People
We work collaboratively with each other and with researchers at DU and other institutions to learn how mind and body intertwine and influence emotional and social outcomes. Read below to learn more about our principal investigator and our graduate students, undergraduate students, and collaborators.
Our Team
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Principal Investigator
Danny McIntosh has been a professor in the Department of Psychology at The University of Denver (DU) since 1992. As an undergraduate at DU, he worked with Bernard Spilka on research in the psychology of religion. Since undergraduate classes in philosophy and psychology, he has been interested in how mind and body are related and influence social and emotional processes. He earned his PhD in Social Psychology at the University of Michigan, studying emotion and coping, mentored by Camille Wortman, Roxane Cohen Silver, Phoebe Ellsworth, and RB Zajonc. Danny is a member of the Affect, Social, and Cognitive science (ASC) area, and he mentors undergraduate students and graduate students in ASC, Child Clinical, and Developmental areas, as well as students in the DU/Iliff Joint Doctoral Program in the Study of Religion. Living most of his life in the Rockies, Danny enjoys nature, time with family, the creative arts, travel, and a good book. Visit his Google Scholar page or download his CV below to learn more about his work.
Download Dr. McIntosh's Curriculum Vitae -
Graduate Students
Michelle Suh
Michelle is a third-year doctoral student in clinical psychology at the University of Denver. She received her BA in Psychology from the University of California – Los Angeles and MDiv from Fuller Theological Seminary. Her current doctoral work focuses on the experiences of “religious dones,” especially around identity, relationship to God, and social connections. She is excited to be a part of the MAB lab and continue her work in integrating religion and psychology. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, doing CrossFit, and traveling.
Brittany Vincente
Brittany is a doctoral student in the Affective, Social, Cognitive (ASC) area advised by Dr. Daniel McIntosh. After receiving her BS in Psychology from DU, she spent 10 years as research manager for a consulting and research firm. During this time, she worked with major video game publishers and developers to increase player engagement and retention through application of motivational principles grounded in Self-Determination Theory. Returning to DU for her doctoral studies, her core research interests include social perception, nonverbal communication, emotion and bias - with an emphasis on determining how perceiver goals and motivations affect these social perceptions. She also places a strong emphasis on increasing her knowledge of statistics and data analysis. In her free time, you can find her spending time with her beagle Buddy or playing tabletop/video games. More information is available at LinkedIn, ORCID, and www.brittany-vincente.com.
Nyah Cubbison
Nyah is a dual degree student at the University of Denver studying for her MA in Research Psychology and completing undergraduate majors in Psychology and Kinesiology with a minor in Wellness. Nyah's passions for fitness and health are reflected in her research on group fitness instructors' emotional well-being to promote continuous advancement of group fitness. Her upcoming research will address the issue of limited exercise access for certain marginalized communities. Nyah is dedicated to sharing the connection between exercise and mental health with those who face societal barriers to movement and those who are unaware of this mind-body relationship. Nyah enjoys writing poetry and songs, reading, painting, salsa dancing, running, and hiking!
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Undergraduate Students & Research Assistants
Sarah Cowden
Sarah is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Denver pursuing a B.S. in psychology with a concentration in cognitive neuroscience. She is a research assistant in the Mind and Body lab at the University of Denver to further her knowledge on nonverbal communication related to cognition and spirituality, and the connections between psychology and physiology. Sarah is also the owner and founder of a small business that specializes in handwoven goods - wovenwithrainbows.com. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and reading.
Ryan Simon
Ryan was born and raised in San Diego, California, and is now in his sophomore year as a psychology major at DU. He is interested in studying topics at the intersection of psychology and religion, such as the psychological effects of secularization. After graduating from DU, Ryan hopes to attend medical school to become a psychiatrist. Ryan is also a huge hockey fan and plays on the DU club hockey team and enjoys reading and exercising in his free time.
Zachary Liu-Walter
Zach is a junior undergraduate student from Williams College, Massachusetts majoring in psychology. He is currently studying Labyrinth walking, a form of mindful movement. Over the summer of 2024, he conducted a Labyrinth walking study with Dr. Daniel McIntosh and the collaboration of Dr. Kevin Ladd from Indiana University South Bend and is working towards getting a research paper published. He is very interested in the integration of science and spiritual practices. Beyond the lab, he runs on the track and cross-country teams and is a part of the Zen club at Williams College. In his free time, he enjoys reading, spending time in nature, and making music. He is on LinkedIn.
Solène Shelley
Solène Shelley is a junior at the University of Denver. She is majoring in psychology and minoring in religious studies. After college, she hopes to be in a position that supports her community in some way. She’s interested in pursuing a master's in counseling psychology. In her spare time she enjoys reading, biking, and baking.
Ryan Bouchard
Ryan is a sophomore undergraduate student studying psychology and biology. After graduating, he is hoping to continue his education in psychology post-grad. In his free time, he enjoys undergraduate student government and improv.
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Collaborators
Dr. Heidi Blocker, Claremont McKenna College Department of Psychological Science
Dr. Brian Gearity, University of Denver Graduate School of Professional Psychology
Dr. Kevin Ladd, Indiana University South Bend Department of Psychology
Dr. Meleah Ladd, Indiana University South Bend Department of Psychology
Dr. Catherine Reed, Claremont McKenna College Department of Psychological Science
Dr. Shelly Smith-Acuña, University of Denver Graduate School of Professional Psychology
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Alumni
Many wonderful people have been on the MAB Lab (and predecessor labs) team as undergraduates, graduate students, and post-docs. They have contributed to their work, communities, and workplaces after leaving the lab. Below is a partial list. (If you are an alumni of the lab and are not listed, please send Danny your information – he’d love to hear from you and put your information below!)
Graduate Alumni
Candace Sorensen
Undergraduate Alumni (Honors, PiNS, etc.)
Micah Bereé
J. Kaplan
Angela Lowrey
M. Paulette Neal
Kimberly Weisser
