Meet the GRILL Team
Dr. Jonathan Singer, Ph.D.
Lab Director
Assistant Professor, Texas Tech University
Dr. Singer dedicates his research and clinical work to improving the psychological health of patient-caregiver dyads who have a life limiting illness. Prior to coming to TTU, he studied multiple psychosocial processes, including but not limited to type of loss and identity, as they relate to pre- and post-loss grief in caregivers of patients with cancer and dementia. ​​
Jonathan enjoys playing golf, watching the Steelers beat the Browns and Ravens, and eating lots of food!!!
B.A. Adelphi University
M.A Teachers College, Columbia University
Ph.D University of Nevada, Reno
Lab Coordinators
Benjamin Neugebauer
Benjamin recently completed a postbaccalaureate fellowship at the NIH, where he worked on research related to physiological differences in genetic subpopulations of neurons within the amygdala, parabrachial nucleus and basolateral amygdala in the context of pain. His research interests include the relationship between grief and reward pathways, predictors of depression trajectories that inform interventions, and underserved or disadvantaged populations. Hobbies include bicycling, baking and spending time with his cat, Morgana.
B.A. Texas Tech University
Alayna Jump
Senior at Texas Tech
Alayna is a Junior at Texas Tech currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Human Development and Family Studies. Her research interests are pre-death grief, childhood development, and more specifically, the relationship between parental separation or death during childhood and adult psychopathology. She plans to further her education by completing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology as a means to one day practice as a licensed clinical psychologist.
In her spare time, Alayna enjoys spending time with friends, baking, hiking, playing the piano, listening to podcasts, watching movies, and throwing the ball with her dog, Benji.
Graduate Students
Elisabeth McLean
3rd Year Graduate Student
Libby has been a research assistant in the GRILL lab since 2018, where she has examined various topics in grief and bereavement. She previously worked as a Research and Operations Manager at MindMed, a biopharma company examining the use of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in the treatment of mental health diagnoses. Her research interests include identity/role centrality and non-death loss and grief with criminal justice-involved populations and their families. She is also interested in public and perceived stigma related to different losses and grief responses.
Outside of academia, Libby can be found performing in professional dance shows, roller skating, and repotting her plants (almost always with her dog, Rudy, at her side).
B.A. University of Nevada, Reno (Research Emphasis)
Carol Fadalla
3rd Year Graduate Student
Carol is a 2nd year doctoral student at TTU working under Dr. Jonathan Singer's mentorship. She was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship in 2018 to teach English in Amman, Jordan. She then spent two years working as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center with Dr. Wendy Lichtenthal examining the efficacy and feasibility of psychotherapeutic interventions for cancer patients, caregivers, and bereaved parents. She is interested in understanding how systematic inequities, traumatic experiences, and adversity shape grief for individuals living with chronic illnesses and their caretakers, specifically for families with minoritized identities. She strives to use these research purists to advocate and develop culturally-responsive interventions to support minioritized families cope with their loss.
During her free time, she enjoys cooking new recipes, listening to podcasts, and traveling to new places!
B.A. Dickinson College
Lauren Elliott
3rd Year Graduate Student
Lauren is a first-year doctoral student at Texas Tech University. Her primary research interests relate to the prevention, detection and intervention of cognitive decline and neurodegenerative conditions of aging. Additional interests include post-stroke rehabilitation and factors that benefit recovery. Before joining the GRILL Lab, Lauren worked in a cognitive neuroscience lab investigating the cognitive effects of chemotherapy on cancer patients and the link between hearing loss and cognitive decline.
In her free time, she enjoys painting, playing violin and cuddling with her cat, Freddie.
B.A. Carthage College
Sydnie Schneider
2nd Year Graduate Student
Sydnie graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor's in Psychology and a Minor in Biology and Health Science. She has spent over 6 years working in long-term care facilities, where she found her passion for working with persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias (AD/ADRD). Her primary research interests include behavioral and therapeutic interventions for persons with AD/ADRD and their family caregivers.​
In her free time she enjoys going to the gym, spending time with her dogs, Bones and Brandy, and watching the Packers!
B.S. Minnesota State University Mankato
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Andrea Nunez
Senior at Texas Tech
Andrea is a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Family Life Studies. After graduating, she plans to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology. Her research interests include forensic psychology, therapeutic interventions, and severe mental illness.
In her free time, Andrea enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, being outdoors, and caring for her plants.
Jonathan Kelley
Junior at Texas Tech
Jonathan is currently pursuing a Bachelors Degree with the Texas Tech Honors College in Psychology and Philosophy. His research interest include the philosophy of technology, the psychology of mystical experience, psychoanalysis, and the potential for psychedelic compounds to treat a variety of mental health conditions, including major depressive disorder and substance abuse disorder. ​
In his free time, you will find Jonathan reading and writing. He a voracious reader of both fiction and non-fiction, and he is currently working on a science-fiction novel centered around the philosophical (and psychological) implications of parallel realities.
