Current HIGHER Lab Members
FACULTY
Sa-kiera T.J. Hudson, PhD
Assistant Professor in Management of Organizations
Principal Investigator
Sa-kiera “Kiera” Hudson is an Assistant Professor at University of California Berkeley Haas School of Business in the Management of Organizations (MORS) group. She completed her doctoral graduate from the (Social) Psychology department at Harvard University in 2020. Before her PhD, she completed her BA in Biology and Psychology from Williams College, doing a thesis under the guidance of Dr. Jennifer Randall Crosby on subjective power’s role in predicting the desires of in-group and out-group members. After college, she spent two transformative years as a lab manager for Dr. Jenessa Shapiro in the Social Interaction and Social Stigma Lab at UCLA. She completed her PhD under the guidance of Dr. Jim Sidanius, Dr. Mahzarin Banaji, and Dr. Mina Cikara, and her postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University working with Dr. Jennifer Richeson and Dr. Michael Kraus.
Kiera studies hierarchies: How hierarchies are formed, how they are maintained, and how they intersect. To answer these questions, she focuses on the role of i) empathic and spiteful emotions in supporting intergroup harm, ii) group stereotypes in the experience and perception of prejudice, and iii) motivated reasoning in justifying unequal societal conditions.
Her second line of work examines stereotyping as a mechanism of hierarchy maintenance. She examines the nature of descriptive (what groups are like) and prescriptive (what groups should be like) stereotypes at the intersections of multiple social identities.
LAB MANAGER
Daniel J. Sanji, BS
Lab Manager
Daniel Sanji is the inaugural Lab Manager of HIGHER Lab. A recent graduate of the UW-Madison (‘22), Daniel majored in Psychology and History, with a minor in Asian American Studies. As a queer, multiracial, Japanese American and first-generation college student at a Predominantly White Institution, Daniel first began to ask questions about social identity and intergroup relations in Madison. Only later, when he joined Brauer Group Lab, a social psychology lab under Dr. Markus Brauer, would he realize these questions were social psychological in nature! Highlights from his career include working professionally for the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Student Center for over three years, where he supported multiply-marginalized students of color through various campus initiatives. Daniel also worked as a TA for Psychology Research Methods under Dr. Tina Winston, where he developed a passion for mentoring undergraduate psychology students!
Daniel’s research centers on intergroup hierarchy and identity development. After Berkeley, Daniel hopes to apply to Social Psychology PhD programs for Fall 2024!
POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR
Merrick Osborne, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar in Racial Equity
Merrick Osborne is the inaugural Postdoctoral Scholar in Racial Equity at University of California Berkeley, Haas School of Business. He completed his doctoral studies from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (USC) in December 2022 under Dr. Eric Anicich.
Merrick studies how our positions in social hierarchies are influenced by the ways we address (or do not address) prejudice.
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Analexis Glaude, BA
2nd Year PhD Student
Analexis Glaude is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Management of Organizations (micro track) program at the Haas School of Business. She earned her Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology in 2022 from California Polytechnic University, Pomona. She was also a scholarship track and field athlete at Pomona. Analexis decided to pursue a future at a business school after completing a summer internship at the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business, where she was able to work with the Behavior Change for Good Initiative.
Currently, Analexis’ research interests are: creativity and innovation, groups and teams, and diversity in the workplace.
Jordan Mickens, MPA
1st Year PhD Student
Jordan Mickens is a first year PhD student in the Management of Organizations group at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, where he am a recipient of the Chancellor's Fellowship.
Under the guidance of Dr. Drew Jacoby-Senghor and Dr. Sa-kiera Tiarra Jolynn Hudson, his research focuses on misperceptions of poverty, inequality, and social mobility. Additionally, he explore interventions to increase support for equity-based initiatives in organizations – including educational and political organizations – specifically addressing: how can we increase support for equity- and welfare-enhancing policy?
Prior to UC Berkeley, he earned his Masters in Public Affairs from the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University where he studied domestic politics, poverty alleviation, and welfare policy.
