Lab Members

Lab Director, Dr. Lara Aknin

Hello! I’m Lara Aknin, a distinguished professor of Social Psychology at Simon Fraser University and former fellow at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. My research interests lie at the intersection of social psychology, positive psychology, economics and judgement and decision making. My research questions often include the study of what makes people happy, the emotional consequences of kind or generous behavior, and the well-being outcomes of specific spending choices. Most of the research I have conducted thus far examines people’s perceptions of the money and happiness relationship and whether people reap greater happiness from spending money on others (i.e. prosocial spending) than when spending the same amount of money on themselves.

Lab Manager, Janaki Patel

Hi! My name is Janaki and I recently completed my B.A. (Hons) in Psychology with a minor in Health Sciences. Under the supervision of Dr. Aknin, my honours thesis explored the idea of prosocial fantasies, wherein individuals imagine themselves helping others, and whether learning about them can positively impact people’s views of each other. I have experience volunteering as a research assistant, mentoring rural B.C youth to help them navigate life after secondary school, and working as a behaviour interventionist for a BHCOE accredited practice. I am excited to further my passions for studying social connection, and health and well-being in my future graduate pursuits!

Graduate Student, Tiara Cash

Hi! My name is Tiara Cash. I am a 2022 Vanier Scholar, a 2023 Dean’s Convocation Medalist, and PhD student at SFU where I work with Dr. Aknin on intersections of life transitions, prosocial behaviors, and well-being outcomes. I hold two Master’s Degrees - one in Social Psychology (M.A.) from SFU and another (M.S.) from Western Illinois University where I studied Sport Psychology and completed research focused on student-athlete retirement and the psychosocial factors related to the quality of well-being post-play. Previously, I earned a B.S. at Arizona State University in Exercise and Wellness. In addition to being a graduate student and researching in the lab, I own an organization focused on mindfulness, meta-awareness, and meaning where I conduct presentations, workshops, and consultations through an emerging framework: Equitable Mindfulness. My career interests include working with underrepresented and underserved populations on life transitions and working in academia to support equity-seeking communities as they navigate and transition through higher education. 

Adriana    Kowalczyk

Hello! My name is Adriana Kowalczyk. I have completed a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Human Development & Counseling. I am currently a research assistant for the Helping and Happiness Lab, where I assist with the iGen project. In the future, I hope to complete a graduate program in counselling psychology. My research interests include attachment theory, developmental psychology, positive psychology, counselling psychology, and expressive therapies such as play-based therapy and art therapy.

Erin Koch

Hello! My name is Erin. I'm currently pursuing a Psychology major and a Cognitive Science minor. After taking PSYC 260, I knew that I wanted to learn more about social psychology. In addition to this, I wanted to get involved in research, as my goal is to become a UX/UI Designer, where having these skills would be an asset. My interests in social psychology and research led me to becoming a part of the Helping and Happiness Lab. Currently, I'm interested in learning more about how technology affects our well-being.

Kelton Travis

Hello! My name is Kelton Travis. I am a fourth-year student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Philosophy. I am a volunteer research assistant in the Helping and Happiness Lab. Following my B.A., I intend on pursuing a graduate degree with my primary research interests being in social and clinical psychology. Outside of my studies, I am a support worker/manager at a treatment centre for people with substance use disorders.

Hilary Grist

Hi there! My name is Hilary Grist. I am a volunteer research assistant in the Helping & Happiness Lab. I previously completed a Bachelor of Music and spent many years performing, writing and teaching music. I am currently taking Psychology and Education courses at SFU with the future goal of attending graduate school in Psychology or Arts Education.

Elyssa Hutchinson

Hi! My name is Elyssa. I am working towards completing my Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. Currently, I volunteer at the Douglas Research lab, and am extremely excited to be volunteering at the Helping and Happiness Lab as well! My research interests include forensic psychology, social psychology, and neuropsychology. In the future, I am hoping to complete an honours project and pursue graduate school.

