Dr. Holub is an Associate Professor and Head of the Psychology Department at The University of Texas at Dallas. She earned her BS in experimental psychology at Millikin University (Decatur, IL) and her doctoral degree in developmental psychology at Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH). Dr. Holub’s own experience as a first-generation student guide her mentoring efforts. Dr. Holub is active in her community and across the university. In 2015, she received the Aage Møller Teaching Award from the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences for her outstanding work in the classroom.

Dr. Holub’s research program seeks to understand and promote the physical and psychological health of young children. Her research is practical and recognizes the challenges parents face in the feeding domain. She has focused her research on how young children’s eating behaviors, body image, and weight biases develop and the role that parents, families, and other social agents play in this development. As the mother of two, she works hard to encourage healthy development in her own children, which includes love and respect for all bodies, regardless of size. 

Melissa Heinrich is a PhD student in the psychology program at UTD and works with Dr. Shayla Holub. Melissa received her BA in psychology at The University of New Mexico in 2017. In her research, she aims to understand how adolescent girls develop positive and negative body image as well as the role that mothers can play in their daughters’ body image. In her spare time, she loves to take dance classes and spend time with her bichon frise dog.

Donald is a psychology PhD student, social/personality concentration. His main research interest is exploring social, cultural, and personality influences on body image, eating behaviors, and weight bias. Prior to joining UT Dallas in Fall 2022, Donald earned a BS in psychology from Baylor University in Spring 2020 and an MA in psychological research from Texas State University in Spring 2022.

Anthony is a PhD student studying psychology. He earned his MS and BS in psychology and BS in child learning and development at UT Dallas. Anthony’s research interests include social cognition, epistemic development, and science learning. Before joining the Healthy Development Project, Anthony also worked in the Think Lab (UTD) with Dr. Candice Mills and the Cognition and Development Lab (Yale) with Drs. Kristi Lockhart and Frank Keil. He is passionate about open science, science communication, and supporting diversity at every step of the research process. You can learn more about him at AnthonyJMonroe.com

Alyssa Gutierrez is a psychology PhD student and published poet. She holds a BS in psychology and writing from Texas Christian University, where she deepened her neuroscience expertise as a research assistant. In this role, she contributed to research on dyslexia-associated genes and their effects on auditory perception in rats. Alyssa is passionate about researching the development and treatment of eating disorders, particularly within Hispanic communities. Her advocacy for eating disorder recovery began at age 12 when she began writing for eating disorder clinics such as the Eating Disorder Recovery Center (ERC) and became a blog intern for the BALANCE Eating Disorder Treatment Center. She also created a website dedicated to raising awareness about eating disorders in Hispanic communities. In addition to her advocacy work, Alyssa has experience collaborating with mental health nonprofits across the U.S., writing articles on the importance of cultural awareness in eating disorder treatment, and working with psychiatrists and psychologists in Mexico City to explore the development of eating disorders in bi-cultural individuals. 

Ashlyn is a junior studying psychology and child learning and development at UTD. They have been a member of the Healthy Development Project since spring of 2024. Ashlyn is interested in developing inclusive, accessible, and empirically based interventions for children struggling with disordered eating. She plans to graduate in the Fall of 2025 and pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.

Tory is an undergraduate student double majoring in child development and psychology at The University of Texas at Dallas. She joined the Healthy Development Project with Dr. Holub in September 2024. Her research interests include socioemotional development, parental influence on child development, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Tory’s plan after completing her BS is to get an MS in human development and early childhood disorders at The University of Texas at Dallas, then get a PsyD in clinical psychology. Tory’s passions outside of psychology include horror movies, rock climbing, rugby, and playing guitar. 

Harsha is a master’s student at UTD studying human development and early childhood disorders. She earned her BS in psychology here too. She joined the Healthy Development Lab in the Fall of 2024 and previously was a research assistant at the Integrative Laryngeal BioPhysiology Lab with Dr. Adrianna Shembel. Her research interests include child development, and after graduating, she plans to pursue a PhD in counseling psychology.

Emma Lambert is a senior psychology major. She joined the lab in May 2024 and is particularly interested in overlaps between gender, self-perception, and eating habits. Outside of the lab, Emma works as the writing head for Indigo Magazine on campus. Following her bachelor’s degree, Emma plans to obtain her PhD in cognition and continue work in academia.

Phyllis is a pre-med student at UTD double majoring in psychology and child learning and development. She joined the Healthy Development Project in Spring 2024 due to her interest in child psychology and eating development. Outside of lab, Phyllis spends her time tutoring on campus, volunteering with children, and working as an EMT-B. 

Tanvi is pursuing a BS in biology and a minor in psychology at UTD. She joined the lab in Fall 2024 and is interested in research related to family mealtime behaviors and body image struggles. She hopes to continue her role in the Healthy Development Project and aspires to become a future doctor. Outside of academics, Tanvi loves reading fiction, going on long walks, and spending time with family.

Marissa is a second-year master’s student in the applied psychology program with a major core field in developmental psychology. She joined the lab in August 2023 after graduating from Texas Tech University, where she first developed her interest in psychology. Her research interests focus on child development, with a particular emphasis on health psychology, positive psychology, self-perception, and interpersonal relationships. After completing her master’s, she plans to pursue a PhD in order to ultimately become a private practice psychologist.

Sannidhi is a senior majoring in psychology, with plans to graduate in the spring and attend medical school. She has been a part of the lab since summer of 2022 and she is interested in body image, particularly in athletes, along with nutrition and food insecurity. In her free time, you can find her reading, binging period dramas, and going on hikes. 

Srividya is a sophomore undergraduate student majoring in psychology and minoring in Spanish. She is currently on the pre-med track and plans to enter medical school to become a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Srividya joined the Healthy Development Project in the 2023 Summer semester, and her research interests include body image, cognitive biases, and cross-cultural psychology. She is passionate about mental health and enjoys reading and learning new languages in her free time.

Ali is an undergraduate psychology student at UT Dallas, working in the Healthy Development Project Lab since 2024. His research interest includes childhood obesity, parental feeding practices, and environmental influences on children’s eating behaviors. Ali is passionate about research and is dedicated to contribute meaningful findings that can inform better health practices. He believes that comprehensive and collaborative research is crucial for promoting healthier developmental outcomes for children.