Allie Waddell
Junior at Texas Tech
Allie is a junior and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Legal Studies. She completed her Associates of Arts at Tarrant County College and is associated with Transformative Undergraduate Research Experiences at Texas Tech University. Her research interests encompass the rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals, perpetrators’ personalities, post-death grief in caregivers, as well as addiction in adolescent populations. Her post-undergraduate plans are to attend graduate school and complete a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Ultimately, she strives to specialize in forensic psychology and hopes to work with incarcerated populations.
In spare time, Allie enjoys company with friends, watching films, skateboarding, and cleaning.
Aiden Moody
Freshman at Texas Tech
Aiden is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in psychological sciences with three minors in chemistry, biology and Spanish. He is an honors student with a research interest in the impacts of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy on suicidal ideation. As a pre-med student he aspires to attend medical school and become a psychiatrist. In his free time, Aiden enjoys rock climbing and traveling.
.jpeg)
Gunnar Willis
Sophomore at Texas Tech Honors College
Gunnar is currently an Honors College Sophomore pursing a Bachelor's Degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. His research interests include Pharmacological Impact on Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's Diesease. In the future, he plans on attending Medical School with great interest in Psychiatry. In his free time, Gunnar enjoys playing sports with his friends, being outside, lifting weights, and listening to music.
Natalie Behn
Freshman at Texas Tech Honors College
I am a freshman at the Texas Tech Honors College. My major is an Honors Science and Humanities major with a concentration in Medicine, Global Health, and the Humanities. I am also minoring in chemistry and psychology. I plan to attend medical school following my bachelor's degree. I'm not sure what specialty I'd like to go into 100%, but I have strong interests in neurology and oncology. Some of my research interests are in pre-death grief, mental illnesses and their long-term effect on individuals, and cancer studies. In my spare time I like to read, listen to music, and go on walks.
Giselle Kiefer
Undergraduate at Texas Tech
​Giselle is on the pre-med pathway and a double major in Psychological Sciences and General Studies with concentrations in French, Chemistry, and Pre-Health Professions. She plans to attend Medical School and become a Psychiatrist. She is passionate about mental health and removing the stigma around it. Giselle is involved in Kappa Alpha Theta and President's Select. Her favorite show is "F.R.I.E.N.D.S" and she named her dog "Phoebe" after the character!
Lab Alumni
Lauren Chrzanowski
Former Coordinator
%20(1).jpg)
Lauren recently graduated as an honors student with a B.S. in neuroscience. She has been involved in research since 2015 – primarily in the Field Neurosciences Institute Laboratory for Restorative Neurology at Central Michigan University. Her most recent work focused on efficacy and safety of nonpharmaceutical interventions for neuropsychiatric symptoms occurring in Alzheimer’s Disease. Her primary research interests include improving overall wellness in individuals facing a life-limiting illness and their caregivers via a biopsychosocial approach.
Outside of research, Lauren enjoys painting, tennis, traveling, and hanging out with her dogs, Kimber and Echo.
B.S. Central Michigan University
Current Status: University of Louisville
Amir Abu-Samaha
Former Coordinator
Amir graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a bachelor's in psychology. His most recent work centered around tracking suicide risk and affective dynamics over time through ecological momentary assessment (EMA). His primary research interests center around interpersonal and intra-individual risk/protective factors for internalizing mental health difficulties (especially suicidal ideation and self-injury), interventions targeting self-regulation processes, developmental psychopathology, and multimethod research. He hopes to utilize this research to develop scalable, adaptive interventions.
In his free time, Amir enjoys spending time with his puppy, and trying new food!
B.A. University of California, Santa Cruz
Current Status: UT Southwestern
Former Undergraduate RAs
Jake Tack, Miranda Tello, Chloe Turner, Destiny Weller, Corie Edwards, Matthew Johnson, Hayden Alvear
Join Our Team
We are currently accepting undergraduate research assistants and graduate clinical psychology students. Please visit the "Join the Lab" page to learn about how to join.
Collaborators
Lauren Breen, Curin University
Emil Coccaro, Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
Elizabeth Loggers, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Wendy Lichtenthal, Memorial Sloan Kettering
Tyler Livingston, Angelo Sate University
Sean Mitchell, Texas Tech University
Anthony Papa, University. of Hawaii
Holly Prigerson, Weill Cornell Medicine
Megan Renna, The Univerity of Southern Mississippi
Kailey Roberts, Yeshiva University
Rosie Shrout, Purdue University
Peter Rerick, Oklahoma City University