People – Personality Processes and Outcomes Laboratory

Lab Director

Aidan G. C. Wright, PhD

Professor, Department of Psychology
Research Professor of Depression, Phil F. Jenkins, Eisenberg Family Depression Center
University of Michigan

E-mail: aidangcw@umich.edu

CV: download

Aidan Wright is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and Research Professor of Depression in the Eisenberg Family Depression Center at the University of Michigan. Prior to joining the University of Michigan in 2023, he was a professor in the the Department of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Wright received a PhD in clinical psychology from Penn State University in 2012 and completed his clinical internship at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Subsequently he completed an individual NIMH postdoctoral fellowship at the University at Buffalo in 2013. His work is motivated by understanding how personality and psychopathology are linked, and he is interested in studying participants intensively in their daily lives using ambulatory assessment methods. Dr. Wright primarily teaches graduate courses on advanced quantitative methodology (e.g., Structural Equation Modeling, Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis).

Lab Manager

Christian Clevenger, MA

Email: cclev@umich.edu

Chris graduated from Appalachian State University in 2023 with his M.A. in experimental psychology. His interests broadly cover areas of clinical and social psychological research surrounding topics such as self-esteem, personality, trait judgment, and trauma-related disclosure.

Graduate Students

Sienna Nielsen, MS

PhD Student, Clinical Psychology, University of Michigan

Email: siennarn@umich.edu

Sienna joined the team in 2021 as a clinical psychology doctoral student. Her interest in identity disturbance in borderline personality disorder is influenced by her undergraduate studies in psychology, continental philosophy, and neuroscience. Reach out about her research and the conversation may shift towards the Celtics, Kierkegaard, and/or LOTR.

Janan Mostajabi, BA

PhD Student, Clinical Psychology, University of Michigan

Email: jmost@umich.edu

Janan received a B.A. in Psychology and Film Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She joined the lab in 2022 as a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Program. Janan is interested in using ecological momentary assessment methods to study the dynamic and idiographic nature of impulsivity and emotion regulation and how they relate to internalizing-externalizing psychopathology.

Michaelle Evangeline DiMaggio-Potter, BA

PhD Student, Clinical Psychology, University of Michigan

Email: micheva@umich.edu

Michaelle (she/they) joined the lab in 2024 as a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Program. She obtained her B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University. Michaelle is interested in implementing ambulatory assessment techniques to explore the dynamic interplay between everyday interpersonal challenges and personality pathology, focusing on how these relationships contribute to self-injurious thoughts and behaviors.

Grant King, BA

PhD Student, Clinical Psychology, University of Michigan

Email: grking@umich.edu

Grant received a B.A. in Economics and Linguistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as an M.S. in Analytics from North Carolina State University. Before joining the lab in 2024, his career spanned data science and public health research. His primary research interest is the application of idiographic models of psychopathology to inform scalable, technology-based mental health interventions.

Research Assistants

Katie Maugh, Senior

Katie, a senior majoring in Psychology at the University of Michigan, is passionate about exploring mental health interventions and understanding how life experiences influence the course of psychopathology. After graduation, Katie plans on pursuing a Masters in Social Work. Katie is excited to gain research experience, work with such a wonderful group of people, and learn more about how personality and psychopathology connect.

Falak Suteri, Junior

Falak is a junior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Asian Studies and Quantitative Methods in Social Sciences at University of Michigan. She is interested in psychopathology stemming from stigmas and social contexts. Falak plans to pursue a PhD in Psychology and research on South Asian groups and communities.

Jiayu Lin, Senior

Jiayu is a senior student majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is interested in exploring how pathological personality traits interfere with interpersonal outcomes and potential risk factors for depression and anxiety. After graduation, Jiayu plans to pursue a PhD study in the field of clinical psychology. In her free time, she enjoys singing, playing the piano, and baking.

Ruixi (Lucy) Piao, Senior

Lucy is a junior student studying Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience (BCN), and Computer Science at U-M. She is broadly interested in understanding psychopathology using computational modeling. After graduation, she plans to pursue a PhD in Psychology.

