UNITE Lab
About Us
The Understanding Nurturing, Inclusive, and Transformative Environments (UNITE) lab tries to understand how we can turn places that might make people feel uncomfortable or unwelcome because of who they are, into spaces where everyone feels safe, supported, and valued. We look at how diversity in people's backgrounds - where they come from, what they look like, what they believe in - can be seen as advantages rather than liabilities that set them apart.
Grounded in Social Identity Threat Theory (Steele et al., 2002) and the Cues Hypothesis (Murphy et al., 2007; Kroeper et al., 2022), we study how changing our surroundings can help change how we see and treat each other.
So, come along and let's make a difference together!
Fabiola, Noelle, and Nick presenting their research at ECSC (2023).
Ashley presenting her research at ECSC (2023). Sophia is just off camera.
Abby and Lauren presenting their research at ECSC (2023).
Noelle accepting an ECSC award on behalf of her team (i.e., Fabiola and Nick) for their research. Lauren and Abby were also winners that day!
UNITE Labbers
Abigail "Abby" Wilk
UNITE Lab 2022 - present
SHU Class of 2024
Amanda Hamel
UNITE Lab 2023 - present
Ava Bjelka
UNITE Lab 2023 - present
Michele Chu
UNITE Lab 2023 - present
SHU Class of 2026
Noelle Debrot
UNITE Lab 2022 - present
SHU Class of 2024
Samantha Cavalea
UNITE Lab 2023 - present
SHU Class of 2024
Sarah Hanslin
UNITE Lab 2023 - present
SHU Class of 2024
Sophia Rogers
UNITE Lab 2022 - present
SHU Class of 2026
Not Pictured: Gabriela Gomez and Katrina Brown
UNITE Lab Alumni
Ashley Piney
UNITE Lab 2022 - 2023
SHU Class of 2023
Not Pictured: Nicholas Granja (Dec. 2022 - May 2023), Fabiola Millien-Faustin (Dec. 2022. - May 2023), and Lauren Simak (Dec. 2022. - May 2023)