Research Team
Doctoral Students
Alex Jadidian (Began program in 2009): Alex was born in West Virginia, but raised in Clearwater Florida. He attended the University of Florida (Go Gators!) as an undergraduate, earning a B.S. in Psychology. Concerning research, Alex looks at the effect work volition, or a person's perceived ability to make career choices, and how that affects the person's vocational well-being. Beyond research he enjoys volunteering at the Alachua County Crisis Center, outdoor activities, following UF sports, (Go Gators!) and watching movies.
Carrie Torrey (Began program in 2009): Carrie grew up in a rural community in Upstate New York and relocated to Gainesville for graduate school in the fall of 2009. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Marist College, and worked at Yale University in the Department of Anesthesiology for three years following graduation. She is interested in researching the relationship between employment status and engagement in health behavior, specifically for individuals who are unemployed. When Carrie is not attending to her school responsibilities, you can find her traveling with her husband, running with friends, or cooking whole-wheat chocolate banana bread for exhausted architecture students.
Liza Bott (Began program in 2010): Liza was born and raised in downtown Washington, D.C., and is now happy to call Gator Nation her home. She earned her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology at the College of William & Mary in Virginia and received her M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from Boston College. She is very interested in researching positive psychology and, within that, spirituality, and overall well-being. Liza is currently researching career calling and well-being. While not taking classes and researching, Liza enjoys dancing, socializing, traveling, and making every day activities into adventures.
Blake Allan (Began program in 2010): Blake is from Canada. He grew up in a small town in Ontario but was last living in Vancouver, British Columbia. He has an Honors Specialization in Psychology (B.A.) from the University of Western Ontario. He is interested in positive psychology and its interface with counseling. This includes the study of having a career calling, which he is currently investigating. In his spare time, Blake likes to play guitar, watch movies, hike, socialize, and read. He also likes podcasts, scary movies, mixed martial arts, documentaries, HBO, and books.
