reason why I joined this lab is because Social Psychology is one of my absolute favorite topics in Psychology and I want to pursue a doctorate degree in it. My research interests are decision making, false memory, juvenile rehabilitation, and how humans influence one another. Outside of school and work, I love books, games, Podcast, fashion, and collecting trinkets. My research study is on how affective forecasting influences our decisions on reading (Classics and Contemporary novels).

Current Research Assistants

Email: nbelu@ufl.edu

Nicole Belu
Hi everyone! I’m Nicole, a third year general psychology major on a pre pharmacy track here at UF! I’m from Orlando, FL and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I’m very excited to be apart of the lab and am interested in learning how our mental health affect can influence our behavior. In my free time I love painting and drawing, as well as learning new recipes to cook/bake!

Email: vchery@ufl.edu

Vanessa Chery
Hey everyone!! I am a first generation and second year Psychology and Sociology major with a minor in Health Disparities. I’m Haitian American, born and raised in South Florida. I aspire to be a counseling psychologist after undergraduate school. I am so happy and grateful to be a part of the WELLS team. I hope that I can meet new people with different backgrounds who all have the same goal of doing research on important topics. I am most passionate about mental health, justice and better/quality of lives for minorities, and stopping discrimination. Something I truly believe in is that your mental health should be just as important as your physical health. From this program, I hope to gain a greater love for research while helping as much as I can. I love animals and when I get the chance, I like to pick up a good romance book. In my free time I listen to music, watch dramas, sitcoms, go to the beach, and hang out with friends.

Email: lydiacolon@ufl.edu

Lydia Colon
I am an undergraduate psychology major pursuing a minor in theatre and a certificate in Dance in Medicine. I am excited to become a part of this lab to learn more about conducting research and to use this knowledge to help me as a future medical school student. Within this lab, I am interested to see how the results of studies unrelated to mental health can have applications that are useful in therapy or in the prevention of a psychological disorder. Though my career goal is to become a psychiatrist, I also enjoy the performing arts, fashion, and makeup in my spare time.

Email: chloe.dill@ufl.edu

Chloe Dill
Hi! I am a sophomore undergraduate student majoring in psychology with specific interests in the social and cognitive frameworks of developmental psychology. In the future, I aspire to go to graduate school within a program that would prepare me to practice clinically and conduct research. I am fascinated by so many aspects of the brain and behavior so I hope to refine some of my interests through working in the lab and learn more about what I might intend to focus my studies on in the future. Apart from academics, I enjoy ballet, the beach, and traveling, I am also passionate about sustainability, social justice, and mental health.

Email: anabelgranger@ufl.edu

Anabel Granger
Hello everyone! My name is Anabel Granger and I am a second year Psychology major and Women’s Studies minor here at the University of Florida! I am originally from Mount Dora, Florida, and I identify with the pronouns she/her/hers. Social Psychology is a field that I am particularly interested in, specifically looking at the influence of external conditions on emotional and behavioral processing, with a focus on the American criminal justice systems effect on children and families, as well as violence against women in a micro and macro socio-cultural sense. In my free time, I enjoy the outdoors, traveling, animals, and all things food! It is a great honor to be a part of Dr. Westgate’s team and I look forward to learning, growing, and discovering more in the field of social psychology!

Email: bhertzendorf@ufl.edu

Brandon Hertzendorf
I am an undergraduate behavioral and cognitive neuroscience major here at UF. My interests in Psychology are Clinical Psychology and Counseling Psychology but are pretty broad to every niche of psychology. My main goal after my undergraduate degree is to get into a Ph.D. program and study Psycho-Oncology. I am a cancer survivor and would love to give back to show other cancer patients proper coping mechanisms to help them survive cancer. I am ecstatic about joining this lab as I can start building up my experiences in research and gaining knowledge in such an interesting field. Outside of the lab, I love going to the beach, hanging out with friends, and watching Youtube.

Email: jjauregui@ufl.edu

Jay Jauregui
She/Her/Hers
Hi! I am a third-year psychology student, hailing from Miami, on the pre-dental track and pursuing an English minor at UF. I am thrilled to be part of the lab and take my education from textbook to practice by helping produce scientific knowledge as part of a research team. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to enhance my understanding of human behavior and cognition through experimental methods and the unique ways it can be applied to psychological research. My awareness of psychology has greatly influenced how I perceive the world and treat others; I intend to continue to use the skills I have and will acquire in my professional career when providing care for patients from all walks of life. Besides academics, I enjoy reading, spending time with friends and family, and being a pet mom.

