People

Emily Diamond started her PhD in 2022 in the Social Psychology area. She studies positive emotional processes in close relationships. Specifically, she is interested in understanding the behavioral, physiological, and linguistic underpinnings of social connection.

Annika From started her PhD in 2020 in the Personality and Social Contexts Psychology area. She studies the influence of individual differences such as personality and attachment on romantic relationships. Specifically, she is interested in how the ways partners differ from each other hinder or contribute to relationship quality. 

Micaela Rodriguez started her PhD in 2021 in the Social Psychology area. Broadly, she studies emotion regulation, loneliness, solitude, and social media. She is particularly interested in understanding how the beliefs we hold shape our experiences of loneliness, and how cognitive change may help alleviate loneliness. 

Hong-Yi Koo (Alfred) started his PhD in 2024. He received his BA in Psychology and Sociology from the University of California, Riverside. He is interested in how positive psychology interventions, such as cultivating meaning in life and mindfulness, influence self-regulation and psychological well-being

Noa Segal began graduate school in the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan in 2024 working with Professor Ethan Kross and Professor Amie Gordon. She received both her BA and MA in psychology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem under the supervision of Professor Maya Tamir. Noa’s Research focuses the role emotions play in the formation of romantic as well as platonic bonds.

Savannah Adams started her PhD in 2020 in the Social Psychology area. She broadly studies how moral behaviors shape the impressions people form about others and how those behaviors help or hinder cooperation across contexts. Within the WHIRLab, she is specifically interested in how perceptions of moral values shape couple interactions and beliefs about compatibility. 

Jordan Bacharach is the Lab Manager for the WHIRLab. He started his undergraduate degree in 2021 and is majoring in Psychology with a minor in statistics. He is interested in how gratitude and “clicking” influences the quality and initiation of romantic relationships. After obtaining his B.S., he wants to continue conducting research in psychology and eventually pursue a PhD in the field of psychology

Noemie Durand is the Project Manager for the Dating App Study. She started her undergraduate degree in 2023 and is majoring in Psychology and Sociology with a sub-major in Social Work and a minor in LGBTQ+ Studies. She is interested in how societal structures and definitions impact people’s perceptions of themselves and others, as well as alternative methods of treatment for mental illnesses. She is hoping to pursue a master’s degree and PhD, and she would like to engage in both clinical and research endeavors in her career.