Bonnie Le
Director
Bonnie is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Rochester. Her research focuses on how emotions, motivation, and character strengths and virtues shape well-being.
Princeton Chee
Graduate Student
Princeton is broadly interested in positive processes and emotions, especially in the context of parent-child relationships. His research encompasses topics such as awe, pride, prosociality, and well-being.
Michelle Kang
Graduate Student
Michelle is passionate about studying the links among close relationships, emotions and mental well-being. Her research aims to investigate how emotional factors, such as emotion regulation, influence interpersonal interactions and relationship satisfaction within families.
Claire Shimshock
Graduate Student
Claire’s research focuses on the various emotions (e.g., gratitude) and motivational factors (e.g., hope) that influence couples’ relationship dynamics and overall well-being. She is also interested in how romantic partners can support or hinder each other’s pursuit and attainment of desired life goals.
Laura Taglioni
Graduate Student
Laura is interested in individual differences in how people think, feel, and behave in close relationships. Her research focuses on how enduring characteristics (e.g., personality traits), interpersonal processes (e.g., conflict), and emotions influence relationship dynamics over time.
Gideon Park
Affiliated Postdoctoral Fellow
Gideon’s research focuses on the psychological processes that shape close relationships. He studies how social exchange, emotion, and sexuality help explain why some relationships thrive while others struggle. Using dyadic and longitudinal approaches, Gideon examines how partners’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors combine to shape relationship dynamics both in the moment and over time.
Zoe Burroughs
Research Assistant
Zoe Burroughs is a junior undergraduate majoring in Psychology and American Sign Language (ASL) with minors in Brain & Cognitive Sciences and Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies. Her research interests involve examining emotional regulation and intrinsic motivation in interpersonal relationships. In the future, she desires to have a particular emphasis in minority populations such as LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent communities, with social and clinical psychology as an area of expertise.
Stacy Matute
Research Assistant
Stacy Matute is a junior undergraduate double majoring in Psychology and Health, Behavior, and Society. Her research interests center on parenting styles and their influence on child development, particularly in shaping cognitive, social, and emotional outcomes. She is also passionate about studying adolescent mental health and well-being, exploring factors that contribute to resilience and positive developmental trajectories.
Shriya Nadella
Research Assistant
Shriya Nadella is a sophomore undergraduate majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology. Her interests are in parent-child relationships, examining how parental influences shape a child’s mental health and vice versa. She hopes to explore these dynamics within minority communities, with a specific focus on Asian families.
Anika Nawar
Research Assistant
Anika Nawar is a sophomore undergraduate majoring in Brain & Cognitive Science and Psychology. Her research interests focus on early linguistic relationships between parents and children, as well as the intersections of language, cognition, and development.
Zhihan Wang
Research Assistant
Honors Thesis Student
Zhihan Wang is a junior undergraduate majoring in Psychology with minors in Music Cognition and Music. Her research interests center on well-being within intergenerational and interpersonal relationships, with a particular focus on how relationship quality shapes individual flourishing across the lifespan.
Rochester Relationships Lab
Our lab is also part of a broader community of researchers in the Rochester Relationships Lab, which includes Harry Reis, Ron Rogge, and their students.
Alumni
Jenny Le
Research Assistant Alumni
Andrew Zhou
Malaya Hagge