Email: carleylustig@ufl.edu

Carley Lustig
I’m Carley and I am a third year general psychology student at UF! I hope to go to dental school but have always been interested in the brain and how it creates our interpretation of the world. Social psychology is of particular interest to me especially with our current generation being heavily involved in social media. I hope that when working in the dental field a solid background in psychology will help me to better understand and treat patients! I was born and raised outside of Philadelphia and hope to continue my studies somewhere in the northeast after graduating from UF. I enjoy music, comedy, and meditation/mindfulness. My pronouns are she/her/hers.

Email: radhikamahendru@ufl.edu

Radhika Mahendru
I am currently a third year student majoring in Psychology on the Pre-Medical track at the University of Florida. I was born in Houston, TX but grew up in Orlando, FL and identify with the pronouns she/her/hers. I am excited to work in this lab because I am intrigued on how, when, and why social behaviors are affected based on our emotions in the moment. I hope to gain experience and knowledge in this lab which I can later apply to my future career as a psychiatrist. Outside of research, I enjoy going to concerts, watching movies, listening to podcasts/music, and trying out new places to eat!

Email: mcgilverykaren@ufl.edu

Karen McGilvery
Hello! I am a third-year Family, Youth, and Community Sciences and General Psychology first-generation student from a multicultural background. I love learning about how different aspects of identity can impact our quality of life and wellbeing. Naturally, I also love everything related to psychology as it helps us understand ourselves and others. I am immensely grateful to be a part of this lab and really delve into social psychology as the research we do can be used to improve many lives. I aim to further my studies with a graduate degree related to counseling.

Email: ashleynelson1@ufl.edu

Ashley Nelson
Hello! My name is Ashley and I am a first-year student at UF majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience. I am originally from Chicago, IL but I have been living in Tampa, FL for several years now. I am still somewhat undecided about my future career goals, but I love psychology and am hoping that this opportunity might help me get a better idea of what I would like to do in the future. Outside of school, I love reading, swimming, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family. I am beyond excited to work in the Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab and learn more about psychology research!

Email: palmermadison@ufl.edu

Madison Palmer
I am a third-year undergraduate student, majoring in psychology and pursuing a minor in Spanish. I’m from St. Petersburg, Florida and I go by the pronouns she/her/hers. I’m excited to grow academically in this lab and gain more experience in social and cognitive psychology. I plan on pursuing a career in psychology in the future and I hope that my position in this lab will help guide me to the specific field of psychology that I would like to study in graduate school. I’m looking forward to working with peers and learning more about human behavior in this lab! Outside of the lab, I enjoy hiking, reading, writing, and spending time outdoors.

Email: michellerincones@ufl.edu

Michelle Rincones-Rodriguez
I am a third year psychology student at the University of Florida, having previously earned an associate’s degree in psychology as a dual enrollment student. My goal is to earn a Ph.D. in psychology, specifically in social psychology. I am thrilled to begin my second semester as a research assistant and gain experience that will allow me to pursue a career in psychological research. I am interested in areas such as social cognition, personality, motivation, and organizational behavior. Outside of the lab, I enjoy traveling, music, and reading!

Email: irondao@ufl.edu

Isabella Rondao
Hi everyone! My name is Isabella and I am a second-year Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience psychology major on a pre-med track here at UF! I am passionate about mental health, specifically what might contribute to someone developing mental illness, and how to treat psychological disorders. I aspire to become a psychiatrist or doctor one day, and hopefully have a lasting impact on peoples’ lives. I am super excited to work in this lab and think I will learn a lot that might be applicable to my future career! Outside of research, I enjoy watching soccer, spending time with my friends and family, watching movies, and traveling!

Email: ssedwick@ufl.edu

Stephen Sedwick
I’m a psychology and microbiology double major. I was born here in Gainesville when my parents attended UF, but I grew up in Jacksonville, FL. UF is a family school for me; I have six relatives and family members who all attended UF. Right now, I am deciding between pursuing a medical degree to become a neurologist or going to graduate school and obtaining an academic position. I am thrilled to be joining the lab because I will be able to further my education and interest in learning more about behavior and social interactions, while getting a preview into a career in academic research. Currently, I am a volunteer emergency medical responder with GEMRU, as a volunteer trained counselor I help cover the Alachua County Victim Services Helpline, and once a month I help with the social events at the Center for Independent Living. In my free time, I enjoy relaxing with friends, watching Netflix, listening to music, reading, and playing video games, board games, and card games.