Tony Yan

Hello! My name is Tony, and I’m a volunteer research assistant for the Helping and Happiness lab. I am a fourth-year Psychology major and gender studies minor student. I am interested in the field of well-being and positive psychology. I also enjoy working with children and families. I also volunteer at Burnaby Family Life to support Burnaby families and individuals. I hope to pursue graduate school in Counselling Psychology and become a registered clinical counsellor.

Rachael Whyte

Hi, my name is Rachael! I am currently a third year student majoring in Psychology. I am a volunteer research assistant at the Helping and Happiness Lab. In the future, I am hoping to attend grad school to study occupational therapy with a specific focus on the mental health aspect!

Justine Bayer

Hii my name is Justine and I'm majoring in Psychology and minoring in Education! I've been a research assistant since May 2023, and have been part of some very interesting projects since then! My research interests are varied, but include educational and social psychology. I hope to pursue graduate school and perhaps work in the education field in the future.

Ravneet Hothi

Hi! My name is Ravneet Hothi, and I am a research assistant for the Helping and Happiness Lab. I am in my third year at Simon Fraser University, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Counselling and Human Development. After completing my B.A. I hope to attend graduate school for Clinical Psychology. My current research interests include adolescents' well-being, mental health in South Asia, developmental psychopathology, and social psychology.

Matthew Rathore

Hello! I am Matthew Rathore, and I am currently in my fourth year of pursuing both Psychology as well as Counselling & Human Development. In working as a research assistant, I have had the chance to learn and further develop my understanding of producing original research. Encompassing my research interests are mental health, psychopathology, and cultural psychology. Upon graduating, I hope to pursue clinical psychology and produce original works.

Dani Concepcion

Hello, I'm Dani! I'm a third-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology. In addition to being a student and a volunteer research assistant at the Helping & Happiness Lab, I am an avid reader who shares her thoughts on reading on social media! In the future, I hope to pursue a graduate degree in psychology and work in research.

Katrina Del Villar

Hi! I'm Katrina, a third year student majoring in Psychology and pursing a minor in Educational Psychology. Currently, I am a research assistant for the Helping and Happiness Lab, as well as a FASS peer mentor and HIVE leader. Outside of academics I am a part-time dance instructor to young aspiring artists. Following my undergraduate degree I hope to further my education at graduate school, focusing on either my passion for education or sport psychology. My research interests include athlete mental health, the well-being of children and adolescents, as well as social psychology.

Diksha Sharma

Hi! My name is Diksha and I am currently working towards completing my B.A. in Psychology. I am a volunteer research assistant in the Helping and Happiness Lab and a FASS peer mentor. In the future, I hope to attend graduate school for Counselling Psychology.

Tori Kazemir

Hi! My name is Tori Kazemir, and I’m a volunteer research assistant for the Helping and Happiness lab. I’m in my third year at SFU, working towards a Bachelors degree with a major in Psychology and minor in Linguistics. In the future, I hope to pursue graduate school in Clinical Psychology. My research interests include child and adolescent psychopathologies, and positive psychology.

Shetal Hundal

Hello! My name is Shetal, and I am currently and undergraduate student majoring in psychology. I am honoured to be a research assistant for the Helping and Happiness Lab. In the future, I aim to pursue a graduate degree in clinical counselling. Some of my research interests include developmental psychology, intersectionality in psychology, and social cognition.

Graduate Student, Jason Proulx

Hi there—I’m Jason! I am a Vanier Scholar and PhD Student at Simon Fraser University. With Dr. Aknin at SFU, I collaborate with non-profits and communities to study how real-world prosociality interventions (e.g., Intergenerational programs, Experiential Philanthropy Programs) shape adolescent prosocial development, foster meaningful social connections, and impact community well-being. I earned my M.A. at SFU examining how shared prosocial acts—like donating to charity together with a peer—impacts generosity, fosters new social connections, and enhances people’s intrinsic enjoyment. I completed my B.A. (Hons.) at the University of British Columbia on the social and emotional consequences of using smartphone technology. Across my work, I leverage mixed, community-engaged methods and rigorous, open-science practices to gain theoretical and practical insight into how to boost both human generosity and emotional and social well-being for people across the lifespan.

