LAB MEMBERS
Lab Director
IVAN VARGAS, PH.D.
Dr. Ivan Vargas completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program and the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Vargas' research interests focus on the etiology and treatment of insomnia. For example, his research is currently supported by an NIH career development award funded by the National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute (K23HL141581). His work also includes a number of other projects that evaluate behavioral interventions for sleep (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia or CBT-I).
JAMIE WALKER, MA
Jamie Walker is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at The University of Arkansas. She received her M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Texas Woman’s University and her B.A. in Sociology from The University of Texas at Arlington. Her Master’s thesis explored the relationships between Depression, Resilience, and Coping Strategies. Jamie has broad research interests in Health Psychology and Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Her work examines the biopsychosocial correlates of sleep and health, with a focus on the underlying mechanisms at the intersection between insomnia, stress, inflammation, and chronic illness.
MARA EGELER
Graduate Students
Mara Egeler is a first-year student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Arkansas. She completed her undergraduate studies at Saint Mary’s College in Indiana where she earned her B.A. in Psychology. Mara is interested in Behavioral Sleep Medicine and looks to focuses her research on the relationship between insomnia, depression, and cardiovascular health.
VERONICA HIRE
Undergraduate RAs
Veronica is Senior from Denver, CO and is currently working towards getting her BA in Psychology with a minor in history. Her future educational goals are to attend graduate school and obtain a PhD in Experimental Psych. Her research interests include Bystander effect and Intervention type during situations of Sexual Assault involving college students.
HOPE SNYDER
Hope is a sophomore Psychology major from Little Rock, AR. Her research interests include the psychoneuroendocrinology of mental and physical health conditions. She hopes to attend medical school after her undergraduate studies. Outside of school she enjoys figure skating, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
Koushik is a junior Psychology major from Coppell, TX. His post-undergraduate goal is to attend medical school. His research interests include looking into the benefits of mindfulness techniques in the treatment of sleep disorders and seeing if the findings can be applied to the treatment of non-sleep-related illnesses. Outside of classes, he enjoys spending time with friends and family and watching movies.
KOUSHIK THUDI
Jessica is from Houston, Texas and a junior at the University of Arkansas . She’s pursuing a double major is psychology and criminology with future goals of obtaining a PhD in clinical psychology with a specialized focus in neuropsychology. She hopes to do research in neurological disorders within adolescents.
JESSICA BELL
Anna Camille Stoddard is from Memphis, Tennessee and is a senior Psychology major with a minor in Human Development and Family Science. She is looking forward to graduating next spring and is hoping to attend a graduate school program for Clinical Psychology. Anna Camille is interested in psychological research and is hoping to use her knowledge and studies in the future to improve people’s mental health and overall well-being.
