Director
Nicole Mead, PhD
Dr. Mead's award winning research uncovers new psychological insights that empower people and policy makers to make more sustainable decisions for themselves, society, and the environment. Drawing on her interdisciplinary training in psychology and business, Mead has developed interventions that improve social connection, healthy eating, financial saving, and pro-environmental behavior in both developed and developing countries (e.g., Uganda and India). As testament to her interdisciplinary research, Mead’s research has been published in high-impact outlets in general science (Science; Proceedings of the National Academy of Science), psychology (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General; Journal of Personality and Social Psychology) and business (Journal of Consumer Research; Journal of Marketing; Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes). Mead’s research has been funded by industry (e.g., ING Bank’s Think Forward Grant) and government (e.g., SSHRC) and has won numerous awards. Mead previously served as Associate Editor for the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology and currently serves as Area Editor for the International Journal of Research in Marketing, both A journals. Dr. Mead is the blogger of the “Happy Consumer” for Psychology Today.
When she's not teaching or doing research, Nicole loves to hike in the wilderness or cozy up with friends and family while sharing good food and wine. (Then again, her most meaningful ideas have been cooked up during these times!)
Lab Manager
Michael Lochner
Michael is a fourth-year undergraduate student at York University, currently pursuing a Specialized Honours B.Sc in Psychology. He is interested in a broad array of topics in areas such as self-esteem, well-being and consumption alongside separate topics within cognitive neuroscience. Continuing his prior independent research project work, he is currently completing his thesis in the Gilboa Lab, exploring the possible impacts of anodal stimulation (using HD-tDCS) upon semantic knowledge integration ability. Within the Well-Being Research Lab, he has previously completed various literature searches, coding tasks and has conducted in-person testing sessions. With such experiences, he aims to continue into graduate school studies within clinical or experimental psychology domains, towards becoming a contributor within psychology at large as a clinician and/or a researcher. As a volunteer, he has prior experience within the Undergraduate Psychology Student Association at York, where he held positions as a peer tutor and a peer tutor coordinator, facilitating the progression of the program and ensuring his peers had the best opportunity to achieve their own progress in learning. Outside of school work and research, he enjoys jogging, journaling and novel reading.
Research Assistant and Social Media Manager
Megan Nguyen
Megan has recently completed her Bachelor of Honours (BA) program in Psychology at York University. During her undergraduate years, she had grown a strong interest in social psychology with a focus in intimate relationships and gender studies. However, she is generally fascinated by factors relating to strengthening human connection, and aims to engage in work transforming environments into becoming more ethical and enjoyable. Outside the academic sphere, Megan thrives in visual arts, online games, and is a frequent concert-goer.
Current PhD Student
Jeremy Lee
Jeremy Lee is a PhD student in Marketing at the Schulich School of Business. He received his BBA in Global Business & Marketing at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where he has also worked as a research assistant and had his work published in PLoS One. He has also worked at L’Oreal as a business analyst. His current work lies at the intersection of meaningful consumption and morality. When not reviewing literature, gathering data, or musing about research ideas, he is playing the piano or saxophone, listening to or writing about classical music, and cooking or enjoying good food.
Current PhD Student
Fiona Yunqian Tian
Fiona Yunqian Tian is a PhD student in Psychology at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), awarded the Presidential PhD Scholarship. She also earned a First Class Honours BSocSci degree in Psychology at HKU. During her penultimate year, she joined the WiRL under the HKU-Mitacs Globalink Research Internship Program and worked on a project about pro-environmental behavior. Her research interests include objectification, empathy, social attitudes, cyberpsychology, and consumer behavior. She is passionate about interdisciplinary research collaboration with multi-method approaches. She enjoys hiking, horseback riding, and pilates reformer workout in her free time.
Current PhD Student
Leonor Leão
Leonor Leão is a PhD student in Marketing at Nova School of Business and Economics. She holds an MSc in Management from Nova School of Business and Economics, where she has also worked as a research assistant. She has worked with UNICEF on social development projects in several developing countries (e.g. South Sudan and Kyrgyzstan). Her research interests emerge from her interdisciplinary background in business, design and psychology, and lie in the area of consumer behavior, consumer psychology and consumer wellbeing. In particular, she is interested in studying pro-environmental behavior and environmental policy support, interventions addressing consumer wellbeing, and consumers’ relationship with politics and perceptions of political discourse. Apart from research, she is passionate about hiking and running in nature, drawing and spending the afternoon with a book by the ocean.
