Current Members
Dr. Jeff Parker
Dr. Parker is a developmental social psychologist whose research explores children’s and adolescents’ experiences and adjustment with friends and other peers. Dr. Parker has also been extensively involved in bullying prevention and reduction efforts in middle schools and regularly conducts workshops on these topics for students, teachers, and other professionals.
Amber Ingram
Amber received her B.A. and M.A. from the University of Alabama.  Her research interests involve understanding different aspects of adolescents’ peer relationships. Additionally, she is interested in understanding foster children's friendship experiences and factors that influence adolescents' civic engagement. Amber is a 2019-2020 Schweitzer Fellow. Her project is focused on teaching at-risk youth how to advocate on behalf of abused, abandoned, and feral animals.
Alumni
Blake Nielsen
Blake's research at Alabama explored children's and adolescents' experiences with their friends and other peers. His dissertation focused on the roles that parents played in promoting their children's self-esteem and prosocial behavior.
He is now an Assistant Professor at Monmouth College in Illinois.
Hwaheun Kim
At UA, Hwaheun broadly studied how children and adolescents' characteristics affect their friendship experiences as well as how friendship influences their social development. Hwaheun earned her Ph.D. in 2018 and is now working as an Assistant Professor in Bakersfield, California.
Kate Massey
Kate received her BA in 2014 from Elon University with a major in Psychology and minors in Human Service Studies and Religious Studies. Her research interests include adolescents' friendships, individual characteristics that affect friendship experiences, and the impact of peer relationships on social development. Kate earned her Ph.D. in 2021 and lives in Huntsville with her husband.