Hyeseung Han

Hyeseung is a second-year doctoral student in the Behavioral Sciences track in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cincinnati. She received her M.A. in Developmental Psychology from Sungkyunkwan University and her B.A. in Art Studies from Hongik University, both in South Korea. Prior to her doctoral studies, she conducted research on the domain-specificity of mindset among adolescents in Korea. Her current research interests center on motivation and mindset from adolescence through early adulthood, and she aims to broaden her methodologies to include experimental and longitudinal approaches. Outside of academics, she enjoys playing the violin and practicing yoga to stay healthy. 

Kitley Kern

Kitley is a first-year psychology doctoral student with interests in social cognitive psychology, motivation, and the role of arts engagement and media in shaping decision making. She earned her bachelor’s in psychology and creative writing from Franklin College, and she minored in professional writing. She dreams of one day running an academic journal and is passionate about scientific writing becoming more publicly accessible. In her free time, Kitley loves to spend time with her friends, play golf, and start new hobbies.

Stephanie Shin

Stephanie is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cincinnati. She is interested in understanding the interplay of students’ motivational beliefs and engagement with instructional practices and learning experiences, especially in STEM settings, and how these processes shape their academic outcomes and social and emotional development. Her work often draws on mixed methods and quantitative approaches, with the goal of informing the design of motivational interventions. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature, cooking, and baking.

Batool Al-Khammas

Batool is a fourth-year undergraduate psychology student pursuing a pre-art therapy certificate. She aspires to become a school counselor and values research that focuses on academic environments, educational systems, and student performance, to better understand what can be improved to create supportive and effective learning environments. She is also interested in the relationship between emotion, cognition, and behavior, and how they interact in academic environments. In her free time, she enjoy painting, hanging out with friends, and trying out new recipes. 

Tim Eliassen

Tim is a third-year neuroscience major at the University of Cincinnati. Tim is interested in studying human behavior and social neuroscience at both the cellular level and from a human perspective. After graduation, Tim hopes to pursue a PhD in neuroscience and continue toward a career in research. Outside of the lab, Tim enjoys attending concerts, writing, drawing, and skating. Tim is also a member of UC's media club and hosts a radio show.

Julia De Nijs

Julia is a fourth-year undergraduate psychology student dedicated to exploring the complex mechanisms of human behavior and persistence. She is passionate about research-based practice, developing a further understanding of student motivation through various research methods, and is currently preparing for graduate studies in Clinical Psychology. In her free time, she loves being in nature, listening to music and being with her cat. 

Chloe Parent

Chloe is a 3rd year undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Psychology, as well as minoring in Early Childhood Education and a Deaf Studies Certificate. She is passionate about motivation and student success, and plans to pursue a career in school psychology in the future. She believes in the development of learning spaces that are based in inclusivity and access to fair education for all students. In her free time, she enjoys being part of the Bearcat Bands, writing, and spending time outside.  

Vanshika Darira

Vanshika is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Cincinnati majoring in Biological Sciences with a minor in Psychology. She is interested in neuroscience, human behavior, motivation, and cognition, and hopes to explore the connection between biological and psychological factors through research. In the future, she hopes to pursue graduate studies and a career involving research and psychology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, dancing and spending time with friends and family.