Current PhD Students
Current Research Assistants
Research Assistant
Taylor Alves
Taylor is a fifth-year student at York University, currently pursuing a Specialized Honours B.A in Psychology. Her dream is to attend graduate school and eventually become a clinical psychologist, pursuing both her passion for research and clinical practice. She is currently working on her thesis in the Desrocher lab, examining the relationship between Neurodiversity and COVID-19. In addition to school, Taylor is also a volunteer with SickKids, KidsHelpPhone, and spends her time volunteering at various psychology practices. In addition, Taylor is interested in the applied aspects of psychology and interventions which is why she was initially drawn to the research conducted at the Well-being Research Laboratory. As a research assistant, she has the opportunity to be involved in many different research projects while exploring her interest in the realm of interventions. In her free time, Taylor enjoys reading, listening to music, volunteering for extracurriculars and spending time outdoors, or watching documentaries.
Research Assistant
Jessica Caferri
Jessica is entering her third year of study at York University, currently pursuing a Specialized Honours B.Sc in psychology. She is interested developmental psychology, specifically in understanding autism and neuropsychology. Her interest in social psychology and well-being is what interested her in the WiRL lab. Jessica’s career goals consist of going to graduate school for counselling or clinical psychology.
Research Assistant
Dylan Khan
Dylan is in his fourth year of the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program at the Schulich School of Business. As a business student, he is drawn to the Well-Being Research Lab (WiRL) because it allows him to explore the ways in which psychology and the social sciences connect to the world of business. It also allows him to develop a research background to complement his existing professional experience in business consulting. After graduating with his undergraduate degree, he hopes to pursue graduate studies in business, eventually landing a career in academia.
Research Assistant
Alexandra Mouchikhine
Alexandra is in her fourth year in Psychology currently working on a thesis and independent research project. For her career, she is interested in Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry. The WiRL Lab continues to motivate her to participate in research that aims to positively impact individuals in terms of their well-being, a passion she has had since highschool. She tries to pursue as many volunteer experiences as she can to aid individuals and their mental health and overall well-being, such as her work as Co-President of SAHMPI and as a crisis responder for Kids Help Phone. Alexandra enjoys spending time with her dog, baking, and reading.
Research Assistant
Yusra Saeed
Yusra is currently in her third year a Specialised Honours BSc in Psychology. Her research interests revolve around substance abuse, and the influence of trauma on adolescent development. This passion for understanding the complexities of the human psyche has sparked her aspirations to build a career in clinical psychology to positively influence mental well-being. In her free time, she likes to crochet, paint, and play musical instruments!
Research Assistant
Janya Talwar
Janya is a second year BBA student at the Schulich School of Business. She is planning on specialising in Marketing and Finance. Her ambition and passion for the field of marketing research revolves around the simple fact that the modern world is sculpted around it. As an outgoing and creative person, she like travelling to new places and meeting new people so that she can gain different experiences. As a business major, she finds the WiRL Lab intriguing because she want to learn more about the intertwined relationship between business and the social sciences.
Research Assistant
Rehma Alam
Rehma is currently entering her 3rd year in Bsc hons Psychology with a concentration in Neuropsychology and Applied Methods and Analysis. She is passionate about learning the neuropsychological mechanisms underlying behavioral disorders and using that knowledge for effective treatments for patients. She is also interested in the intersection of Psychology and the law, and would love to work in a Forensic setting as well. Because of her drive to help people from vulnerable populations such as at-risk or newcomer youth, she volunteers as a Youth mentor at YAY tutoring and helps build leaders of tomorrow. She also volunteers as a Peer Tutor for SAHMPI and helps first-year students achieve academic success. She got inspired to work as a Research Assistant at the Wirl Lab because of the intersection of scientific research and real world issues. Apart from studies, her hobbies are working out, reading, cooking/baking, being in nature, exploring different places, and journaling.
Lab Alumni
Faculty of Business and Law, Deakin University
Jay Zenkic
Jay is a Lectur at Deakin University having submitted his PhD thesis in July of 2021. His research interests are in the realm of financial decision-making and well-being, particularly for vulnerable consumers. He has won the Association for Consumer Research Sheth Dissertation Award for his thesis research.
Department of Psychology, University of Toronto
Hanieh Naeimi
Hanieh was the former lab manager of the Well-being Research Lab and is now pursuing her PhD in Psychology at the University of Toronto. She is interested in researching the determinants of well-being at different levels, whether it is in close relationships or in communities.
Tilburg School of Economics and Management, Tilburg University
Anika Stuppy
Anika Stuppy has completed her PhD in Marketing Management at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University after which she joined the Marketing group at Tilburg University as an Assistant Professor. Her research activities focus on hedonic experiences and explore what people feel and think while consuming products, services, or entertainment media and have been published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, the Journal of Consumer Research, and the Marketing Science Working Paper Series.
Former Research Assistants
Sayuri Amarasinghe
Clinical Research Coordinator at BioPharma Services
Haleh Hashemi
MA-PhD Student in Clinical-Developmental Psychology, Neuropsychology stream, at York University
Charlotte Kerr
Master’s student in the School and Applied Child Psychology program at Western University
Lily James
Lecturer & PhD Candidate at The University of the Arts London, London College of Fashion