Life Story Lab

Hope Schroeder, Research Assistant and Lab Manager

Hope is a fourth-year student studying General Psychology with a minor in Early Childhood Studies. Her interest in the Life Story Lab stems from her own experiences with grief and losing multiple loved ones from a very young age. After her own experiences, she became intrigued to understand how the death of a loved one can affect someone’s life and memories. After undergraduate, Hope wishes to pursue a Ph.D. program in child clinical psychology. Hope’s other campus involvements include being a teaching assistant for CLP2001: Personal Growth, volunteer research assistant for the Pediatric Behavioral Health Lab at the University of Florida, and being a Gator-2-Gator Ambassador. In her free time, Hope enjoys reading, spending time with her friends and puppy, and working out at the gym.

Keegan Whitacre, Research Assistant

Keegan is a fourth-year Psychology major with minors in Anthropology and Business Administration. His interest in the Life Story Lab comes from his curiosity on how death shapes our identity and perspective on life. After graduating in Spring 2025, he plans on pursuing a Ph.D. in counseling psychology. For volunteer work, Keegan is a hotline operator at the Alachua County Crisis Center. Other campus involvements include the UF GRiP Pawsthetics team, beach volleyball, and Outdoor Adventure Recreation club. In his free time, Keegan enjoys reading, backpacking, and watching movies.

Gaya Prabhakaran, Research Assistant

Gaya is a third-year student studying Psychology, Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience. Her interest in the Life Story Lab is rooted in the desire to gain wisdom by consciously considering her own death and processing the death of her loved ones who have passed on. She is curious to investigate how compassion, wisdom and peace can grow through such experiences. After graduation in Spring 2026, Gaya hopes to travel and attend graduate school in counseling psychology. Gaya is a certified yoga teacher and teaches yoga at UF RecSports. She also works as a gymnastics coach to young athletes with special needs at Balance 180 Gymnastics. In her free time, she likes to spend time with friends and family, meditate and practice yoga, and run.

Victoria Fernandez, Research Assistant

Victoria Fernandez is a rising third-year Psychology major with a minor in Statistics. Her interest in the Life Story Lab is driven by a deep awareness of her own mortality and a fascination with the unique, complex narratives that shape each individual’s life. A topic that intrigues her is the differences in accepting and coping with death among different cultures and age groups. After completing her undergraduate studies, Victoria plans to pursue a graduate program and build a career in academic psychological research. In her free time, she crafts the soundtrack to her own life story through her passion for music.

Sarah Stander, Research Assistant

Sarah Stander is a second-year Psychology major and BFA Art student, pursuing a certificate in Art Education. Her interest in the Life Story Lab stems from a desire to understand how various experiences with family and memory influence attitudes toward death, as well as how different religious beliefs can shape those perspectives. Her artwork also explores these themes of memory and personal relationships. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school for art and pursue a career art education at the college level. Outside of school, she enjoys baking, weightlifting, going on hikes with friends, and leading a Bible study group.

Isabela Campos Mata, Research Assistant

Isabela is a first-year Psychology student with a focus on Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience. Her interest in the Life Story Lab began because of her desire to explore psychology from a more personal perspective and her interest in understanding how stories shape individuals into who they become. One of the topics that intrigues her the most is how loss affects the sense of self and outlook on the future. After completing her undergraduate degree in 2028, Isabela hopes to attend law school and delve into Intellectual Property and Health Technology law. For volunteer work, Isabela was involved with the library-building program at His House Children’s Home and Joe DiMaggio’s Children’s Hospital.  During her free time, she is an avid reader and enjoys all kinds of music, hanging out with friends, and crocheting.

Nicholas Baron, Research Assistant

Nicholas is a third-year student studying Psychology: Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience. His interest in the Life Story Lab stems from his own experience of listening to the life stories of older individuals in a watershed moment of his life: the privilege of interviewing four Holocaust survivors and learning about their experiences. With a passion in the science of memory, Nicholas hopes to learn about the underlining of how being cognizant of one’s own mortality shapes the way one thinks and prioritizes their memories. After graduating in Spring 2026, Nicholas currently plans to apply to medical schools and match with neurology programs. Nicholas is CPR and First Responder certified, and values learning about life saving measures to be prepared should any unexpected situation arise. In his free time, Nicholas enjoys playing the piano, playing chess, and completing logic puzzles such as sudoku.