Graduate Student, Kristina Castaneto

My name is Kristina, and I am a new Master's student who will be researching with Dr. Aknin and the rest of this lovely lab! In June 2022, I earned my BA Honours in Applied Psychology at Douglas College, with specializations in Pre-counselling, and Disability in Applied Behaviour Analysis. My honours thesis focused on the proposal and preliminary scale development of a construct coined as "nuanced perceptions of others' valence" — the readiness to percieve other people as being a mix of good and bad. I have a great interest in delving further into this contruct's nomological network and finding its ties to wellbeing and prosociality. My research interests generally include subjective happiness, well-being, morality and social connections. I aspire to be a part of the coming generation of educators in academia, with hopes to spark curiousity and enthusiasm within my future students.

Anurada      Amarasekera

Hello! My name is Anurada. I completed my B.A. (Hons) in 2022, under the supervision of Dr. Aknin, where I examined the features of gratitude expressions that increase subsequent prosocial behaviour. I'm currently a graduate student studying Clinical Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University. Across my work, I focus on improving well-being and happiness in underrepresented populations.

Amanda Hodges

Hello! My name is Amanda, and I am a Psychology undergraduate student here at SFU. In addition to being an SFU student, I am a research assistant in the Helping and Happiness lab and a FASS peer mentor. Outside of school, I work part-time as a dance and gymnastics instructor. In the future, I hope to further my studies in Psychology by attending graduate school and conducting original research.

Burdett Kwon

Hello, my name is Burdett Kwon and I have completed a B.A. in Psychology. I am currently a research assistant for the Helping and Happiness Lab and the lab manager for the CLOSER lab at SFU. I am currently completing my post-bachelors in Counselling and Human Development and aim to complete a graduate program in experimental psychology in the future. My research interests include developmental psychology, cultural psychology, and abnormal psychology.

Fiona Eaket

Hello, my name is Fiona! I am currently in my third year at SFU, working on completing my B.A. in Psychology. I am a volunteer research assistant in the Helping and Happiness Lab, and I also volunteer with Metro Vancouver East Community Corrections. Following the completion of my degree I hope to attend graduate school for Clinical Psychology. Some of my research interests include environmental psychology, violence and aggression, interpersonal relationships, and prosocial behaviour.

Taelor Lay

Hello! I am an undergraduate psychology student and research assistant here at Simon Fraser University. My areas of research interest lie in mindfulness, prosocial behaviour, mental health protective factors and public health. I look forward to utilizing — and contributing to — the abundance of meaningful research in psychology to support underserved and underrepresented populations over the course of my career.

Allyson Klassen

Hello! My name is Allyson Klassen (she/her), and I am currently working toward a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Counseling & Human Development. My research interests include positive psychology, developmental psychology, and relationships and well-being. I am looking to pursue graduate studies in either counselling or clinical psychology. In my free time I love to get outside, eat great food, and travel!

Kalum Kumar

Hello, my name is Kalum Kumar. I am a research assistant for the Helping and Happiness Lab in my third year at Simon Fraser University, and I am currently doing my honours with Dr. Aknin. I am pursuing a B.A. in psychology and in the future, I aspire to attend graduate school. I have yet to find an area of psychology I dislike and hope to use this passion to fuel a career closely tied to the discipline.

Mahima Taturari

Hello! My name is Mahima and I am a volunteer research assistant at the Helping and Happiness Lab. I am currently working towards completing my B.A. in Psychology and Minor in Business Administration. I hope to pursue my masters in either Social Psychology or Organizational Psychology. Some of my research interests include prosociality, social influence and group behaviour, social identity, motivation, and job satisfaction.

