The Mesler Lab Team.

Senior Research Assistant

Sydney Chertoff has been part of the Mesler Lab team since September 2023. Her research focuses on personality traits and non-verbal behavior. She graduated from Canisius College with her Bachelors of Science in Animal Behavior Ecology and Conservation and Psychology in the All-College Honors Program, graduating Summa cum laude . She then received her Master of Science from the Psychology Department at the University of Lethbridge and currently in her fourth year of her PhD in the Department of Psychology at the University of Lethbridge. She is co-supervised by Dr. Rhiannon Mesler and Dr. Jean-Baptiste Leca. Using her background studying non-human primates via an ethological perspective, she enjoys bridging the gap the between human-based and non-human based research. Outside of the lab, she has worked as the Executive Director of the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group and volunteered for multiple community based events. Passionate about workers’ rights, she is a current member of the bargaining committee for the Graduate Student Union at the University of Lethbridge. She is committed to conducting research using an ethological approach regardless of the species to gain a deeper, evolutionary understanding of non-verbal, seemingly purposeless, potentially coping behaviors.

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Research Assistant

Seraphin Yip has been part of the Mesler Lab team since September 2023. Her research focuses on hierarchy beliefs, food-related behaviours, personality traits, and rule-breaking. She graduated from the University of Lethbridge in May 2024 with a BMgt in Marketing and a BSc in Psychology, both with Great Distinction, a coop designation, and nine scholarships. Outside of the lab, she has worked with various nonprofit organizations, including Building Brains Together, ORS Council, and Child Haven International. She is committed to becoming a registered psychologist, driven by her passion for understanding human behaviour, and bridging gaps between research and practice.

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MITACS Research Intern

Daisy Jackson joined the Mesler Lab team as a summer Mitacs intern for three months. She is entering her third year of undergraduate studies in Psychology at the University of Durham (UK) and has a particular interest in applying Psychology to marketing. During her time in the lab, she has focused on cancel culture and boycotting behaviours, an area she is considering pursuing. Next year she looks forward to the Psychology in Law module, with the possibility of pursuing a law conversion course afterward. Outside of her academic pursuits, Daisy is an active member of the Durham Union Society where she attends weekly debates featuring prominent speakers including MPs, discussing various topics. She enjoys being able to think critically regarding societal issues and pass judgement after hearing from experts in the field.

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MITACS Research Intern

Alejandra Sierra Guerra has been part of the Mesler Lab team since July 2024 as part of her MITACS internship. She holds a Bachelor of Marketing from the University of Los Llanos. Her research focuses on sustainable consumption dynamics, social psychology, and organic product marketing. Outside the lab, Alejandra actively participates in various volunteer activities, including public area cleanups, tree planting, and animal rescue. She has a particular interest in social marketing and consumer profiling research, aiming to contribute to a better understanding of consumer behavior and promote more sustainable consumption practices.

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MITACS Research Intern

Maria is a psychology student Konrad Lorenz University, with complementary studies in Political Science. Maria joined the lab in June 2024 for her Mitacs Internship. Her research focuses on the effects of political orientation and system justification in interpersonal financial decision-making. Maria has research experience and interest in political, consumer, and social psychology, including topics related to emotions within conflict, transitional justice, peacebuilding and political orientation. Maria is also a research assistant for the project Generation Peace within the Helping Kids! Lab at the University of Dublin. Outside of academia, Maria has a career in corporate and works for Alkhorayef Petroleum as a Senior Assistant for the Latam Vice President. Maria aspires to obtain a PhD and develop a career in political and consumer psychology.

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Research Assistant

Zandria Bates has been part of the Mesler Lab team since May 2021. Her work to date focuses on scarcity, self-control, personality, and food-related behaviors. Zandria has co-authored two published articles in Food Quality and Preference during her time with the lab. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Management with a major in Marketing and a concentration in Socially Responsible Marketing Practices from the University of Lethbridge. Outside of the lab, she has provided marketing services to several Southern Alberta small businesses and non-profits. She aspires to work in the non-profit sector after graduation.

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MITACS Research Intern

Yang Gao has been part of the Mesler Lab team since July 2023 for his MITACS internship. His primary research focuses on social identity and political orientation within consumer behaviour. Yang is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Management (Marketing) at Huazhong Agricultural University. Outside of the lab, Yang has actively participated in field research at the Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy of China Agricultural University and has gained practical experience in client management and conducted feasibility analyses during his internship at the China Development Bank. Yang's ultimate goal is to obtain a PhD and contribute to enhancing consumer well-being in the field of marketing and management.

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MITACS Research Intern

Imaan Haider has been part of the Mesler Lab team since May 2023. Her work to date focuses on types of behaviours in response to brand activism and motivation for said behaviours. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Durham University and hopes to continue into a Masters for behavioural science. Outside of the lab, she has worked part time for 4 years in the National Health Service in England, and for the past year has acted as the Welfare Officer for Durham University Desi Society. She aspires to obtain a PhD and work within the field of psychology for public services.

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MITACS Research Intern

Yaroslava Volynska has been part of the Mesler Lab team since May 2023 for her MITACS internship. The main focus of her work is studying cancel culture, online disinhibition, and related online behaviors. Yaroslava is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Political Science in her home University (Kharkiv Karazin National University). She is interested in the topics of cooperation between citizens and government, local governments, and NGOs. Outside of the lab, she is continuing her work with Ukrainian non-profits, local communities, and media in the public sector in cooperation with colleagues from Poland and Ukraine. Yaroslava’s goal for the future is to be the part of a large-scale project in decentralization reform as a project manager.

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