Email: derek.simon@ufl.edu

Derek Simon
Hello! I joined the lab as a second-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology. I am now entering my third year and I am also the new lab manager for the Florida Social Cognition and Emotion Lab! I grew up in Delray Beach and Jupiter, Florida and identify with the pronouns he/him/his. My dream is to achieve my Ph.D. and to eventually become a professor of psychology. My research interests reside in Social and Personality Psychology, and I am currently passionate about exploring the many factors that influence our specific emotions and behaviors across different situations. Aside from my studies, I love reading, listening to music, spending time with friends, and enjoying everything that life has to offer.

Email: laurensklet@ufl.edu

Lauren Sklet
Hello everyone! I am a second-year psychology major with a specialization in behavioral and cognitive neuroscience, and I am from Tampa, Florida. As of now, I plan on adding a second major in marketing and getting involved in some behavioral marketing research, and I hope to attend graduate school in some area of psychology. Social psychology research has always been my main interest because it is so applicable to the real world. From everyday problems, such as procrastination and boredom, to big systemic issues, such as implicit biases toward minority groups, social psychology research can help to answer all types of questions. I am excited to gain some relevant and important research skills while helping to tackle some pressing research questions!

Email: katherine.terry@ufl.edu

Katherine Terry
Hello! My name is Katherine Terry and I am a sophomore majoring in Psychology and Criminology. My educational interests focus on Legal Psychology and why criminals commit crime. I would love to further my education with graduate school and possibly get my Ph.D. in my career become a Trial Consultant, assisting a legal team from a psychology perspective. I am super excited to join the lab this semester! My outside interests include painting, reading, and being a plant mom.

Email: lindsayuffer@ufl.edu

Lindsay Uffer
Hi! I am a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and Public Health. Following graduation, I am hoping to go to graduate school to pursue a combined degree in school and clinical psychology. I am very excited to join this lab to gain a better understanding of social psychology. Aside from school, I love to travel, go shopping, and spend time with my family and friends!

Email: vvemugunta@ufl.edu

Vivek Vemugunta
I am a second-year Biology major also pursuing a minor in nutritional sciences. I am from Jacksonville, FL and my pronouns are he/him/his. I am really excited to get started with this research because I want to learn about why people act the way that they do, and their reasoning behind it. I hope to broaden my skills in research, and learn more about psychology in general. My career goals are to go into medical schools, and possibly become a psychiatrist if I like it. Outside of research, I love playing sports, exercising, and listening to music!

Email: olivia.wesch@ufl.edu

Olivia Wesch
Hi everyone, my name is Olivia Wesch but you can call me Liv. I am a third year student studying Psychology with an emphasis on Behavior Analysis. I was born and raised in Parkland, Florida so I always knew I wanted to be a Gator. After receiving my Bachelor’s degree, I aspire to attend graduate school in hopes of getting my Ph.D. in counseling psychology. My current interests include studies of the brain and memory and the emotional and behavioral implications that it has on our daily lives. Outside of school, I love music, drawing, and spending my time at the beach.

Email: kwestmoreland@ufl.edu

Kendra Westmoreland
I am a 3rd year Psychology and English double major at UF. I was born in Chandler, Arizona but grew up in Tampa, Florida and I go by she/her pronouns. This is my second year working with Dr. Westgate and her team. I am looking forward to gaining knowledge in the field of Social Psychology and learning more about the reasons why people respond to various social cues and scenarios. My current goal is to get a PhD in counseling psychology after my bachelor’s degree, so I believe my experience in this lab will help me to gain valuable experience for this career path. Outside of academia, I enjoy creative writing, dance, baking, and spending time outdoors.

Email: nicoleyamin02@gmail.com

Nicole Yamin
Hi everyone! My name is Nicole and I'm a second-year Business and Psychology major on the Behavioral Analysis track. I live in Davie, Florida (near Fort Lauderdale), but my whole family is from Venezuela. What I love most about psychology is learning why people act a certain way and how their actions affect different aspects of their life, their specifically work environment. I want to go to graduate school and continue studying Behavioral Analysis and possibly get a Ph.D. I am so excited to join this lab and learn more about research and psychology. I also love reading, going to the gym, and watching movies.