LAB MEMBERS
Doctoral Students
Simone Boyd
Fifth-year Clinical PhD Student
Simone is a fifth year student in the Clinical Psychology PhD Program at Rutgers University. She graduated with a BA in Psychology and Sociology and an MA in Psychology from Stony Brook University. As a graduate research assistant at SBU, she worked with Dr. Daniel Klein in the Klein Developmental Psychopathology Lab and examined the effect of temperament and peer victimization on adolescent psychopathology. Afterward, she worked as a clinical research assistant at Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University Psychiatry with Dr. Mark Zimmerman, investigating treatment outcomes in a partial hospital program. Simone is interested in understanding how self/identity development and social factors are implicated in the generation of self-injurious thoughts/behaviors and aggression. She is also interested in identifying shared causal mechanisms that underlie self-injury and aggression. Simone also enjoys yoga, trying out new recipes, watching Oscar-nominated films, playing video games, and going out to trivia.
Melissa Dreier
Fifth-year Clinical PhD Student
Missy is a fifth year Ph.D. student in the Hamilton Lab. She graduated from Harvard University in 2019 and then worked as a research coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital. Missy is broadly interested in why adolescents do things that are not in their own best interest. Recently, she has been interested in characterizing ‘adaptive’ and ‘maladaptive’ social media use patterns using frameworks from other self-destructive behaviors and emotion regulation. Missy is also passionate about narrowing the research/implementation gap and increasing access to career paths in psychology. Outside of lab, Missy enjoys yoga, running, reading, and learning foreign languages. Her cat, Fiyero, is thrilled his mom is in a musical-themed lab.
Maya Dalack
Fourth-year Clinical PhD Student
Maya is a fourth year PhD student in the Hamilton Lab. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2018 and subsequently worked as a clinical research coordinator at Columbia Medical Center. Maya’s research interests focus on risk and protective factors for suicide in adolescence, specifically through the lens of social media use and how that use is impacted by larger factors like family structure and community. She is also dedicated to communicating scientific findings in an accessible, helpful way. Maya loves singing, hanging out with her family and friends (especially her two nephews and niece!), reading, exploring new restaurants, and watching good TV.
Aijia Yao
Third-year Clinical PhD Student
Aijia is a third year Ph.D. student in the Hamilton Lab. She graduated from Stony Brook University with a BA and an MA in Psychology and worked as a Research Program Coordinator at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Aijia is interested in how sociocultural factors impact daily mental health experiences, presentations, and social media use among adolescents. Specifically, she hopes to explore depression and suicidality in minoritized teens, unraveling risk and protective factors unique to their sociocultural backgrounds. Aijia also loves to communicate psychological science by creating culturally-sensitive materials tailored to the audience. Outside of work, she enjoys playing video games of various genres, singing, and trying out restaurants in the area.
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Marcus Shipp
First-year Clinical PhD Student
Marcus graduated from Rutgers University in 2023 with a BA in Psychology and minors in Sociology, Criminology, and Health and Society. Outside of research, Marcus works with multiple high school marching band and color guard programs and is a part of The Black Watch World Class Winter Guard. Marcus also enjoys running, listening to music, and traveling.
Post-Baccalaureate
Research Coordinator
Jas Sarna
Jas graduated from Rutgers University in 2024 with a BA in Psychology and was an undergraduate research assistant in The Hamilton Lab for 3 years, completing a senior honors thesis on pre-adolescent sleep, social media use, and suicidal ideation. After graduating, she worked as a clinical research coordinator at Thomas Jefferson University's ASPIRE (Advancement of Suicide Prevention Intervention, Research, and Education) Center for a year, doing data evaluation for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in Pennsylvania. Jas is generally interested in risk and protective factors for adolescent suicide, as well as differences in social media behaviors among those with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. She is also passionate about applying science through community outreach and education to destigmatize mental health, provide resources, and create real-world impacts. In her free time, Jas loves to play with her two dogs, read, play video games, and listen to music.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Ella Cifaldi
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Ella is a junior at Rutgers University pursuing a major in Psychology and a minor in Music. As a member of the Voorhees Choir, Douglass Residential College, and DRC Global Leaders program, Ella understands the importance of community and will continue to prioritize a great sense of community within the lab. She plans to pursue a career in Clinical Psychology with research interests in identity development and personality disorders. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games, honing her photography skills, singing, playing guitar, and crocheting. Ella is excited to continue to grow and evolve with the help of the Hamilton Lab!
Ziva Davis
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Ziva is a junior at Rutgers New Brunswick who is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Health and Society. In the future, Ziva hopes to become a Clinical Psychologist who primarily works with adolescents. She is interested in substance use disorders, eating disorders, and anxiety disorders. Outside of the classroom, Ziva enjoys listening to music, journaling, going on walks with her dog, and singing.
Mercy Jacob
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Mercy is a senior at Rutgers, majoring in psychology with minors in military sciences and health administration. She is interested in pursuing a mental health career in the Army. At Rutgers, she is the vice president for the Brain Exercise Initiative and a McNair Scholar. In her free time, Mercy likes to work out and play with her dog.
