About the Lab |
Lab Values |
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The WISH lab is a group of researchers, mainly undergraduates at the University of Toronto, who study a variety of questions related to well-being, identity, stigma, and health. Our research often takes a Self-Determination Theory approach, examining how social environments support and thwart the basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) to impact well-being.
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We are dedicated to advocating for equity and are committed to ensuring that our lab is diverse, inclusive, and accessible. We welcome applicants from members of all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, religions, ages, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
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Interested in Joining?
If you are interested in joining the WISH lab, please read about the current project (below) and the types of tasks you would engage in if selected to work on each project. Then complete this short application form
Application Deadline: August 15th
Decisions will be announced by: August 25th
Please note: there are MANY excellent students who apply to work in the lab each semester, and unfortunately, we cannot accept everyone who is interested. Nevertheless, we genuinely appreciate the time and effort you put into your application, and we value every student's unique perspective and potential.
Application Deadline: August 15th
Decisions will be announced by: August 25th
Please note: there are MANY excellent students who apply to work in the lab each semester, and unfortunately, we cannot accept everyone who is interested. Nevertheless, we genuinely appreciate the time and effort you put into your application, and we value every student's unique perspective and potential.
Current Projects
Evaluating and improving an inclusive syllabus template: including student Voices
This project aims to enhance a syllabus template grounded in best practices for inclusive teaching and universal design for learning. This initiative seeks to provide a valuable resource for instructors in the UofT psychology department and beyond. To ensure the template meets the diverse needs of all students, we are conducting focus groups to gather feedback from students of various backgrounds and identities. By incorporating student voices, we aim to create a more effective and inclusive teaching tool that will benefit both students and instructors, ultimately impacting hundreds of learners within and outside our department.
Student Roles:
Project Lead: Paniz Salehi
Student Roles:
- Programming Survey
- Recruiting participants and running focus groups
- Coding and analyzing data
- Reviewing literature
- Writing up findings
- Updating syllabus resources
Project Lead: Paniz Salehi
Enhancing Student Success & Well-Being: Supporting Basic Psychological Needs Through Second Year Learning Communities at UofT
The Second Year Learning Communities (SLC) program at the University of Toronto is designed to foster academic and personal growth among second-year students by creating a supportive environment for developing academic interests and networks. Our research investigates how participation in the SLC program impacts students' satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), their motivation, and overall well-being, based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT). We aim to assess whether SLC participants experience greater need support, and, in turn, higher levels of intrinsic motivation, academic satisfaction, and well-being health compared to non-participants.
Project Lead: TBD
Student Roles:
Project Lead: TBD
Student Roles:
- Assisting with REB (Research Ethics Board) proposal
- Programming Survey
- Recruiting participants
- Coding and analyzing data
- Reviewing literature
- Writing up findings
Final-Year Student Burnout in Career Navigation: Applying the Demand-Resource Model
This project investigates the prevalence of and factors associated with burnout among final-year undergraduate students at the University of Toronto as they navigate job and graduate school applications. Utilizing the Demand-Resource Model, we aim to understand how various stressors (demands) and supports (resources) influence student burnout, motivation, well-being, and cognitive performance during this critical transition phase. By administering an online questionnaire, we will measure factors such as parental pressure, financial stress, time constraints, and social support, as well as personal traits like intolerance of uncertainty and hardiness.
Student Roles:
Project Lead: Dorothy Kwok & TBD
Student Roles:
- Assisting with REB (Research Ethics Board) proposal
- Recruiting participants
- Analyzing data
- Reviewing literature
- Writing up findings
Project Lead: Dorothy Kwok & TBD
Motivations for Wearing GAG & Well-Being
This project investigates how the reasons behind the choice to wear or not wear gender-affirming gear (GAG) affect the well-being of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals. We explore whether approach motivations such as seeking gender affirmation and euphoria are associated with higher well-being compared to avoidance-focused reasons such as avoiding negative reactions from others or minimizing discomfort. The study will also examine associations with feelings of authenticity and alignment with one's gender identity.
