Joyner Lab

Interested in joining the lab as a research assistant? If you’re interested, please email Kate, the lab manager, with a brief introduction and your CV at kdellett35@berkeley.edu.

Sophie is an undergraduate student double majoring in Psychology and Russian. She has been with the lab since Winter of 2025. She is especially interested in how feelings of isolation or disconnection can intensify cycles of use, while feelings of purpose and meaningful connection can help with recovery. She aspire to pursue a path that combines psychological research and policy, with the goal of developing interventions that not only treat addiction but also rebuild the sense of belonging and direction that sustains long-term recovery.

Shaquori is an junior majoring in Cognitive Science. She has been part of the lab since Winter 2025, and her experiences in the lab have sparked her interest in research on substance use, decision-making, and behavioral health. She is very interested in how neurological and social factors shape substance use and related outcomes. Ultimately, she hopes to use research to support and advocate for marginalized communities disproportionately affected by substance use disorders and limited access to mental health care.

Kiran has been with the lab since the Fall 2025. She is broadly interested in understanding how identity and environment influence mental health and behavior. In particular, Kiran is interested in psychophysiological techniques that examine how bodily responses correlate with psychological states.

Toti is a fourth-year studying Psychology and Business Adminstration. She has been in the lab since Fall of 2025.

Mia is majoring in Psychology and joined the lab in Fall of 2025. Her responsibilities include EEG testing, participant interviewing, and Zotero management. She is interested in neuropsychology and psychopathology, especially in marginalized communities and children. She is excited to continue developing her skills and understanding in specific niches of psychology, working towards graduate school and a career where she can do hands-on work helping communities.

Trillia graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Psychology. She has been at the lab since Winter of 2025. Her research interests are around building cultural competent methodologies and designs. She is also interested in social psychology specifically around isolation and engagement, as well as art therapy. She has always seen her path to be in research, and she hopes to contribute in a way that is expansive in some projects, and deferential to wherever she calls home in others.

She is a fourth year student at UC Berkeley majoring in Psychology and African American studies. After growing up in rural California and going on to intern at the UCSF Sickle Cell Center of Excellence, she has found a strong passion for exploring the social drivers that shape mental health and substance use outcomes in the Black and Brown community. She aspires to earn a PhD in clinical psychology, and in doing so, she hopes to leave a lasting impact on the clinical field and most importantly in the communities she works with.

Heidy joined in the Winter of 2025 as a research assistant. She is a fourth year student majoring in Psychology at UC Berkeley. She’s especially interested in studying substance use disorders and how they affect different communities, with a focus on minority populations who often face unique social and health challenges. She is passionate about understanding these disparities and finding ways research can help improve support systems and outcomes. In the future, she hopes to pursue grad school and continue a career in research.

Lily is a senior at UC Berkeley studying Psychology. She has been a research assistant in the lab since Fall 2024, where she has assisted with conducting sessions for the Black EEG study. Her broader research interests focus on the intersection of neurodivergence and substance use. Looking ahead, she plans to pursue an MSW program on the clinical track.