Meet our current team!
Ryan Hill, PhD - Lab Director
Ryan Hill is a professor in the Department of Psychology at LSU and a licensed psychologist in the state of Texas. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Psychology, then received his masters and doctoral degrees in clinical science of child and adolescent psychology from Florida International University. He is the head and founder of the Research for Suicide Prevention Lab. His research interests are focused on suicide preventions among child, adolescent, and emerging adult populations. This includes more specific areas of interest such as examining interpersonal processes as they relate to the development of suicidal thoughts, developing web-briefed interventions to reduce suicidal risk and enhance resilience, and studies to prevent suicide among underrepresented and underserved populations. For more information on his recent publications, click here or visit his faculty page here.
Austin Starkey, B.S., Graduate Student Researcher
Austin is a third-year graduate student in Dr. Ryan Hill's Suicide Prevention Research Team. After graduating with a B.S in Psychology and Sociology from Florida State University, he worked as a research associate with the Suicide and Trauma Reduction Initiative for VEterans (STRIVE) where he worked with Dr’s. Craig Bryan, Justin Baker, and Lauren Khazem. His research interests include the adaptation and development of suicide-specific interventinos for adolescents and young adults.
You can contact Austin through his email: astar32@lsu.edu
Tyler Hendley, M.A., Graduate Student Researcher
Tyler Hendley is a third-year clinical psychology student on Dr. Ryan Hill’s Suicide Prevention Research Team. Tyler received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Clemson University in 2020 and graduated from the Post-Baccalaureate Clinical Fellowship at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School in 2022. His research interests include suicide prevention in child and adolescent populations, examining interpersonal processes as they relate to suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and firearm violence related to school and mass shootings. In his free time, he likes to golf, attend sporting events, and listen to live music.
You can contact Tyler through his email: thendl1@lsu.edu
Zoran Allen, B.S., Post-Bacc Research Assistant
Zoran is a recent graduate of Louisiana State University, having received his B.S. in Psychology with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience and a double minor in Biological Sciences and Italian Language. He aspires to become a clinical psychologist and has particular interest in the therapeutic potential of psilocybin. Through his involvement with the SPRT, he aims to deepen his understanding of the contemporary theoretical models of suicide and gain hands-on experience in the design and execution of social science research. A fun fact about Zoran is that, as a fluent Italian speaker, he is planning to complete a masters degree in psychology in Italy.
You can contact Zoran through his email: zallen4@lsu.edu
Nicholas Wilcombe, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Nicholas is a third-year Psychology major at LSU with a minor in Chemistry. He aspires to go into psychological research, and is interested in researching ADHD and autism. Through his involvement in the SPRT, he hopes to learn more about the factors that put socially marginalized groups at a higher risk for suicide. In his free time, Nicholas enjoys playing the bass, and cuddling with his cat, Dracula.
Katherine Gladney, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Katherine is a third-year undergraduate student at Louisiana State University pursuing a major in Psychology with a concentration in Cognitive Neuroscience. She hopes to go to medical school to become a physician. In the SPRT lab, she is looking forward to gaining clinical experience and learning more about the research process in suicide prevention. Katherine's fun fact is that she a member of the drumline in the LSU Tiger Band.
Madelyn Long, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Madelyn is a second-year undergraduate student at Louisiana State University majoring in Forensic Psychology with a minor in Criminology. She plans to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and to work in the law enforcement field as a psychologist. She is interested in research regarding severe mental disorders and crisis intervention at the adolescent level. During her time with the SPRT lab, she hopes to gain valuable research experience and make a difference when it comes to suicide prevention. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family, nerd out to the Hamilton Soundtrack, and overspend in the Lowe’s garden section.
Ursula Chindia, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Ursula is a third-year undergraduate student at Louisiana State University majoring in Psychology on the Pre-Med track. She hopes to go to medical school and become a general surgeon. In the SPRT Lab, she hope to gain more research experience and help contribute to research regarding protective factors against suicidal ideation. A fun fact about Ursula is that she knows how to tap dance.
Olivia Kerry, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Olivia is an undergraduate student at Louisiana State University majoring in psychology with a minor in French. While she is still exploring the specific direction of her career path, her interests include clinical psychology and neuropsychology. She’s excited to deepen her understanding of the mind and gain experience in behavioral research. Outside of academic pursuits, she enjoys traveling, spending time with friends, and playing with her cat Mavis!
Former Lab Members
Lillian Sims, BA
Thais Wise, BA
Blake Vieyra, BA
Zain Hussain, BA
Kaylee Perkins, BA
Janie Morgan, BA
Jaidyn Procell, BA
Ava Wood, BA
Madison Williams, BA
Ruth Nolen, BA
Aaron Gotte, BA
Caleb Yaccarino, BA
Corinne Lobell, BA
Brityn Strickland, BA
Sophia Abbahou, BA
Carter McCray, BA
Arya Menon, BA
Amelia Todd, BA
Jackson Bolner, BA
Alyson Rivers, BA
Elizabeth Frait, BA
Shania Winchester, BA
Alena Knieper, BA
Ky Trahan, BA
Isabel Crumley, BA
Adam Vedros, BA
Frequent Collaborators
Mitigation of Suicidal Behavior (MOSB) Lab, Dr. Raymond Tucker
Anxiety and Trauma Research Program, Dr. Daniel Capron
SPRT often collaborates alongside the MOSB lab, led by Dr. Raymond Tucker and the Anxiety and Trauma Research Program, led by Dr. Daniel Capron. Both labs are interested in suicide prevention, with MOSB focusing on the testing and adaptation of theoretical models of suicide, the creation of new suicide risk assessment tools, and the identification of unique suicide risk and resilience factors in diverse populations.
Dr. Tucker is an associate professor of psychology at Louisiana State University and a licensed clinical psychologist. For more about the MOSB Lab, visit their lab site. To read a recent guest column in the LSU Reveille about suicide prevention written by Max Stivers, a graduate student in the MOSB lab, click here. Dr. Capron is an associate professor of psychology at Louisiana State University. For more about the Anxiety and Trauma Research Program, visit their lab site.