Principal Investigator:
Erin Standen, PhD
Dr. Standen’s research examines the facilitators of and barriers to health behavior change, particularly in the areas of eating, physical activity, and weight. She develops and evaluates intervention strategies designed to support people in making desired changes (e.g., reducing sugar intake, increasing physical activity, losing weight), while also aiming to minimize unintended consequences such as weight stigma and stress. She examines the impact of these strategies across a variety of settings, including mobile health applications (e.g., calorie-tracking apps), workplaces, and clinical interactions between patients and healthcare professionals.
As the Director of the SWEL lab, Dr. Standen is recruiting Ph.D. students interested in weight-related interventions, in particular: testing strategies to make them more health-promoting and less stigmatizing to higher-weight people.
Meet Our Team!
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Lorena Nunes, M.S.
Lab Manager
Lorena got her B.S. in Psychological Sciences and M.S. in Neuroscience at WPI, a polytechnic college in Massachusetts. Her research interests are focused on the various facets of health behaviors and health disparities. Her hobbies include running, reading & crocheting!
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Zabrina Sidhu
Student Research Assistant
Zabrina is a senior at Rice majoring in Health Sciences, with minors in Medical Humanities, Biochemistry and Cell Biology, and a Certificate in Spanish. On campus, she spends her time as a Fellow at the Multicultural Center, Captain of Rice Bhangra, and Peer Academic Advisor for McMurtry College. Off campus, Zabrina spends her time volunteering with Food Not Bombs, and leading Pay it Forward, an equity-centered college access initiative providing individualized support to high school students. Passionate about the intersection of health policy, education, and equity, Zabrina aspires to become a physician leader who advocates for accessible, community-centered care.
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Maylin Vo
Student Research Assistant
Maylin is a freshman at the University of Houston studying Biochemical and Biophysical Sciences, passionate about how neurobiology and psychology can improve preventive medicine. Dedicated to community health, she volunteers with UH Cougar Chain to improve health literacy among Vietnamese seniors. In her free time, Maylin enjoys traditional lion dancing, exploring Houston cafes, and taking scenic road trips.
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Linda Woo
Student Research Assistant
Linda is a psychology student at Rice University with a growing interest in health and human behavior. On campus, she is involved in independent research, where she experiments on neutrophils and explores topics related to cognition, memory, and overall well-being. She is also a member of the Best Buddies Club. Outside of her academic work, Linda enjoys swimming, watching movies, and practicing ballet, which help her stay active, creative, and balanced. She is motivated by curiosity and is particularly interested in understanding how psychological and physical health intersect in everyday life, with the goal of applying this perspective to future research and real-world impact.
Lab News
Recently, Dr. Standen presented her research at Rice University School of Social Science’s Research Relay. During this event, new faculty members each had four minutes to showcase their work to a room full of both students and faculty alike. To learn more about this event, click the link below!
Our very own PI has recently been awarded a Faculty Seed Grant from Rice University’s Institute of Health Resilience and Innovation! The IHRI Faculty Seed Grants Program supports Rice faculty in launching innovative, interdisciplinary health research. The purpose of this grant program is to help move promising projects toward future funding and real-world impact in health resilience.
For more information about the IHRI and it’s programs, click on the link below to view their LinkedIn page!
