CURRENT LAB MEMBERS
Trinity Gill, Research Assistant, Project Lead
Project: Prospect Theory and Economic Decision-Making
Bio: Hi! I’m a junior undergraduate student from Raleigh, NC, majoring in Psychology (B.S.). I plan to apply to graduate school to pursue a doctorate in social psychology with a focus on research. Currently, I am leading a project on loss aversion and economic decision-making. I am excited to continue to deepen my understanding of the research process and gain valuable skills for my future career, and am thrilled to learn from Dr. Buzinski and to be part of the SDS team!
Eiman Elkoumy, Research Assistant, Project Lead
Project: Autonomy and Restriction on Academic and Health Motivation
Bio: Hi! I am a senior undergraduate student from Cary, NC. I was born in Egypt and moved to the U.S. in 2013. I am a Psychology B.S. major with a double minor in Chemistry and Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies on the pre-med track. I am interested in a career in pediatrics as well as behavioral science research. I find it fascinating to know why people behave the way they do, especially children, and how the environment around them impacts them in the future. In the SDS lab, I am working alongside Sarah and Dr. Buzinski to research autonomy and restriction on academic and health motivation. I also run the non-profit, Haqq publications, and the Mental Health Service Initiative here at UNC. I am excited to be part of the SDS team and learn from Dr. Buzinski.
Sarah Soson, Research Assistant
Project: Autonomy and Restriction on Academic and Health Motivation
Bio: Hi! I am a senior undergraduate student originally from Los Angeles, CA, but currently living in Austin, TX. I am double majoring in Psychology and Political Science on a pre-law track. In the SDS Lab, I am exploring factors that influence academic and health motivation through a self-determination lens. This research connects to my broader interest in how social environments shape individual behavior and decision-making. After graduation, I plan to attend law school and pursue a legal career that merges my interests in psychology and public policy.
Ella Grace Park, Research Assistant
Project: Goal Source and Reactance on Health Decision-Making
Bio: Hi! I’m a junior undergraduate student from Cary, North Carolina, double majoring in Psychology (B.A.) and Public Policy. I am interested in how health systems can be reformed to serve veterans and military communities better, as well as the broader intersection of health policy, mental health, and equity. I hope to further explore these interests in law school, with the long-term goal of advocating for military and veteran communities. In the SDS Lab, I am leading a project on self-set versus externally-set goals and goal restriction. Specifically, we are investigating how these factors influence health-related decisions. I am excited to be a part of the SDS team and to learn from Dr. Buzinski and my peers!
Grace Solie, Research Assistant, Project Lead
Project: Cross-cultural reactance and freedom restoration
Bio: Hey! I am an undergraduate senior from Wyoming and Colorado. I am majoring in Psychology (B.A.). I am planning on attaining my doctorate in social psychology research. I am interested in how different cultures affect decision making. I will be working with Emma on the Cross cultural freedom reactance project. I am excited to be working with SDS and learning more about research from Dr. Buzinski.
Emma Bohnert, Research Assistant
Project: Cross-cultural reactance and freedom restoration
Bio: Hi! I am a junior undergraduate student from Fayetteville, NC, majoring in Psychology (B.S.) and Sociology with a minor in Neuroscience. I plan to apply to graduate school to pursue a career in forensic psychology, ultimately working with the FBI. I am passionate about understanding the psychological and social factors that influence human behavior, particularly in a criminal context. In the SDS lab, I am excited to expand my research skills, learn from Dr. Buzinski, and contribute to projects that explore decision-making and social behavior.
Cyrus Zarif, Research Assistant
Project: Social anxiety responses in active learning classrooms
Bio: Hi! I am Cyrus Zarif. I am a senior undergraduate student from Shelby, NC. I am currently working to earn my degree in psychology (BA). After graduating, I plan to pursue my master’s and then doctorate in psychology. After that I want to become a research professor, focusing on social psychology. I have always loved reading through research and learning new things about how people interact in social environments. It is my honor to be a part of the SDS team and to learn firsthand from Dr. Buzinski.
Anna Laborde, Research Assistant
Project: Social anxiety responses in active learning classrooms
Bio: Hi! I’m a senior undergraduate student from Cary, NC, majoring in Psychology (B.S.) with a minor in Anthropology. I plan to apply to graduate school to pursue a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and am interested in how attention spans are affected by one’s environment, particularly the effects of phone dependency on younger generations. Outside of the classroom, I am on the varsity rowing team here at UNC. I am looking forward to being a part of the SDS team and learning from Dr. Buzinski!
Gaby Bernardo, Research Assistant
Project: Social anxiety responses in active learning classrooms
Bio: Hi! I am a third-year student from Huntersville, NC majoring in Psychology (B.S.) and intend to attend graduate school to pursue either clinical or social psychology. I have a particular interest in the interactions between education and mental health for children and adolescents. Outside of the classroom, I have the opportunity to work with elementary school students as an Ignite Fellow with Teach for America, as well as play on the Women’s Club Lacrosse Team here at UNC. I am thrilled at the opportunity to learn from Dr. Buzinski and everyone else at the SDS Lab!
LAB ALUMNI
Jordan Goetze, B.S.
Olivia Smith, B.S.
Amit Ariely, B.S.
Sophia Kovacs, B.A.
Couper Wilkins, B.A.
Nina Fisher, B.S.
Vishal Easwar, B.S.
Lauren Hamm, B.A.
Zach Reulbach, B.A.
Karolina Tuska, B.S.
Diana Bodea, B.S.
Brooke Scullin-Baccarella, B.S.
Glorimel Rodriguez, B.A.
Dr. Elle Hepburn, M.D.
Benjamin Weinberg, B.S.
Dr. Emma Armstrong-Carter, Ph.D.
Kendall Parker, J.D.
Cheyenne Tabb, M.S.
Nicole Court-Reuss, B.A.
Dr. Samantha Martinez, Ph.D.
Hayley Maxwell, B.A.
Dr. Benjamin Buck, Ph.D.
Dr. Matthew Cohen, Ph.D.
Dr. Jenna Clark, Ph.D.
Taylor Fricano, B.A.
Sydney Mark, J.D.
Elena Scialabba, J.D.
Shannon McGovern, M.S.
Savanna Stakely, B.S.
Victoria Herschel, B.S.
Allison Price, B.S.
Melanie Yeames, B.A.
Alex Edwards, B.S.
Dr. Hannah Samuelson, Ph.D.