Lab Accomplishments
Highlighting achievements, scholarship, and contributions from the R₃ Lab.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Spring 2026
MAY 2026Graduating Lab Members
This semester, four undergraduate research assistants graduated with degrees spanning multiple disciplines. We are excited to see them pursue a variety of next steps, including graduate education and professional opportunities.Top left: Joe Hess, Top right: Jayda Gooch, Bottom left: Morgan Jones, Bottom right: Coffie Mondaine
MAY 2026Department Awards
Dr. Bernard was awarded the David G. McDonald Contributions to Undergraduate Education Award and the Max Meyer Outstanding Junior Faculty Research Award for his contributions to teaching and research.
APRIL 2026Show Me Research Week
Undergraduate student Morgan Jones presented her research project, representing the R₃ Lab at the university's Show Me Research Week.
APRIL 2026Conference Awards
Dr. Bernard received multiple awards from the Society for Research on Adolescence in recognition of his scholarly contributions and commitment to equity-focused research, including the Early Career Research Award and the Inclusion, Equity, and Social Justice Award.
APRIL 2026SRA Conference
Dr. Donte Bernard, graduate student Jennifer Hudson, and undergraduate research assistant Jayda Gooch were invited to Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA) to present their respective research and share expertise.
APRIL 2026Community Presentations
Graduate student Jennifer Hudson presented her research to local youth and community members as part of the I Am a Researcher event, which introduces young people to diverse research fields and highlights the contributions of minority researchers.
MARCH 2026 | APRIL 2026 Thesis Proposals and First Year Milestones
Graduate students India Matthews (left) and Jennifer Hudson (center) successfully proposed master's thesis projects examining impostor phenomenon and internalized racism, respectively. Graduate student Makayla Pollock (right) completed and presented her first-year research project, marking an important milestone in her graduate training.
JANURARY 2026 | FEBRUARY 2026 Travel Awards
Undergraduate research assistant Jayda Gooch (left) was awarded Psychology Majors Research Fund Scholarship and the Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research Award.Graduate student Jennifer Hudson (right) was awarded Dept. of Psychological Sciences IDE Conference/Workshop Award
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Fall 2025
OCTOBER 2025
Impostor Phenomenon Panel
Dr. Donte Bernard hosted a panel for graduate students at the university exploring impostor phenomenon.
AUGUST 2025
The Lab Welcomes a New Graduate Student
Makayla (she/her) earned her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Missouri and worked under Dr. Donte Bernard for 2 years as the lab coordinator. Her research interests center on the effects of racial discrimination in the parent-child relationship (i.e., parental racial worry, racial socialization).
JULY 2025
Comic Con Mental Health Panel
Dr. Donte Bernard was an invited panelist for the panel GeekEd: Geek Out, Breathe In: Using Pop Culture to Support Mental Health On Campus!
JUNE 2025
Graduate students present at BGCP Conference
Graduate students India Matthews (top left), Jennifer Hudson (top right), and Makayla Pollock (bottom left) traveled to Richmond, VA to present their respective research projects at the Black Graduate Conference in Psychology (BGCP)!
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Spring 2025
MAY 2025
Dr. Donte Bernard and Makayla Pollock’s recently published paper won Paper of the Year by the Black Caucus of the Society for Research in Child Development.Paper of the Year
MAY 2025
Graduating Lab Members
This semester undergraduate research assistants LeAndra Rhymes (left) and Hajar Furqan-White (right) their degrees in psychology and respective minors across several disciplines.
MAY 2025
Graduate Student First Year Presentations
Graduate students India Matthews and Jennifer Hudson presented their first-year research project, marking an important milestone in her graduate training.
APRIL 2025
Conference season for the undergraduates
Jayda Gooch (top left), Hajar Furqan-White (top right), LeAndra Rhymes (bottom left), and Joe Hess (bottom right) presented their research at the university's Undergraduate Research Week and attended the Midwestern Psychological Association’s Annual Conference. 
APRIL 2025
Future Leaders in Medicine Youth Summit Workshops
Our lab members teamed up with the local medical school to host mental health workshops for the Future Leaders in Medicine Youth Summit 2025. The workshops centered around identifying emotions, emotion regulation, and impostor phenomenon.
FEBRUARY 2025
College of Arts and Sciences Assistant Professor of the Year
Dr. Donte Bernard was awarded the College of Arts and Sciences Assistant Professor of the Year
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Fall 2024
NOVEMBER 2024
Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies Annual Conference
Dr. Donte Bernard and Makayla Pollock traveled to Philadelphia, PA to present at the Association for Behavioral & Cognitive Therapies Annual Conference (ABCT)!
SEPTEMBER 2024
Graduate School Informational Panel
Graduate student India Matthews was invited, shared advice on the psychology graduate school application process during the Psi Chi Undergraduate Panel. 
SEPTEMBER 2024
Recognition of NSF Fellowship Honorable Mention
Graduate student India Matthews was recognized for her Honorable Mention award for her National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) research proposal. 
AUGUST 2024
The Lab Welcomes a New Graduate Student
Jennifer Hudson (she/her) joins the lab as a graduate student. Jennifer earned her B.A. in psychology from the University of Kansas. Her research focuses on how racial and ethnic identity within the Black community shapes experiences with racism, racial socialization, and identity development.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Spring 2024
MAY 2024
Graduating Lab Members
This semester undergraduate research assistants Nylah McLarren and Da’Leana Sullivan graduated their degrees in psychology and health professions respectively.
MAY 2024
Junior Faculty Research Awardee
Dr. Donte Bernard was awarded the Max Meier Junior Faculty Research Award.
MAY 2024
Outstanding Research Staff Awardee
Makayla Pollock was awarded the Gail Raskin Outstanding Research Staff
JANUARY 2024
NSF GRFP Honorable Mention Awardee
Graduate student India Matthews received the Honorable Mention award for her National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) research proposal examining impostor phenomenon among Black college students.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Fall 2023
AUGUST 2023
The R₃ Lab Welcome its First Graduate Student
India Matthews (she/her) joins the lab as its first graduate student. India completed her B.A. in psychology from Cleveland State University. Her prior work has looked at understanding race-related stress, academic pressure, and internalizing symptoms in high-achieving Black youth.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Spring 2023
MAY 2023
Graduating Lab Members
This semester undergraduate research assistants Nicholas Henigman and Leah Jordan graduated their degrees in psychology and biological sciences respectively.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Fall 2022
AUGUST 2022
The R₃ Lab Welcomes New Undergraduate Research Assistants
Undergraduate students Nick Henigman, Joe Hess, and Leah Jordan, Nylah McLarren, and Da’Leana Sullivan join the lab as research assistants.
AUGUST 2022
The R₃ Lab Welcomes its First Lab Coordinator
Makayla Pollock (she/her) joins the lab as its first lab coordinator. Makayla earned her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Missouri and will be managing the lab’s research projects.
AUGUST 2022
The R₃ Lab is Established
Dr. Donte Bernard joins the university as an assistant professor, establishing the Racism, Risk, and Resilience (R₃) Lab.