Lab Members
Ryan L. Brown, Ph.D.
She/Her
Lab Director
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Dr. Brown is a social health psychologist fascinated by how fundamental human experiences (love and loss) contribute to mental and physical health as we age. In addition to research on social loss, she considers unique contexts that can inform broader research such as: viral illness and vaccination models, studies of chronic social stress (e.g., caregiving), and experimental manipulations to examine positive effects of acute stress. Read more​​​ about Dr. Brown's background and training here.
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Imani Sims, B.A.
She/Her
Lab Manager
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Imani graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Ethnic Studies. After graduation she worked as a research coordinator in a pediatric psychology lab at Texas Tech University with an emphasis on pediatric behavioral and physical health. Currently, Imani is the STAR lab manager. Her research interests include the intersection of faith and mental health, and the comorbidity of chronic illness and mental health. Imani also has interest in the development of culturally and racially sensitive mental health programming.
Carlos Silvera, B.A.
He/Him/His/El
Ph.D. Student
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Carlos is a Ph.D. student in Human Development and Family Sciences at Texas Tech University, born in Bayamo, Cuba and raised in Hialeah, Florida. His research investigates how Hispanic cultural constructs—such as Machismo, Marianismo, Familismo, and Fatalismo, etc.—influence stress responses, health-decision making, and health outcomes in Hispanic communities. Drawing from his lived experiences and research background, Carlos aims to develop culturally informed medical models and behavioral medicine interventions to reduce health disparities and improve quality of life for underserved populations. Before joining TTU, he managed multiple NIH-funded studies at the University of Miami's Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, focusing on psychosocial interventions for cancer survivors. He holds a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University with majors in Psychology, Romance Languages, and Spanish. In his free time, Carlos loves to go to the beach, go to local farmers market, and spend time quality with his husband and Frenchie.
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Kristen Stopfer, B.A.
She/They
Ph.D. Student
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Originally from Bangor, Pennsylvania, Kristen did her undergraduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh where she received her B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in Political Science. During her studies, she worked as a research assistant with Drs. Peter Gianaros and Mark Scudder, studying biopsychosocial influences on brain and heart health. Kristen is now a graduate student at Texas Tech advised by Dr. Ryan Brown, where she is broadly interested in the physiological changes that accompany negative social experiences, particularly how the cardiovascular and immune systems respond to grief. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, and doing any and every art/craft.
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