Principal Investigator, Lab Director

Sari M. van Anders, Ph.D.      (vita)
Assistant Professor, Psychology & Women's Studies
Faculty Member, Neuroscience Program, Reproductive Sciences Program
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Click here to find out what's in a name and learn how to pronounce 'Sari'!

Hormones and Intimacy in Social Context. My research program is focused on social neuroendocrinology, intimacy (sexuality, partnering/pair bonding, nurturance), evolution, health, gender/sex & sexual diversity, as well as inclusive research & feminist science practice.
smva @ umich.edu

Graduate Student

Sarah Bell, Ph.D. Student, 2012 (Sept); RA 2012 summer.
I am a first-year Psychology (Personality and Social Contexts) and Women’s Studies student. I graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.S. in Gender Studies. At the University of Utah I assisted with research that examined the relationship between women and men’s day-to-day sexual attractions and behaviors and day-to-day estrogen and testosterone levels. I also researched the relationship between gender identity constructs and driving behaviors. As part of the van Anders lab, I look forward to researching the role of sex steroids in pair bond formation and how different relationship configurations influence individuals' hormone levels. In my free time I enjoy finding good restaurants and watching movies.
sarahnb @ umich.edu

Katherine Goldey, Ph.D. Student, 2009 - present. (vita)
I am a third-year Biopsychology graduate student. I graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX, with a major in Animal Behavior. At SU I researched female rat mate choice in a behavioral neuroscience lab, and I also volunteered in a sexual psychophysiology lab at the University of Texas. As part of the van Anders Lab, I have researched the effects of sexual thoughts on testosterone and cortisol, and I plan to further investigate how contextual factors contribute to testosterone responses in solitary and partnered sexual situations for my dissertation. Besides research, I enjoy playing the clarinet, spotting groundhogs on North Campus, playing board games, and eating good food.
kalusi @ umich.edu

Lab Coordinator

Lauren Hipp, Lab Coordinator, 2010 - present; Volunteer, 2009 - 2010.
I am a recent graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Neuroscience and a minor in Gender and Health. I originally started volunteering in the van Anders Lab due to my interest in endocrinology and its role in partnering and relationships and I was excited about the opportunity to work with human subjects. Outside of the lab I enjoy reading, running and working on 2000+ piece puzzles. In the future I hope to attend graduate school for genetic counseling.
hipplau @ umich.edu

Research Assistants

William Frey, Research Assistant, 2012 - present; Volunteer, 2011.
I am a recent graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Psychology. I am currently working on joint psychology/economics sexual health study and social justice research through Intergroup Relations (IGR). In the future I hope to attend graduate school for clinical psychology.
willfrey @ umich.edu

Matt Gilles, Research Assistant, 2011 - present.
I am a recent U of M graduate with a concentration in Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive Sciences and a minor in Applied Statistics. As an undergraduate I studied how negative emotional states, namely disgust, impact the appraisal of art. I look forward to exploring connections between hormones and social interactions in the van Anders Lab as I prepare for graduate school. My other hobbies include recording and playing music, writing for music blogs, and travelling.
mlgilles @ umich.edu

Madeline Larue, Research Assistant, 2012-present; Volunteer, 2010-2011.
I am a junior from San Diego, California. I am majoring in Women's Studies and minoring in Medical Anthropology. I have past research experience with the School of Nursing, and am very interested in psychology, biology, and women's health. After graduation I plan to pursue a Masters in Public Health with a focus in either Reproductive or Maternal and Child Health.
mlarue @ umich.edu

Lane Nesbitt, Honors Student, 2011 - present; Research Assistant, 2011 - present; Volunteer, 2010 - 2011.
I am a senior undergraduate student in Psychology and Women's Studies, with a minor in Crime and Justice. I am currently working on my honors thesis, studying how the elicitation of romantic jealousy might affect hormones. Another current project considers the effect of social stigma and morality messages on risk assessments. I enjoy volunteering at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry and the American Friends Service Committee Criminal Justice Program. My future plans include graduate school in psychology, moving to a warmer climate, and adopting a Bichon Frise puppy.
lritchie @ umich.edu

Volunteers

Shannon Burke, Volunteer, 2012 - present.
I am a junior majoring in Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive Sciences and minoring in Gender and Health. I am very excited to be part of the van Anders lab, as it will be my first time pursuing research. I am very interested in a wide range of research, especially the impacts of gender and sexuality in relation to psychology. I hope to attend graduate school after completing my Bachelor of Science here at Michigan. In addition to my academic interests, I enjoy playing classical piano, singing in UM Women's Glee Club, and partaking in pretty much anything music related.
burkesha @ umich.edu

Gayatri Jainagaraj, Volunteer, 2012 - present.
I am a freshman in the LSA honors college. I plan on majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in LGBTQ and sexuality studies. I am excited to be a part of this lab because it will be a perfect way to further my knowledge in my two interests of study. I am also fascinated by the effects of biology on behavior. In the future, I plan to attend Medical School and become a pediatrician.
gayatrij @ umich.edu

Xu Sue Li, Volunteer, 2012 - present.
I am an undergraduate senior concentrating in both Neuroscience and English literature. Questions in how steroid hormones affect the most basic unit of sociality, partnerships or dyads, and reciprocally, how social structures can affect the hormonal milieu in an individual have always invited my fascination. Additionally, I'm interested in how research in this field has implications in the field of women's health. I hope to attend graduate school with a focus in this vein of research in the near future. Outside of the lab, I'm an avid backpacker, pie connoisseur, and I enjoy reading dystopian fiction.
xsueli @ umich.edu

Amanda Posh, Volunteer, 2011 - present.
I am a junior majoring in Brain Behavior and Cognitive Sciences with a minor in Gender and Health. My interests in psychology include social and emotional behavior. I am excited to be a part of this lab to look at how hormones influence behavior in these areas. I plan to attend graduate school and hope to continue working on psychology research in the future. Outside of the lab, I enjoy listening to music, drawing, and being outside when the weather is nice.
poshar @ umich.edu