Laasya Kandakurti
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Laasya is a junior at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, double-majoring in Psychology and Cognitive Science, as well as double-minoring in Linguistics and South Asian Studies. She aspires to work in the Clinical Neuropsychology field and advocate for mental health awareness in Asian-American communities. In addition to academics, she is a vocalist and Vice-President for RU Dhol Effect, a South Asian fusion band on campus. In her free time, Laasya enjoys reading, listening to music, gardening, and baking/cooking.
Christian Nicolas
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Christian is a senior at Rutgers University, planning on majoring in psychology and possibly double-majoring in CBN. He also interns at the Urban Health Collaborative, a non-profit in New Brunswick that aims to serve the various health needs of the surrounding community. He's also a huge plant fan, with his succulents taking up his desk space. Additionally, one of his biggest passions is fitness, with his favorites being biking and weight training.
Mehlika Ozgencil
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Mehlika is a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. She plans to pursue a career in Clinical Psychology with a focus on children and adolescents. Her long-term goal is to make mental healthcare more accessible for immigrant and refugee communities—both through clinical practice and research on accessible protective factors. Mehlika’s research interests center on the cognitive processes underlying the development and maintenance of psychopathology in adolescents and on identifying protective factors that can mitigate risk, particularly among those exposed to war, displacement, discrimination, and other forms of trauma. She also serves as a Resident Assistant and an instructor for a first-year seminar course, where she actively promotes mental well-being within students’ living and learning environments.
Nithila Samuel
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Nithila is a a freshman at Middlesex College, majoring in Psychology. She aspires to go into Nursing after finishing her Associate's degree. She professionally aims to work with children and adolescents who may be struggling with their mental health. Nithila likes to stay involved with her local and college community in her free time. She is part of several club boards ranging from student mental health, multiculturalism, and statistics, often using her interpersonal skills to engage everyone and encourage closeness! She also volunteers at her church's food pantry, serving over 100 families monthly with food donations from chains such as Wawa and Panera Bread. In addition, she loves the performing arts, as she's active with the theatre community, sings, plays the piano and guitar, and dances (even though she dances with two left feet). Ultimately, Nithila values involving herself in her community personally and wants to further this by striving to serve people professionally through the Hamilton Lab!
Jake Schurmann
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Jake is a sophomore at Rutgers University, double-majoring in Psychology and Statistics with a minor in Cognitive Science. He hopes to pursue graduate study in clinical psychology in the future, focusing on child and adolescent well-being and mental health advocacy. Beyond the Hamilton Lab, Jake is involved in service and leadership initiatives at Rutgers, where he serves as a Lieutenant Governor for Circle K International and the Service Chair for his fraternity, Phi Sigma Pi. In his free time, he enjoys reading, listening to music, watching reality TV shows, and playing board games.
Gianna Duncan
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Gianna is a senior at Rutgers University, majoring in Psychology with a minor in HR Management and Biochemistry. She hopes to pursue medical school and become a psychiatrist. Gianna chose the Hamilton lab for its welcoming and supportive nature, feeling that the lab can aid her future dreams and growth as a person. Gianna did competitive dance for 16 years, and is involved in the Rutgers performing dance club, Psi Chi, Psych Alliance, and Rutgers Rec. In her free time, she likes going to the gym, listening to music, and traveling.
Brady Mak
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Brady is a junior at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, double-majoring in Psychology and Computer Science. As an Aresty Research Assistant, he investigated the effectiveness of a school-based mental health intervention in increasing knowledge about suicidal ideation. He is currently interested in exploring adolescent development through the lens of technology and the potential for positive mental health applications of social media. Beyond the classroom, Brady enjoys playing video games and watching anime. Furthermore, since he was young, he's been playing instruments like the violin, piano, and alto saxophone.
Airyanna Puryear-Watts
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Airyanna is a sophomore at Rutgers University. She is a Psychology major with an interest in clinical psychology and a focus on adolescent adversities in minority backgrounds. In her free time, Airyanna likes to work out, read, and listen to music. She's very excited to be a part of this lab and see where it takes her!
Erica Igere
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Erica is a sophomore at Rutgers University, majoring in Biological Science, and is thinking of possibly minoring in Psychology or Cognitive Science. In the future, she aspires to become a physician. In the meantime, Erica aims to make her lab work practical through outreach and to ensure mental health research is equitable, regardless of age or socioeconomic status. In her free time, she enjoys writing, reading, and watching shows on Netflix.
Hannah Timpanaro
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Hannah is a sophomore at Rutgers University, majoring in Psychology and double minoring in Health and Society and Education as a Social Science. She plans to pursue a career in child clinical psychology and aspires to work in inpatient psychiatric treatment. Her research interests include stigma and the impact of education and environment on mental health. Outside of academics, she enjoys concerts, relaxing at the beach, and spending time with friends.
Meher Muzaffar
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Meher is a sophomore at Rutgers University-New Brunswick majoring in Psychology and Information Technology and minoring in Biological Sciences. She