Lab Personnel
April Smith, Ph.D. she/her/hers
Assistant Professor
Dr. Smith is currently an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Auburn University and the director of the Research on Eating Disorders and Suicidality (REDS) Laboratory. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Plan II from the University of Texas at Austin in 2004. She then taught English in Japan for two years as part of the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program. Dr. Smith received her Ph.D. from Florida State University’s Clinical Psychology Program in 2012, and completed her clinical residency at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Smith was named a 2016 Rising Star by the Association for Psychological Science, and in 2017 Dr. Smith received the Miami University Junior Faculty Scholar Award. Dr. Smith has received funding from NIMH and the Department of Defense to support her work.
Natalie Perkins, M.S. she/her/hers
Natalie is a fifth-year Clinical Psychology PhD student at Miami University. She is broadly interested in eating disorders, nonsuicidal self-injury, and suicide, with a particular interest in the comorbidity of eating disorders and NSSI and how these conditions translate to increased suicide risk. Originally from Southern Kentucky, Natalie graduated from Western Kentucky University in 2016 with a B.S. in Psychological Science and a minor in Nutrition. She later completed her master’s degree at WKU in Psychology with an emphasis in Clinical Science in 2018, where she studied suicidal behavior and nonsuicidal self-injury in adolescents and young adults.
Shruti Kinkel-Ram, M.A. she/her/hers
Shruti is a fourth-year clinical psychology PhD student at Miami University. She is interested in researching shared vulnerabilities and cause and maintenance factors underlying eating disorders and suicide. She is particularly interested in exploring the role of interoceptive awareness and weight stigma in eating disorder and suicide severity, and in exploring these topics using novel statistical methods such as network analysis in her research. Shruti received her B.S. in Psychology from Centre College in 2017, and spent two years as a lab manager and research coordinator at the Eating Anxiety Treatment Lab at the University of Louisville.
Will Grunewald, M.A. he/him/his
Will is a third-year clinical Psychology PhD student at Auburn University. His research interests include identifying risk factors for disordered eating, body image disturbance, and suicidality, with a particular emphasis on these risk factors among vulnerable populations. He also studies the overlap between conformity to masculine norms and Muscle Dysmorphia. Originally from San Diego, Will graduated with his B.S. in Social Psychology from the University of California, San Diego in 2018. He later earned his Master's degree in Psychology from San Diego State University in 2020, where he studied body image, eating pathology, and suicidal behavior in sexual minority populations.
Taylor Stanley, M.A. she/her/hers
Taylor is a third-year clinical psychology PhD student at Auburn University. Her research interests broadly include risk and maintaining mechanisms of disordered eating, the co-occurrence of disordered eating and substance use, and improving psychological assessment and treatment services to the bariatric surgery population. Taylor is originally from Richmond, Virginia and graduated with her B.S. in Psychology and M.A. in Experimental Psychology from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia (Go Dukes!).
Olivia Clancy, M.S. she/her/hers
Olivia is a first-year clinical psychology PhD student at Auburn University. She is broadly interested in further understanding risk factors for disordered eating and other self-injurious behaviors, particularly on a momentary level. Originally from New York, Olivia received her B.S. in Applied Psychology with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies from New York University in 2020. She later earned her M.S. in Psychology from Drexel University where she researched technology augmentations to evidence-based treatments for eating disorders while serving as a research coordinator for the Center for Weight, Eating, and Lifestyle Science (WELL Center).
Collaborators
Dr. Tracy Witte, Auburn University
Suicidal Behavior & Psychopathology Lab
Dr. Tiffany Brown, Auburn University
Dr. Jonathan Kunstman, Miami University
Dr. Jeffrey Hunger, Miami University
Dr. Vaishali Raval, Miami University
Dr. Cheri Levinson, University of Louisville
Research Assistants
Matthew Burrow is a senior at Auburn University majoring in psychology. He plans to attend graduate school for clinical mental health counseling. Matthew wants to help veterans as he has multiple family members who have served and are serving currently. He is a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. Outside of school, Matthew likes to spend time with his friends in the outdoors.
Kristin Denmark is a senior at Auburn University studying in psychology. After graduating in December of 2022, she plans to work towards the goal of becoming a Clinical Psychologist. Her research interests include eating disorder pathology and muscularity-oriented eating in men. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her dogs, playing pickleball, and cooking!
Palmer Dykes is a sophomore at Auburn University studying Psychology. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school for Clinical Psychology. She is particularly interested in bringing awareness to mental health and body image stigmas surrounding dancers and other areas in the Performing Arts industry. This is her first semester as an RA and she is looking forward to this experience!
Walton Ferguson is studying Psychology and Mathematics at Auburn University. He intends to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology. His main research interests are clinical interventions targeting depression and motivation. Outside of his studies, Walton spends his time reading and writing down ideas, wake-surfing on the river, and playing the drums in the Auburn Marching Band.
Madilyn Ford is a sophomore at Auburn University majoring in psychology with minors in business and Spanish, topics in which she finds interest. She is also interested in studying not only the research process as a whole, gaining first-hand experience in a research lab, but specific topics concerning eating disorders and body image.
Sarah Hines is a rising junior at Auburn University from Austin, Texas majoring in psychology. After graduating, she plans to attend graduate school for clinical psychology. She is a member of the Sigma Kappa sorority. Outside of her studies, Sarah likes to spend time with friends and family. This is her first semester as an RA at the REDS lab and she is looking forward to learning more about this field!
Alex Mills is a junior at Auburn University majoring in Psychology and minoring in Counseling. After graduation, she intends to go to graduate school to pursue her Doctorate Degree. Her interests include mental health counseling, psychopathology, and trauma. Alex's ultimate goal is to reach a wide variety of populations as a psychotherapist.
Lily Wilson is a junior at Auburn University majoring in Biomedical Sciences and minoring in Spanish. After graduation, she plans to go to medical school. Outside of her studies, Lily is the Vice President of the Alpha Chi Omega chapter at Auburn University. She looks forward to her time in the REDS Lab as she hopes to pursue the field of Child/Adolescent Psychiatry following medical school.
Dakota Daniels, B.A. graduated from Hunter College in May of 2022 with her B.A. in clinical psychology. Her clinical and research interests include (a) identifying suicidality, self-injurious thoughts, and related disorders in young adults, (b) investigating predictive factors of these thoughts and behaviors, and (c) developing preventative measures and tailored interventions for suicidality, self-harm, and related disorders.