Katelynn Cooper, Junior

Katelynn is a junior majoring in Psychology and Sociology with a concentration in Law, Justice, and Social Change at the University of Michigan. She has a strong interest in deviance, maladaptive personality disorders, and the intersection of psychology and the criminal legal system. After graduation, Katelynn plans on pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology with the goal of becoming a Forensic Psychologist. She is eager to gain research experience that she can directly apply to her own research and thesis writing! Outside of the lab, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, whether backpacking or rock climbing, and listening to music.

Vivian Durkin, Junior

Vivian (she/they) is a junior majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience with a minor in Biochemistry at the University of Michigan. Her research interests include the relationship between gender, sexuality, and alcohol-related outcomes, as well as the development of personalized interventions to improve care for marginalized populations. After graduation, Vivian plans on attending medical school and becoming a psychiatrist. Outside of the lab, she enjoys running as well as engaging in environmental sustainability initiatives around campus.

Helen Wu, Junior

Helen is a junior at the University of Michigan, majoring in Psychology and Comparative Culture & Identity. She is deeply interested in exploring how mental health is understood and addressed outside of Western contexts, particularly in non-White populations. Her passion lies in destigmatizing mental health issues and examining how life experiences shape psychopathology. After graduation, Helen plans to pursue a master’s degree in psychology and international studies or a related field. She is excited to gain hands-on research experience, work as part of a dedicated team, and further explore the intersections of personality, lived experiences, and mental well-being.

Megan Smith, Post-Bacc

Megan Smith graduated from the University of Michigan in 2024 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Crime and Justice and has been with the lab since Fall 2024. She is currently gaining research experience to work towards applying to PhD programs in clinical psychology in pursuit of becoming a forensic psychologist. Her research interests include antisocial personality disorder, violent behavior, adverse childhood experiences, and psychological treatment in the criminal justice system. Outside of the lab, Megan works as an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) technician, performing behavior therapy for children and young adults with autism. She is a men’s and women’s basketball beat writer covering the Wolverines for umhoops.com. She loves women’s sports, music, trying new restaurants with her girlfriend, and is a devoted letterboxed user.

Morgan Millstein, Senior

Morgan Millstein, a senior at the University of Michigan, is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Entrepreneurship. She is dedicated to researching mental health interventions that can benefit diverse populations. Morgan is particularly interested in studying addiction and plans to pursue further research in substance abuse. Morgan plans on pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology. Outside of her academic interests, she enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, and listening to country music.

Nia Daniels, Senior:

Nia is a senior majoring in Psychology at the University of Michigan. She is passionate about clinical psychology, especially PTSD and substance abuse disorders. She is interested in exploring mental health interventions for veterans and understanding how their life experiences influence their likelihood of developing mental illnesses. After graduation, Nia plans on pursuing a PsyD in Clinical Psychology.

Alumni

Whitney Wringwald, MSW, MS

PhD Student, Clinical Psychology, University of Pittsburgh

Email: wringwald@pitt.edu

Whitney was a graduate student in the clinical psychology program at the University of Pittsburgh and is now faculty at the University of Minnesota. She received a B.A. in psychology from Marylhurst University, and an M.S.W. from the University of Pittsburgh. Her research focuses on linking the structures and processes of psychopathology and personality to understand the full range of psychological functioning.

William C. Woods, MA, MS

PhD Student, Clinical Psychology, University of Pittsburgh

Email: wcw8@pitt.edu

Will was a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Pittsburgh and is now Psychologist at in the Psychiatry Department at SUNY Upstate Medical University. He previously received an M.A. in Social Science from the University of Chicago and a B.S. in Psychology and Philosophy from Grand Valley State University. Will is interested in dynamic, idiographic models of psychopathology, particularly as they relate to social influences on the exacerbation and amelioration of mental health symptoms. He is also interested in statistical approaches to idiographic models that allow for the generation of generalizable knowledge about how the social environment impacts psychopathology more generally.