Before his graduate school journey, he worked in public education, first as a high school teacher and basketball coach in Oakland, CA, and then in edTech supporting public school districts across the US with issues related to technology access. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked in local government at the Office of the Oakland Mayor where he lead the #OaklandUndivided campaign to close the digital divide for all students in need in Oakland.
Sylvia Chin, BSocSc
2nd Year PhD Student
Sylvia Chin is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Management of Organizations group at the Haas School of Business (entered: 2022). She graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Social Sciences (First class, Honours) in Psychology. Upon graduation, she spent 2 years in a Japanese conglomerate in Osaka as a human resources development specialist, launching new training programs with the goal of shaping a more equitable and inclusive workplace. She is broadly interested in understanding why people support inequality and what happens when they do, policymaking, culture, emotion, and interventions that try to make the world a more equitable place. Her hobbies include volleyball, escape rooms, and befriending neighborhood cats.
RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
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Aaron Kermani
JUNIOR
Hi! My name is Aaron and I’m a third-year undergraduate student double majoring in Psychology and Social Welfare. This is my first semester as an RA with the HIGHER Lab and I’m very interested in learning more about the psychological impacts of hierarchies and inequalities on marginalized communities. My research will focus on the effects of stereotyping and stigma on queer individuals and communities. This work is something I’m really passionate about and I hope to take what I learn here to my future endeavors in the field of clinical psychology. Outside of work and school, I love spending time with friends, trying different coffee shops in the East Bay, hiking, and catching up on the latest music releases!
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Anaaya Dalal
SOPHOMORE
Hello! I'm Anaaya Dalal (she/her), a second-year undergraduate majoring in Business and Psychology with a concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies. As an international student from India, I'm deeply passionate about addressing inequalities, exploring identity formation, and tackling challenges through innovative solutions.My independent research led to the creation of Project Swagat, where I transformed 36 public restrooms into gender-neutral facilities, promoting inclusivity and accessibility. I’m elated to be a part of the HIGHER Lab and engaging in the Empathable and UIH Nonbinary Threat projects. Outside academics, I actively participate in the Haas Student Business Association, Berkeley Student Government, and Paws for Mental Health, while also authoring and publishing books on gender inequity. My interests include traveling, scuba diving, theater, and experimenting with new vegan recipes!
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Katie Liu
SENIOR
Katherine Liu— known to most everyone as Katie— is a senior majoring in Psychology. She is also a research assistant at the Berkeley Psychophysiology Lab. She is highly interested in researching anything to do with workplace cultures and behaviors, diversity and inclusion, as well as online communities and communication. When she graduates, she hopes to pursue her Masters or PhD. Outside of her career and academics, Katie plans events for the Residence Hall Assembly, student government for on-campus residents as the Vice President of Social Affairs. She is also an HR intern at Berkeley Bowl! In her spare time, she can be found spending time with friends, playing her Nintendo Switch, or listening to her favorite K-pop boy groups on loop.
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Teresa Campbell
SENIOR
Hi! My name is Teresa Campbell. I am an undergrad research assistant for Higher Lab during the academic year, and I am beyond excited to return this summer! A bit about me is I’m a senior at UC Berkeley, majoring in Global Studies and concentrating in Peace and Conflict Studies across the Americas. I spend my free time playing the bass and working as a sound engineer for the UC Berkeley (KALX) radio station. I also do weekly outreach for Berkeley NEED: an East Bay harm reduction cooperative. Now that the weather is getting warmer, I love to be outside in any capacity, but particularly surfing. I grew up in the Bay Area and am always happy to show anyone around!
