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
Lauren Chrzanowski
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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
Amir Abu-Samaha
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
Courtney Daum
Courtney is an affiliate research coordinator in the GRILL Lab, working on collaborative studies with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, WA. Previously, she worked on randomized control trials of Acceptance and Commitment-based birth and parenting classes for those utilizing services at Women, Infants, and Children. Her research interests primarily include socio-emotional factors (e.g. attachment style) impact on coping of both the person with life-limiting illness and their care partner. Outside of work, you’ll find her floating on a lake, mushroom-hunting on a trail, or beachcombing on a coast.
B.S. University of Oregon
Graduate Students
Elisabeth McLean
2nd 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
2nd 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
2nd 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
1st 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
Chloe Turner
Senior at Texas Tech
Chloe is a Biology major with a minor in Chemistry. She plans to pursue a medical degree to have a career as an OB/GYN. She is a part of the Honors College, Undergraduate Research Scholars, Bayless Mentoring, and PI Squared. My research interests are child development and infectious diseases.
Outside of school, I can be found riding my long board, spending quality time with my friends and boyfriend, or sitting outside reading.
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.
Destiny Weller
Junior at Texas Tech
Destiny is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Health. She is interested in studying different coping mechanisms involving pre-death and post-death grief as well as how personal connections affect the processes of grief. After graduating, she plans on attending graduate school to further her education with hopes to become a grief therapist to aid those who have lost a loved one due to death, incarceration, divorce or split, or overall separation from a loved one.
During her free time, she enjoys cooking/baking, painting, and enjoying the company of her friends and family. You’ll often find her searching for a new dinner recipe that she may or may not actually end up making.
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.
Corie Edwards
Senior at Texas Tech
Corie is a Psychology major with a minor in Family Life Studies. They plan to pursue a Ph.D in Clincial Psychology and become a Child Clinical Psychologist. Her research interests are child development, PTSD, trauma, and pre-death grief. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, cooking, and spending time with her dog.
Shreya Srivastava
Sophomore at Texas Tech
Shreya is a pre-med pursuing a bachelor's degree in Psychological sciences with a minor in Chemistry and Biology. Her research interests are neurology, criminology, clinical psychology, and child development. After graduating she plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in the medical field specializing in psychiatry.
In her free time, you will find Shreya listening to music, dancing, cooking, writing, or painting. She loves spending time with her friends and family. She is bilingual in Hindi and English.
Matthew Johnson
Senior at Texas Tech
Matthew is a third-year Biology and Psychology major with a Chemistry and Health Professions minor. Currently, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology followed by his M.D. in the hopes of specializing in emergency psychiatry. His primary research interests reside in psychopathology and include methods of recovery-oriented care and integrative medicine, as well as the relationship between self-stigma and psychiatric symptoms of individuals with mental disorders.
In his spare time, you can find Matthew tending to his plants, nose deep in a good book, doodling while listening to music, or spending quality time with his family and friends.
Hayden Alvear
Junior at Texas Tech
Hayden is a junior at Texas Tech. He is pursuing a bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in Creative Media Industries. My research interests are cultural and comparative psychology. He is hoping to become a psychology professor and do his own research projects.
In his free time, Hayden enjoys playing video games, spending time with my dog, and hanging out with my friends.
Nishita Amle
Sophomore at Texas Tech
Nishita is a Sophomore at Texas Tech University completing her bachelor's degree in Psychological Sciences. Studying psychology has been her passion since 8th grade and helping people through their emotional hurdles is something I want to do as I complete my education. I have an understanding of human beings and I can empathize with them. I look forward gaining experience with this assistantship.
Andy Kim
Sophomore at Texas Tech
Andy is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry with a minor in Mathematics. He is part of the Honors College, the Tennis Club, and holds an on-campus job as a community advisor. His primary research interest is pre-death grief. As a pre-med student, his goal is to eventually attend medical school and become an ophthalmologist. In his free time, he loves to either play tennis, hang out with friends, or stay in and watch his favorite TV shows.
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.
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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