Christopher Thomas, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology in the School of Education at the University of Texas at Tyler. He has expertise in research methodologies, academic anxieties, and cognitive dissonance theory. His current research is focused on identifying factors that protect the academic success of students at-risk for academic struggle. He has published on topics in the fields of test anxiety, coping, self-regulation, and emotional intelligence. He also provides community-based presentations detailing best practices for supporting learners with academic anxieties in standard educational settings.
Lab Manager
Jamey Ganske.
I am a psychology major and I am interested in researching test anxiety interventions, conceptual change, and mindfulness. I joined the CALM Lab in the Fall of 2019 to further my research and data processing skills after learning Dr. Thomas’ research interests aligned with my own. After completing my undergraduate degree I plan to attend the University of Texas at Tyler to attain a master’s degree in clinical mental health services.
Research Assistants
Bridgette Fail.
Bridgette is a research assistant in the CALM lab at the University of Texas at Tyler. Bridgette is a senior graduating with her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology in December 2019. Bridgette plans to pursue a master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Bridgette joined the lab to expand her knowledge on research topics related to psychology
Vanessa Nguyen.
My name is Vanessa Nguyen. I am a non-traditional student, I am 30 years old and have a husband and 2 sons. I am an undergraduate Psychology student with a minor in Marketing. I plan to apply to the Clinical Mental Health Graduate program at UT Tyler. I have interests in researching Cultural Identity and how it affects decisions in everyday life and the effects of anxiety and individual coping styles. I am a part of the CALM Lab because it serves as a tool to gain research experience that can be applied in the areas of which I choose to move forward.
Taylor Easterling.
I am a freshman undergrad majoring in interdisciplinary studies with plans to be certified to teach 4th-8th grade science through the UTeach program. The Presidential Fellow Scholarship provided me with the opportunity to join the CALM lab as a Research Assistant.
Leambrea Lewis.
I am a psychology major and I am interested in researching test anxiety, child development, and depression. I am in this lab because I became interested in educational psychology after taking Dr. Thomas’s class. I wanted to get involved in research and learn how to conduct research.
Annina Terho-Streck.
Hello, I am Anniina Terho-Streck and I am a Psychology major. I am currently a senior and will be graduating in May of 2020. I am interested in becoming a Counselor or Social worker, and more specifically working with children. My research interests include mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, PTSD and how they affect a person, as well as prejudice and discrimination and their impact on society, I am also interested in child development. I am working in the lab to gain experience in all aspects of research, gain more knowledge and passion for research.