Principle Investigator

Heather C. Lench, PhD
Associate Professor & Department Head
Department of Psychology
Texas A&M University
4235 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-4235
979-845-0377
Email: hlench@tamu.edu
Faculty Profile: https://liberalarts.tamu.edu/psychology/profile/heather-lench/
I welcome contact from anyone interested in the lab or with similar research interests. I would also appreciate any comments about the site or recommendations about information that is useful to students.
Doctoral Students

Jericka Battle
Email: jerickabattle@tamu.edu
Jericka S. Battle is a fifth year Ph.D student in the Social-Personality Psychology Program at Texas A&M University. Her primary research interests include the study of the behavioral and affective impact of ostracism within minority communities. In addition to her work on exclusion, Jericka is focused on: employing interdisciplinary theories and methods (cultural psychology, critical race theory, etc.) to better study minority populations; examining power dynamics that contribute to feelings of exclusion, and developing evidence-based intervention strategies to create a sustainable climate of inclusion in small group settings. Jericka is a recipient of the Texas A&M University Office of Graduate and Professional Studies Diversity Fellowship.

Wan Yidou
Email: yidou@tamu.edu
Website: https://yidouwan.wordpress.com/
Hello! I am a fifth year Ph.D. student. I finished my B.S. in psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. My current research projects include the emotion of love, decision delegation and decision making, as well as replication studies. I enjoy teaching, so I am very excited that I will start teaching a psychology class this year.

Robert Tirso
Email: rtirso@tamu.edu
Hello, I am a sixth year PhD student and a member of the Emotion Science Lab. I received my B.S. in psychology from Texas A&M University and am interested in two main lines of research. The first includes self-awareness both in general and with a focus on metacognition in educational settings. The second includes how self-perceptions of aging influence memory and other cognitive abilities in old age.
Lab Manager

Kaitlyn Kaiser
Email: kaitlyn.kaiser@tamu.edu
Hello, I am the lab manager for the Emotion Science Lab. I received my B.A. in psychology and anthropology from Southern Methodist University. My research interests center around motivation, decision making, and goal strivi. I am excited to be a part of the Emotion Science Lab, and I’m looking forward to helping undergraduate students gain valuable research experience.
Research Assistants

Alexis Broussard
Howdy! My name is Alexis Broussard and I am the loudest and proudest member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2022! I am a Psychology Major focusing on a Bachelor of Arts with a Spanish minor. After graduating in December of 2021, I plan to pursue a PhD in school psychology to eventually become a school district psychologist and focus on working with high school students and how to support them as they walk through their adolescent journey! I am excited to dive deep into research with this team and learn more about the social realm of psychology, and how it influences people’s emotions daily in life.
Aine Cox
Howdy! My name is Aine Cox and I am a member of the Aggie Class of 2021! I am majoring in psychology with a minor in English and am so excited to be a part of this research lab! I am hoping to pursue a career in pediatric speech pathology, with a particular focus on school districts! I hope to learn more about specific emotions and behaviors that will enhance my study of communication disorders at the graduate level!
Daniela De Leon
My name is Daniela De Leon and I am from San Antonio, Tx. I am currently a senior psychology major with an english minor here at A&M. Most of my time goes towards studying or working at H-E-B, but in my free time I enjoy painting, listening to music, and being with my dog Chico. I am really looking forward to this semester and being able to work as a research assistant!
Jeta Brovina
Hello! My name is Jeta Brovina, and I am a senior psychology major. My research interest is primarily focused on the relationship between emotion and human behavior. After graduation, I hope to obtain a PhD in behavioral psychology. I am very excited to be a part of the Emotions Science research team!

Katherine Spurrier
Howdy! I am a junior undergraduate student from Longview, Texas. I plan to get my B.S. in psychology, then pursue a PhD. I’d like to lead research of my own one day, so working with the Emotion Science Lab makes me very excited to learn from those around me!
Madison Snead

Raena Slate
Howdy! I am a Junior Psychology major with a minor in Spanish. I am from Decatur, Texas. I am so excited to be apart of the Emotion Science research team. After graduating in December 2020, I plan to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology.
Reese Weatherford
Howdy! I am a junior psychology major and business minor. After graduation, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in either developmental psychology or speech-language pathology. I hope to one day become a therapist for children or a speech pathologist.
Shahrazad Al-Dossari
Lab Alumni
Former Graduate Students
Jericka Battle – instructor of psychology at Hendrix College
Shane Bench – assistant professor of psychology at Utah State University
Logan Berg – research associate for Harvard Business School
Kathleen Darbor – senior quantitative analyst in Hanover, Virginia
Sarah Flores – research analyst at College of the Mainland
Kenneth Perez – assistant professor at University of Connecticut
Former Research Assistants
Kristen Akin – masters student in Forensic Psychology and Law at John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Cheyenne Miller – masters student in professional counseling at University of Houston-Victoria