Marcel Aini

Hello everybody! My name is Marcel Aini and I received the lovely opportunity to be a research assistant at the Helping and Happiness Lab. I am majoring in Psychology with the hope of minoring in Counselling and Human Development. Human behaviour has always fascinated me, and as I took more classes here at SFU, I realized how much I enjoyed Social Psychology! So being part of this lab to help with some amazing research was another step I could take to learn even more. In the future, I hope to enter a graduate program, possibly in Counselling Psychology, with the goal of becoming a registered clinical counsellor.

Marwan Saleh

Hi! I am Marwan Saleh, a third-year international student from Egypt majoring in Psychology and minoring in Counselling and Human Development. I am currently a volunteer research assistant in the Helping and Happiness Lab. I also hope to go to graduate school for Counseling psychology after my undergraduate degree. I have been incredibly passionate and involved in the field of psychology after having faced multiple challenges with my own mental health and not being able to receive the resources I needed. With that, I made it my mission to create great change within the mental health field in the Middle East for future generations.

Yassaman Malek

Hello! My name is Yassaman and I am currently a third year psychology student. After completing my bachelor’s degree, I hope to pursue a master’s degree and PhD in counselling psychology. I was very excited to join the Helping and Happiness lab in May 2023 and am currently a volunteer research assistant. My interests in this field are very diverse but some of them include prosocial behaviour, attachment theory, the role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in health outcomes, and trauma-informed care. I am also currently a volunteer with a non-profit organization called Coast Mental Health, where I spend one-on-one time with individuals, providing companionship for conversation and going for walks or playing games. In my spare time, I enjoy reading as often as I can (currently fixed on: The Myth Of Normal by Dr. Gabor Maté). But, if you can’t find my head in a book, you’ll probably find me in the gym working on my next personal record!

Rachel Yapp

Hi! I'm Rachel. I am a fourth year Psychology major and minoring in Cognitive Science. I volunteer in SFU’s Happiness and Helping Lab where I am the project manager for the iGen studies, and I also volunteer in the Spalek Attention, Memory, and Perception labs. In my spare time I work as a research consultant for an interior design company focusing on how designed environments impact wellbeing. I hope to continue my studies at grad school once my bachelor's degree is complete.

Sophia Vennesland

Hi! I am Sophia Vennesland, a fourth year student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Counselling and Human Development. I am currently a volunteer research assistant in the Helping and Happiness Lab. I hope to go to graduate school for either clinical or counselling psychology following my undergraduate degree. My research interests include the well-being of children and adolescents, developmental psychopathology, mental health and positive psychology.

Diana Negrabee

My name is Diana, I am a Psychology major undergraduate at SFU. I am currently a Research Assistant at the Helping and Happiness Lab and the Children’s Memory Research Group. My research interests include but are not limited to counseling psychology, intimate partner violence, eyewitness memory, wrongful convictions, reintegration of exonerees back into society and children’s suggestibility. In the future, I plan to attend graduate school and conduct my own research and contribute to research in psychology at a greater capacity.

Former lab members:

Jaymie Cristobal
Kodi Rivera
Ira Rishi
Angel Leung
Rabiya Karamali
Nata Zakon
Angie Fan
Scarlett MacPherson
Gurleen Bath
Kyle Bergh
Jacob Lauzen
Katie Tough
Rachel Pham
Maya Beninteso
Nicole Castillo
Devan Gill
Marina Cummiskey
Celina Grewal
Christina Johnstone
Cassidy Ouldtata-Allan
Brenna Lee
Alyssa Greco
Emily Thornton
Armaghan Aliabadi
Angela Starnaman
Oksana Soychuke
Pavan Nahal
Nava Kisiri
Connor Macmillan
Jason Roh
Jessamyn Hung
Katherine Hanniball
Dr. Dylan Wiwad