Lab Director

Ana M. DiGiovanni, holds a BA in Psychology from New York University and a PhD in Psychology from Columbia University. Her research lies at the intersection of relationship science and affective science, with an emphasis in advanced quantitative methods. She focuses on how people talk about problems and stressors — both big and small — with others. She has focused extensively on co-rumination within close relationships as one manifestation of problem-focused talk that influences social, affective, and behavioral outcomes. Ana specializes in “life as lived” approaches, and has been particularly interested in examining social support processes, social emotion regulation, and stress as it unfolds in specific contexts. She mentors PhD students in the IO department at MSU.

Email: digiovannia@montclair.edu; Download CV here.

MA Students

Ryan Walker is a second-year graduate student in the M.A. Psychological Sciences program at Montclair State University, where he is also pursuing a graduate certificate in Advanced Quantitative Methods in Psychology. He is a research assistant within the D.R.I.F.T lab and mentors undergraduate students who show interest in pursuing research. His research interests are in Social and Political Psychology, specifically prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping as well as how they intertwine and influence politics and close relationships.

Nicolina Echevarria is a second-year graduate student in the M.A Psychological Sciences program at Montclair State University, where she is also pursuing a graduate certificate in Advanced Quantitative Methods in Psychology. She is an academic tutor for psychology and linguistics courses at the university, while also managing another lab and working as a research assistant. Her research interests span multiple areas of cognitive and social psychology, with particular interests in group and individual decision-making, social influence, social-ecological systems, relationship dynamics, and environmental conservation.

Zainab Kabir is a first year graduate student at Montclair University, pursuing a master’s degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from the University of Pittsburgh. Her research interests include workplace well-being, organizational culture, leadership, work-life balance, and employee experiences. She is particularly interested in how communication styles and how interpersonal dynamics shape relationships between coworkers, as well as relationships in personal settings, and how these experiences can influence well-being, job satisfaction, and organizational outcomes.

Kellan Ruf is a second-year graduate student in the M.A. in Clinical Psychology program, concentrating in Forensic Psychology at Montclair State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice from Pennsylvania State University. She is currently completing a clinical externship at The Center for Assessment and Treatment. Additionally, she is a research assistant in another lab, the Study of Affect and Externalizing Problems in Youth (SAFETY) Lab. Her research interests lie at the intersection of psychology and law, spanning multiple behavioral aspects of legal involvement, with interests in the treatment and etiology of Cluster B personality disorders, the administration of forensic psychological evaluations and courtroom assessments with strong psychometric properties, and juror decision-making and selection. 

From the sandy beaches of Atlantic City, my name is Alvin Parker and I'm a Psychology majoring senior at Montclair State University with minors in Cognitive Science and Neuroscience. In my spare time, I tutor students in psychology courses, am a member of 3 psychological research labs on campus and intern at the Kessler Foundation as a research assistant. I plan on furthering my education with an Industrial-Organizational Psychology PhD and am applying this year for Fall '27 doctoral programs. I plan on teaching, running my own Executive Assessment company, and consulting in the realm of IO Psychology.

Madeline Herrera is a senior undergraduate student, majoring in Psychology. She is currently assisting with a study on Intimate Partner Violence and how victims are viewed and assessed in the workplace. She plans on furthering her education next fall, to pursue a Master’s degree in I/O Psychology. With this, she plans to explore the world of Industrial-Organizational Psychology while focusing on improving employee well-being and understanding human behavior in the workplace.

Sara Odeh is a senior, majoring in Psychology. Her research interests are in Industrial Organizational Psychology, specifically employee well-being, performance assessment, group dynamics, and job satisfaction. She plans on furthering her research experience before deciding to pursue post-graduate education.

Nikole Morgan-Ike is from Camden, NJ and is a senior studying psychology at Montclair State University. She is interested in going to Graduate School to become a marriage/family counselor. Her research interests include exploring relationship dynamics influences, social psychology, rumination, and social influence.