LAB DIRECTOR
Michele M. Tugade, Ph.D.
William R. Kenan, Jr. Endowed Chair and Professor of Psychological Science . Dr. Tugade directs the Resilience Laboratory at Vassar College. Her research focuses on positive emotions, resilience, and coping, with an emphasis on emotion-related processes associated with health and well-being.
Dr. Tugade received a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Mental Health and is an elected member of the International Society for Research on Emotions. Her research has been supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Science Foundation. She has worked with a number of organizations, including: NASA, Apple, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and The United Way. She has also taught medical students in Rwanda, Africa at the University of Global Health Equity.
RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
Alyssa Gu is a psychology major with minors in biology and creative writing. She is interested in clinical psychology, emotional resilience, and stress interventions. She is particularly interested in protective factors and the role of parents and mentors in the development of resilience.
Chloe Joo is a psychology major with a minor in music performance. She is interested in stress management, performance anxiety, and mental health. She is particularly interested in the role of humor as a coping mechanism and the interplay between anxiety, the body, and the mind in performance settings.
Miranda Liu is pursuing a double major in Psychology and Media Studies. She is interested in social psychology, media psychology, and clinical psychology. She is particularly passionate about exploring the intersection of media, law, and psychology, focusing on how these fields influence individual emotions and behaviors.
Sophia Sederman is a psychology major with an education correlate. She is interested in clinical psychology, school psychology, and positive psychology. She is particularly interested in emotional resilience and coping in youth faced with chronic stress and trauma.
Sofia Satuito is a psychology major with a minor in computer science. She is interested in social psychology, emotion-related processes, and drivers of human behavior. She is particularly interested in understanding persuasion and how emotional mechanisms, such as resilience and adaptive coping, shape choice and judgement.
Charlotte Tanner-Morash is a double major in psychology and political science. She is interested in social psychology, the study of persuasion, individual differences, and the mind-body connection, especially in the context of emotional resilience. As an aspiring lawyer, she is particularly interested in exploring the intersection between psychology and the law.
LAB ALUMS & COLLABORATORS
Adrian Alpern, Ph.D., Pediatric Psychologist, Children’s Health Orange County
Elizabeth Chadbourne, MPH, Columbia University, School of Nursing
Hillary Devlin, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Sarah Dolan, B.A., Graduate Student, Hoftstra University
Alta Du Pont, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, VA Puget Sound Healthcare System
Ean Fonseca, Ph.D., Program Evaluator and Data Analytics Advisor, Hanover Research
Yael Granot, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology, Smith College
Kai Greenlees, B.A., Graduate Student at the University of Exeter and Analyst at Carbon Trust
Formosa Huang, B.A., Associate at Oxeon, Healthcare Leadership Firm
Lila Malin, B.A., Survey Research Group, RAND Corporation
Chelsea Mitamura, Ph.D., Engagement Manager, Contemporary Leadership Advisors
Marguerite O’Haire, Ph.D., Associate Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona
Rachel Proujansky, Psy.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Lillian Reuman, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology, Stonehill College
Sonali Shah, B.A. Medical Student, New York Medical College
Violet Tan, B.A. Postgraduate Research Assistant, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
Carley Vornlocher, B.A., Graduate Student, Arizona State University
Louise Wachsmuth, M.A., Therapist at Viva Mental Health and Wellness
Meredith Ward., MSW, LSW, Therapist at A Better Life Therapy