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Theo Danial
FRESHMAN
Theodore "Theo" Danial is a first-year student at UC Berkeley studying chemical engineering, and he hopes to add a second major in a social or behavioral science. His areas of interest in HIGHER lab include stereotype threat and intersectional stereotypes, especially stereotypes of gender atypicality, and his other academic interests include (obligatorily) chemistry, math, and computer science. Outside HIGHER, Theo enjoys participating in chemistry-related clubs on campus, writing problems for Berkeley Math Tournament, baking desserts overloaded with chocolate, and solving all sorts of puzzles. He is excited for his first semester at Berkeley and is grateful to be working with such an amazing team!
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Zhuoya Wang
FRESHMAN
Hello! My name is Zhuoya Wang, an international student from China. I have very wide academic interests. Besides Psychology as my intended major, I'm thinking about double majoring in Geology or Art History. I always enjoy learning and exploring new knowledge, so I hope to pursue my PhD in the future. More than assisting the projects about empathy and incivility in the HIGHER Lab, I'm in one ASUC senator's office for marketing work and a charity club where I will dress like a princess to interact with children. In my free time, I love reading Chinese ancient poetry, visiting art museums, and traveling. My most recent goal is to get my driving license, so I can more easily travel to any national park for geology field trips!
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Lydia Kim
SOPHOMORE
Lydia is a sophomore majoring in Psychology with a certificate in Design Innovation. They are passionate about understanding how systemic and individual discrimination perpetuates social inequality, particularly through the impact of implicit biases on intersectional identities. Lydia is also involved with research that studies the contextual factors of racism-related stress and examines the judgment of emotion expressors as a function of the expresser's gender, race, and emotion. On campus, Lydia works at the Student Environmental Resource Center as a Marketing and Communications Associate and enjoys finding new music, baking, and bouldering in their free time.
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Rebecca Ding
SOPHOMORE
Rebecca Ding is a sophomore from Vancouver Canada, intending to major in Psychology and Political Economy with minors in Music and Journalism. Rebecca is captivated by the intricacies of human relationships and the dynamics of human behaviour, along with its relationships with hierarchy and various racial groups. Rebecca believes and continues to exercise communication and stories as a powerful way to bridge gaps and foster understanding and relationships among communities from different backgrounds and cultures. She is beyond excited to be part of HIGHER, to further her knowledge and contributions on racial equality. Outside of research, Rebecca serves as The Daily Californian’s Business Development Manager where she gets to exercise her passion in event planning and fundraising. She hopes to capitalize on every opportunity and experience to give back to the community. In her free time, Rebecca enjoys cooking/eating, shopping, singing/songwriting, discovering new perfumes, skincare, and fashion trends.
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Inderpal Singh
SOPHOMORE
Inderpal Singh is a Sophomore majoring in Political Economy with a concentration in US Inequality. In the future, he hopes to study the field of law and pursue his dream of becoming a Lawyer. He is passionate about studying intersectional discrimination and its associated social/psychological impact on impacted perception and behavior. Inderpal is a Fiat Lux Scholar at UC Berkeley and is currently interning for the association in hopes of promoting higher education among low-income schools across California. On Campus, he is the current co-president, co-founder, and previous junior associate of the Berkeley Sikh Law Association–which aims to equip minority/underprivileged communities with the resources needed to succeed in the field of Law. Additionally, he is also the director of Sikh History for the Sikh Student Association. In his free time, Inderpal enjoys running in the rain, playing the Dilruba, and expanding his knowledge of Punjabi Sikh Literature.
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Mikaela Marquez
SENIOR
Hello! My name is Mikaela Marquez (she/they), and I am a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology at UC Berkeley. During my studies at Berkeley, I have grown interested in understanding how elements of our identities intersect to create varying lived experiences. My research interests include health and wellness practices within “mixed” (e.g. multiracial, multicultural, multiethnic) communities and social inequities tied to the intersection between race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. I am excited to pursue some of my interests through my work in the Stereotype Threat project. Outside of the HIGHER Lab, I organize programming at the Queer Alliance Resource Center and assist in hosting events through the Queer and/or Women’s Anime Association. In my free time, I enjoy baking delicious sweet treats, listening and dancing to a variety of music, and watching anime and other animated media.