Lab Director
Hilary Bergsieker
Hilary Bergsieker is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Waterloo, where she directs the Diversity and Intergroup Relations Lab. She joined the faculty at Waterloo after completing her bachelors degree in Psychology at Stanford and a Fulbright Enterprise Scholarship in Berlin, Germany, followed by her Ph.D. in Psychology and Social Policy at Princeton. Dr. Bergsieker has expertise in trust formation and maintenance in diverse groups, social network analysis, and bias reduction, and was named a Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science in 2017. She is a Fellow of the Engendering Success in STEM research consortium, collaborating with industry partners to use science-based interventions to advance the inclusion and success of women in engineering. When not pursuing her passion for research, Hilary also loves to spend time with her husband and three little boys, hike, camp, ski, watch spy movies, do arts and crafts, and travel.
Email: hburbank@uwaterloo.ca
Graduate Students
Emily Cyr
Emily completed her Social Psychology Masters program under the supervision of Dr. Bergsieker, and is currently working on her PhD. Emily researches how gender stereotypes influence our perceptions of romantic partners, and how objective social network structures moderate our behaviours and attitudes. Her other interests include intergroup trust, negotiation strategies, and minority-majority interactions. Outside of academia, she enjoys yoga, gardening and listening to audiobooks.
Email: encyr@uwaterloo.ca
Erik Jansen
Erik is a PhD student in Social Psychology at the University of Waterloo, working under the joint supervision of Dr. Bergsieker and Dr. Abigail Scholer. He completed his B.A. (Honours) at MacEwan University in Edmonton. He is interested in how intergroup interactions unfold, with the ultimate goal of improving interactions between diverse groups. Currently, he is investigating how majority-group members provide support to minorities after minorities experience discrimination. Outside of academics, he enjoys spending time with friends, reading, biking, music and video games.
Email: e2jansen@uwaterloo.ca
Jessica Trickey
Jessica Trickey is a graduate student working under the supervision of Dr. Bergsieker. She completed her Bachelor of Arts Honours degree at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. Jessica is interested in social justice research including the unique experiences of people with intersectional identities and how privileged groups can engage in better allyship. Her interests outside of academia include writing, reading, and cooking.
Email: jtrickey@uwaterloo.ca
Pamela Campos-Ordóñez
Pamela is a graduate student working under the supervision of Dr. Bergsieker. She studies identity and intergroup relations, specifically how to improve interracial/interethnic relations. Her other research interests are in social inequalities, power dynamics, and social change. She uses research as a tool to think about and propose solutions to social issues. Outside of academia, you can find her cooking, hanging out with a dog, or thrifting.
Email: pcamposordonez@uwaterloo.ca
Grace Denney
Grace (they/them) is a Master's student working under the supervision of Dr. Bergsieker, and completed their BSc in Honours Psychology with a Biology minor at the University of Waterloo. They study gender bias in STEM and intersectional invisibility, with a particular interest in how having intersecting marginalized identities affects bystander perceptions of possible discrimination. In their downtime, they enjoy painting, cooking (and eating!), and caring for their cat and many plants.
Email: grace.denney@uwaterloo.ca
Connery Knox
Connery Knox is a graduate student under the supervision of Dr. Bergsieker. He is interested in social psychology, specifically intimate relationships, as well as the effect societal norms can have on people’s self-concepts. Men's psychology, rebuilding trust in intimate and intergroup relationships, and intergroup relations, specifically between majority and minority groups, are his current research endeavors. Outside of psychology, he likes to go out with friends when possible, as well as competing in Esports. He is currently Masters 3 in Starcraft II.
Shawn Yee
Shawn (he/him) is a graduate student being co-supervised by Dr. Bergsieker. He completed his Honours B.Sc at the University of British Columbia. He is interested in studying identity and intergroup relations, but also has passing interests and experience working in both developmental psychology and neuroscience. He hopes to continue contributing to research understanding the experiences of marginalized communities. Outside of academia, he enjoys crocheting/knitting, playing video games, and hiking.
Email: s6yee@uwaterloo.ca
Lab Managers
Ashling Ayekun
I am in the Honours Life Science program, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Biology. I hope to one day combine my interest in social and clinical psychology and explore how racial discrimination and injustice can negatively impact mental health. In my free time, I enjoy watching movies, listening to music and spending time with friends.
Email: aayekun@uwaterloo.ca
Bhumika Bhandari
I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Psychology from the University of Waterloo. I have been intrigued by the discipline of Psychology from the time I was introduced to it and hence, aspire to pursue my graduate studies to continue exploring the field. I look forward to learning more about the dynamics of cross-cultural relationships. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, biking, and exploring new cafes.
Email: bbhandari@uwaterloo.ca
Undergraduate Students
Ishanee Dave
I am in the Honours Life Science program with a major in Psychology. I am interested in developmental psychology and social psychology. Specifically, I am interested in group identities and group stereotypes. In my free time, I enjoy going on walks, reading and painting.
Soumya Garg
I am in the Honors Life Science program with a major in Psychology. I have strong interest towards social and clinical psychology, particularly social norms, group dynamics, prejudice and intergroup conflict and aspire to pursue graduate studies to gain a deeper understanding of the different fields. In my free time, I enjoy playing badminton, listening to music, and watching thriller movies!
Nazret Temnewo
I have a double major in Honours Psychology and Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies (SMF). My academic interests are broad and include social psychology, counseling psychology, and developmental psychology. One area I am interested in is how children perceive the intersectionality of race relations and gender discrimination across different cultures and how that develops their beliefs, and attitudes towards diversity, social justice, and equity.
Anmol Dhillon
I am in Honours Psychology with a Research-Intensive Specialization. My goal is to pursue graduate studies in social psychology, with a desire to research how culture shock affects students at the secondary and post-secondary levels. In my free time, I enjoy reading and watching anime.
Parmjot Saini
I have recently graduated as an undergraduate student and completed my BSc in Honours Psychology and Neuroscience, with a minor in biology. I am passionate about mental health and hope to pursue clinical psychology in my graduate studies. In terms of research interests, I am interested in studying intergroup relations, specifically in the context of structural racism. In my free time, I enjoy going to the gym and reading.
Rahel Benyam
I am pursuing a BA in Psychology, minoring in Sociology and French. I am interested in both social and clinical psychology, and I hope to pursue a research path relating to how intersectionality impacts our perceptions of mental health care. In my free time, I enjoy reading thrillers, making playlists and playing volleyball!
Alyssa Nguyen
I am currently pursuing the Honours Arts Coop Program with a dual major in Psychology and Legal Studies. I am interested in studying both social and cognitive psychology, with a particular focus on areas such as social identity, gender discrimination, and the psychological processing of stereotyping. In my free time, I love to crochet, embroider, and play video games!
Chloe Nalia Champredon
I am a Psychology major with a double minor in Philosophy as well as Sexuality, Marriage, & Family studies. My academic interests lie in social psychology, specifically surrounding race, gender, and ability. In my free time, I enjoy playing the flute, reading, and drawing.