Meet the Team

Dr. Sonya Xinyue Xiao (she/her)

Ph.D., Lab Director, Assistant Professor at NAU

I am a developmental scientist studying the development of positive intergroup attitudes, behaviors (particularly prosocial behavior), and relations during childhood and adolescence, with a specific focus on gender and race/ethnicity. My goal is to understand and generate solutions to promote kindness and inclusion and to reduce prejudice and discrimination during development. I also have interests in measurement and statistics to answer these research questions more accurately. I was born and raised in China. I was the "new" kid during elementary, middle, and high school, felt like an outsider in Accounting during college, became a school teacher after that, and again when I transitioned to Psychology in graduate school in America. These experiences drive my interests in kindness and inclusion among diverse individuals.

I earned an M.S. at Syracuse University and a Ph.D. at Arizona State University (ASU). I also completed postdoctoral training at ASU.

In my free time, I enjoy swimming, hiking, creating art, and learning to play piano and tennis.

Our Research Team

Learn about the team dedicated to supporting our research projects.

Mariah Hughes (she/her)

Graduate Research Assisstant

Hi! My name is Mariah Hughes and I am a Masters student in the NAU Psychological Sciences program. My main research interests are emotion regulation, racial discrimination, and developmental psychology. I am working to attend a Clinical PhD program and hope to learn skills focused on adolescents. My hobbies include working out, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

Sarah Green

Graduate Research Assisstant

Hello, my name is Sarah Green, I am a 3 + 2, honors student in the psychological sciences masters program here at NAU. My research interests are mostly in social & developmental psychology, mental health, and quantitative research methods. I am interested in prosocial behavior, political anxiety, hope, civic engagement, academic engagement, moral development/cognitions, and more. Outside of school I enjoy music, mountain biking, baking, art, hiking, roller skating, video games, and much more. My goal is to eventually get my PhD in social or developmental psychology with an emphasis on quantitative research methods.

Andrew Martinez (he/him)

Graduate Research Assisstant

Hello! My name is Andrew Martinez, and I am currently a junior at Northern Arizona University majoring in Psychological Sciences with minors in Social Work and Philosophy. I plan to attend graduate school at NAU through the 3+2 Masters of Arts in Psychological Sciences program and later pursue a Ph.D. In Clinical Psychology. I am passionate about supporting the mental health of adolescents and young adults, as this stage of life can bring unique emotional and social challenges that deserve understanding and care. I am especially interested in research focused on prevention, mental health awareness, and the development of positive coping skills for vulnerable populations. Psychology has always been a subject I deeply care about, and my studies in Social Work and Philosophy help me view mental health from both a social and my reflective perspective, which I hope to apply in my future clinical and research work. In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing guitar, drawing, and skateboarding.

Bella Rios (she/her)

Undergraduate Research Assisstant

Hi! My name is Bella Rios, and I am currently in my second year at NAU pursuing my Bachelor's degree in Psychological Sciences with a minor in Criminology. My goal is to attend graduate school to achieve a master's and eventually a PhD in Forensic and/or Behavioral Psychology with an emphasis on trauma and development in children and adolescents. I hope to work with historically marginalized populations to address systemic psychological issues through behavioral analysis, with a focus on how trauma throughout developmental stages impacts self-sabotaging behaviors within legal implications. I am very passionate about learning more about research, real-world experiences, and benefiting the field of psychology through valuable work! In my free time, I enjoy concerts, shopping, photography, painting, and engaging in my sorority, Gamma Phi Beta!

Corey Rowland (he/him)

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Hi, my name is Corey Rowland, and I am a senior at Northern Arizona University pursuing a bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in Statistics. My goal is to earn a doctorate in Quantitative Psychology and build a career in research, using statistical modeling to help improve people’s lives. In the future, I also hope to work as a professor and help educate the next generation of researchers. I’m passionate about statistics and the role they play in everyday life. I believe everyone can benefit from a foundational understanding for statistical reasoning and data literacy. Outside of academics, I enjoy cooking, sewing, hiking, and spending time with my two cats, Bubba and Missy.