Student Roles:
Project Lead: Chris Wong
Student Roles:
- Recruiting participants
- Coding and analyzing data
- Reviewing literature
- Writing up findings
Project Lead: Chris Wong
Current Lab Members
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Paniz Salehi (Lab and Project Manager) Paniz (they/she) is in their final year of study at the University of Toronto, majoring in Psychology and minoring in English and Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health. Their interests lie in the intersection of Clinical, Social and Developmental Psychology, and topics of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), Minority Stress and Resilience, and Wellbeing and Mental Health. Within WISH Lab, Paniz is working on a research project with Dr. Ryan, exploring the efficiency of EDI-informed syllabi within university courses and classrooms from the students' perspective, with a vision to promote inclusive pedagogical practices. Connect with Paniz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/panizsalehi/ Jennifer Yu (Lab Manager) Jennifer is completing her final year of study at the University of Toronto, specializing in psychology research. Her passion lies in mental health and the intersection of diverse identities. She joined the WISH Lab as an independent project student, examining the complex interplay between queer identities, resilience, and wellness. In her current role as lab manager, Jennifer continues her research on health and well-being among sexual minorities while supporting the lab’s learning environment by serving as a resource and mentor to junior students. Chris Wong (Independent Project Student) Chris is a fifth-year undergraduate student in the Psychology Specialist program. His independent research project, supervised by Dr. Ryan in the WISH lab, investigates the motivations for wearing or not wearing gender-affirming gear and its impact on the well-being of transgender and gender-diverse individuals. Aspiring to pursue graduate studies in clinical or counselling psychology, Chris aims to expand his research to address the diverse needs of 2SLGBTQ+ populations, with a focus on enhancing their psychological well-being and quality of life in future clinical and counselling research and practice. In his spare time, Chris enjoys singing, playing the piano, and watching musical theatre—though free time is a rarity at U of T. Bruce Zhang (Independent Project Student) Bruce is a fourth-year undergraduate double majoring in Psychology and Biology with a minor in Statistics. His interests lie in psychological and physical well-being, educational methodologies, and the relationship between the environment, communities, and social groups. His future career goals include developing and implementing improved policies and programs within communities to enhance psychological and physical health. At the WISH lab, Bruce's research focuses on investigating how Second-year Learning Communities at the University of Toronto promote student well-being and enhance academic performance by fulfilling basic psychological needs as outlined in the Social Deterministic Theory. Charm Lee (Independent Project Student) Charm is a fourth-year undergraduate student in the Psychology Research Specialist program. Her research interest lies in organizational behavior and workplace well-being. She is also passionate about and currently conducting another line of research examining singlehood stigma, identity, and well-being. Outside of the lab, she enjoys exploring new places in the city, making matcha, and watching a good movie or series. Georgia Roberts (Volunteer) Georgia is a second-year university student specializing in psychology with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry. She is passionate about exploring how inclusive practices can create more equitable work and school environments. This year, Georgia will be working with the WISH lab as a volunteer research assistant. In her free time, she enjoys reading and baking, which provides a creative balance to her academic and research interests. Kate Pallett (Volunteer) Kate is a second-year Psychology Specialist student at the University of Toronto. She recently joined the WISH lab in September 2024 as a volunteer research assistant. Kate is passionate about clinical psychology, particularly the effects that environmental factors have on mental well-being, and plans to pursue graduate studies in this area. Outside of the lab, Kate enjoys rock climbing and playing video game soundtracks on the piano. Lucy Jeong (Independent Project Student) Lucy (she/her) is a fifth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and Human Biology, with a Business Fundamentals certificate at UofT. Her academic pursuits are centred on exploring human interactions in work environments from a psychological perspective. Specifically, she is interested in investigating employee well-being, organizational culture and climate, and workplace diversity. Her current independent project explores the impact of pay dispersion on employees’ three Basic Psychological Needs, as defined by Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Andy Jiang (Independent Project Student) Andy is an undergraduate student specializing in psychology at the University of Toronto with a passion for improving workplace experiences. His research interests focus on assessments and well-being in the workplace. At the WISH Lab, Andy is conducting an independent project exploring the relationship between work hours and employee well-being, while also investigating potential moderators that influence this relationship. Sanje Park (Volunteer) Sangje is a second-year undergraduate student who is currently enrolled in the Psychology specialist program and Industrial Relations & Human Resources major program. His scholarly interest covers social, personality, and developmental psychology, economics, human resources, organizational behaviour, and philosophy. Integration of these interest areas drives his academic journey. |
Lab Alumni (Alphabetical Order)
- Mai Kondo
- Catherine Clarke
- Crystal (Yujing) Zhu
- Dorothy Kwok
- Jun (Tim) Huang
- Aaliyah Mulla
- Adam Klar
- Anastasia Shao
- Ange Meng
- Annabelle Moore
- Anoma Shetty
- Chanel Fu
- Emily Wang
- Justine Purcell
- Kohle Handleman-Kerman
- Leila Farrow
- Maisha Maliyat
- Matthew Landon
- Marta Bogacki
- Muntaha Quaid
- Sai Vipin Nikam
- Yuhao (Carlos) Wang
- Yusra Shafi