PERSONNEL

Director

Kyle De Young Ph.D.

I have a variety of research interests that try to take advantage of available resources and the interests of the current graduate students in my lab. Left to my own devices, I gravitate towards examining the bidirectional relation between biobehavioral circadian regulation and binge eating. I'm also fascinated by state-level moderators of the restraint-restriction link and how those moderators can be understood to facilitate healthy eating behavior and how they may also be the tools of restrictive eating disorders. Finally, I've had long-standing interests in characterizing the course of eating disorders, psychometrics, and latent variable modeling, particularly with intensive, longitudinal data.

Graduate Student Researchers

Chris Mancuso, M.S.

Clinical Graduate Student

I am a fifth year Clinical Psychology graduate student from Boston MA. I received by B.S. in Psychology from The University of Vermont. Following graduation, I began a clinical role at McLean Hospital as a residence counselor at the Klarman Eating Disorders Unit. I subsequently transitioned to a research role at Massachusetts General Hospital working as a coordinator on a multidisciplinary study examining the underlying biologic factors contributing to the development and maintenance of low-weight eating disorders. My current research interests include how hormonal factors, such as appetite regulating hormones, play a role in food choice across eating disorders. I spend a good majority of my time (happily) tending to my dog, Ravioli. When he and I are not playing chess and drinking coffee we enjoy hiking, rock climbing and skiing. And also being around other people and dogs.

Sam Bedard, M.S. (she/they)

Clinical Graduate Student

I am a third-year graduate student from Syracuse NY. I received my B.S. in Psychology & Human Development at the University at Albany, where I studied under the mentorship of Dr. Julia Hormes and Dr. Drew Anderson. After graduating, I moved to Louisville, KY to work as a Study Coordinator at the EAT Lab and Louisville Center for Eating Disorders. My research program in graduate school is broadly focused on biopsychosocial factors that might explain the occurrence of eating disorder psychopathology in the context of structural and social inequity. I am also interested in the development and evaluation of psychometric assessments. My NSF GRFP involves testing a chronobiological model of food insecurity and executive dysfunction among undergraduates. In my free time, I enjoy hiking in the Rockies, tending to my houseplants and two free-roaming rabbits, reading fiction, and (whenever possible), doing absolutely nothing.

Lindsay Gillikin, B.A. (she/her)

Clinical Graduate Student

I am a second-year Clinical Psychology graduate student. I received my B.A. in Psychology and Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies from Ohio State University. Following graduation, I worked as a Research Coordinator at Drexel University’s WELL Center for three years. My research interests focus on understanding mechanisms that maintain eating disorders among marginalized populations, particularly among the LGBTQ+ community. My NSF GRFP project aims to use an experimental paradigm to investigate whether minority stress processes cause binge-like eating behavior among sexual and gender minority young adults. In my free time I enjoy practicing yoga, figure skating, hanging out with my three cats (Ivy, Violet, and Lemmy), and playing roller derby.

Undergraduate Student Researchers

Hannah Linford (she/her)

Lab Manager

I am from Evanston, Wyoming and I'm a class of 2024 undergraduate Psychology major with a minor in Honors. I have always taken great interest in observing people and trying to understand how we function, and in my first semester in college, I realized I could base my career on studying these interests! I plan to pursue a graduate degree in Clinical Neuropsychology. I have been working in the UW Eating Behaviors Lab since Spring 2022 and I have loved every aspect of it. In my free time, I love making music and art, crocheting, reading, going out to eat and watching shows/movies!

Rebecca Lockhart

Lab Manager

I am from Goodland, Kansas and I am currently in my senior year here at the University of Wyoming. I am majoring in Biology and Psychology with minors in Zoology and Honors. I have always been very interested in psychology, especially in psychopathologies and how they relate to biology. I was drawn to the Eating Behaviors Lab because I wanted to learn more about a variety of eating behaviors and what drives them, as well as get a chance to participate in the research process. As an undergraduate Lab Manager, I help train new research assistants and coordinate the Caffeine, Caffeine Attitudes, and Eating Behaviors Study. After my bachelor's, I intend to go on to graduate school for Clinical Psychology. In my free time, I love to crochet and rock climb.

Sheldon Williams

Research Assistant

I'm an undergraduate senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Honors. I've lived in Laramie my whole life, with the exception of half a year in Finland and a few months in Oregon. When I first joined the lab, I was uncertain how much I really enjoyed research, but wanted to explore it more out of curiosity. The many opportunities the lab has given me to participate and conduct research, however, have shown me just how much I enjoy it! One of my favorite things about studying psychology is how multidisciplinary it is; I get the opportunity to learn about cognition, behavior, biology, math, statistics, and even some computer science! The lab has given me opportunities to explore all these areas and more, something which I'm very grateful for. I'm unsure what my plans are after college, but I have a feeling graduate school will be something I'll pursue in the future. I'm currently working on my senior Capstone thesis for my Honors minor in the lab, looking at the link between Heart Rate Variability and Attention.

Jaisley Mathes

Research Assistant

I am an undergraduate at the University of Wyoming set to graduate in 2026. I have always been extremely interested in eating disorders, why they occur, and how they are most effectively treated. I hope to someday enter the psychology field and treat eating disorders of all kinds, so when I ended up in Professor DeYoung's general psychology class, I jumped at the opportunity to join his lab. I have learned a lot and hope to keep learning and eventually use this knowledge to help people all over.

Carter Worcester

Research Assistant

I am currently a second-year undergraduate student studying Psychology with minors in Honors and Sociology. Psychology has been a core interest of mine for the past few years, and after graduating in 2026 I hope to pursue a master's degree in clinical psychology and work as a therapist. The Eating Behaviors Lab has given me so much experience and insight into the research process, and I hope to use that knowledge to better myself and help others as I continue through the field. When I'm not in the lab, I'm working as a Senator for ASUW doing my best to serve student interests year to year. I'm also an avid chess player and the president of the Chess Club UW and Racquetball Club. I like tea, sleeping, and ranting about fictional stories.

Lab Alumni

Mary Zander, Ph.D.

Terra Towne, Ph.D.

Erin Mertha-Berg, Ph.D.

Ali Thiel, Ph.D.

Nicole Della Longa, Ph.D.

Angeline Bottera, Ph.D.

Evelyna Kambanis, Ph.D.

Taylor Perry

Nicole Johnson

Krystal Badillo

Lindsey Hovrud

Sean Batenhorst

Elianna Paninos

Jackie Ralph

Zoe Stone

Piper Thompson

Chloe Nelson

Mikayla Rodrigues

Ashlee Jensen

Alyssa Jordan

Emma Gulkin

Torin Rueter

Elena Harmon