Meet Our Team
Running a study remotely is new for us. Under non-pandemic conditions, we would have the chance to introduce ourselves, so we want to let you know who you'll be communicating with throughout the study. Below you will find brief descriptions of the researchers helping to design and carry out this study, with an emphasis on when you might encounter each of us. If you would like to learn more about our individual training and research interests, you can visit the lab web page here: http://saronlab.ucdavis.edu/people.html.

Clifford Saron, PhD

Co-Principal Investigator

Cliff Saron (he/him) is a core faculty member at the Center for Mind and Brain, the Principal Investigator (PI) of the Saron Lab, and co-PI of this project. You'll be in touch with Cliff if you have questions about the study design, if you'd like to schedule an at-home FedEx pickup for your sample, and in group debriefing sessions, should you choose to participate.

Quinn Conklin, MA

Co-Principal Investigator

Quinn Conklin (she/her) is a 6th-year doctoral candidate in Psychology at UC Davis and is the co-PI of this project. She has been a member of the Saron lab since 2013. You will interact with Quinn when you have questions about the study design,  blood collection procedure, or surveys, and during study debriefing sessions. Quinn will also send your payments.

Amber Davis, PhD

Clinical Consultant

​Amber Davis (she/her) is a Post-Doctoral Scholar at the UC Davis MIND Institute. Dr. Davis is a trauma-informed mental health practitioner and researcher, with a PhD in Social Work from Howard University. Amber has provided clinical support to participants during study debriefing sessions, and has provided insight on how to make the study materials more inclusive.

Prerana Dewan

Research Assistant
Prerana Dewan (she/her) is a 3rd year undergraduate student studying Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior at UC Davis. As a research assistant, she is helping with data collection, participant communication, and qualitative coding of the questionnaires.

Brandon King, PhD

Co-Investigator

Brandon King (he/him) is a Post-Doctoral Scholar in the Saron lab. For this project, he is in charge of preparing and sending the sample collection-kits and is helping with data management. You probably won't interact with Brandon much, but he is keeping things running behind the scenes.

Jue Lin, PhD

Co-Investigator

Jue Lin (she/her) is molecular biologist and Director of the Telomere Biology Core Lab at the UC San Francisco. Jue has been instrumental in developing techniques to measure telomeres and supports studies around the world. She will conduct the telomere assays for this study and has been advising us on how best to collect and store your samples. To learn more about Jue, click here.  

Arielle Limberis, BA

Research Assistant

Arielle Limberis (she/her) is a post-baccalaureate Research Assistant in the Saron lab. Next year she will be starting her Masters degree at Columbia University studying the Science of Spirituality. Arielle is helping to program the questionnaires and is coordinating the shipment of your sample-collection kits and your payments. You'll interact with Arielle via the study email account, and FedEx knows her well!​

Kamilah Majied, PhD

Co-Investigator and
​Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant

Kamilah Majied (she/her) is a Professor in the Department of Social Work at California State University at Monterey Bay. Dr. Majied is mental health therapist, clinical educator, researcher, and internationally engaged consultant on building inclusivity and equity using meditative practices. In this project, Kamilah has helped to create culturally sensitive study materials and will guide the presentation and publication of our findings. She will serve as a clinically trained and trauma-informed resource to participants. To learn more about Kamilah, click here.

Alex Norman, PhD

Co-Investigator

Alex Norman (he/him) was formerly a Post-Doctoral Scholar in the Saron Lab and is a continuing collaborator with the lab. He will be part of the qualitative and open-ended analysis team, looking at and interpreting the responses you provide to the questionnaires once data collection is complete. He is also the Director of the Master of Research programme at Western Sydney University (https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/future/study/courses/research/master-of-research.html).

Cavan Patterson, BS

Research Assistant

Cavan Patterson (she/her) is a Masters student at Dominican University of California in collaboration with the Buck Institute. She has been working with the Saron Lab since she was a UC Davis undergraduate in 2017. Cavan is keeping our spreadsheets up-to-date, and helping to coordinate payments. So you'll may from Cavan through the study email address.​

Jennifer Pokorny, PhD

Co-Investigator

Jen Pokorny (she/her) was formerly a Post-Doctoral Scholar and Project Scientist in the Saron lab and is a continuing collaborator. She will be analyzing the qualitative and open-ended responses you provide to the questionnaires once data collection is complete. She also the chief program officer of the conservation based non-profit, Think Elephants International.
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Alea Skwara, MA

Co-Investigator

Alea Skwara (she/her) is a 7th year doctoral candidate in Psychology at UC Davis and working in the Saron lab. She helped to envision the study and has been helping with odds and ends of many sort while the data are collected. She will help to analyze the data once collection is complete.

Savannah VandenBos, BS

Study Coordinator  

Savannah VandenBos (she/her) is a Junior Specialist in the Saron lab. Savannah Keeps this machine running. You will likely interact with Savannah if  you contact the study email account—though Quinn, Arielle and Prerana help to monitor this account as well. Savannah is also scheduling debriefing sessions, troubleshooting survey issues with Qualtrics support, and keeping track of all of the odds and ends. 

ThanhThanh Vo, BS

Research Assistant

ThanhThanh Vo (she/her) is a post-baccalaureate Research Assistant in the Saron lab. She is helping with data entry and management, and will help to program the follow-up questionnaires.