Lab Faculty
Poppy L. McLeod, Ph.D. is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication. Her research interests focus on group task performance in immersive virtual environments, the role of emotions, identity and language in intergroup communication, and social influence, the development of teamwork skills, and decision-making within task groups. Her teaching includes: introduction to communication; communication, decision-making and theory in small groups; graduate research methods; and leadership development. Poppy earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Social Psychology from Harvard University, and her B.S. in Psychology from Syracuse University.
Students
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Ally Ratkowski-Howe is a junior majoring in Global and Public Health Sciences in the College of Human Ecology, with a minor in Science Communication and Public Engagement. Ally is fascinated by how social environments impact sustainable behaviors and healthy choices. This is her second semester in the GRIP Lab and she is excited to delve into the Lab’s research projects, and to work with the research team. In her free time, Ally enjoys getting outside, doodling, and designing her future tiny house. |
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Izabelle Kwan is a sophomore double majoring in Applied Economics and Management and Communication. This is her first semester in the GRIP Lab. She is fascinated by the variety of experiences and backgrounds contained in groups like the Cornell community and their impact on interpersonal interactions. She is excited to investigate these with the research team. Outside of school, she likes meeting new people, being in nature, and eating good food.
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Carina Garcia is a junior Biological Sciences major in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is from New Jersey. This will be her third semester working at the GRIP Lab. She looks forward to learning more about interpersonal relationships and communication through the lab's projects and collaborations with Professor McLeod and the research team. Outside of the lab, she is a Biology Scholar (BSP) and a writer for The Cornell Healthcare Review. Her hobbies include digital art and jogging.
Ashlee Whittemore is a Junior majoring in Communication in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and minoring in business. This will be her first semester working at the GRIP lab. She looks forward to working with other students in understanding interpersonal communication. Outside of the lab, she enjoys hanging out with her friends and pickleball. |
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Alumni
Dominique Agnew is a senior in CALS majoring in Environment and Sustainability. She is interested in how people of different backgrounds interact and how group dynamics impact people’s interactions and views on the environment. This is Dominique’s sixth semester working in the GRIP lab, as she has been working in the lab since her freshman spring and studied abroad in Australia last semester. She is excited to contribute to the lab for her final year and look forward to working with the new members.
Katherine Yao is a sophomore planning to major in Statistics in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is from Dublin, Ohio, and this is her second semester in the Group and Interpersonal Communication Lab. She is excited to continue to work with everyone in the lab on research involving teamwork and virtual communication. In her free time, Katherine enjoys writing, hiking, and playing tennis.
Ruoxi Li is a junior Psychology major and Communication minor in the College of Arts and Sciences. This will be her second semester working at the GRIP lab. She is interested in factors of success in culturally diverse teams. She looks forward to learning more about literature review, research design, and data analysis with Professor McLeod and other wonderful lab members.
Tianke Zhao is a senior majoring in Communication with a minor in Education. He is originally from Hefei, China, and this is his third semester participating in Prof. McLeod’s Lab. Tianke looks forward to the hands-on research/learning experiences in the lab and aspires to engage with other amazing students. Tianke serves as a Residential Advisor at the Townhouses Community on North Campus outside of lab.
Alston Wang is a senior from Brooklyn double majoring in Communication and Information Science. This is his fourth semester participating in the Group and Interpersonal Communication Lab. He is looking forward to conducting research and understanding organizational psychology in the context of intergroup dynamics. Outside of GRIP lab, his hobbies include playing with his Oculus, running, and playing poker.
Winny Sun is a senior majoring in Communication and minoring in Business and Law and Society. She is interested in social persuasion and influence, decision making in groups, and intergroup dynamics. This is her fourth semester at the Group and Interpersonal Communication Research Lab. She looks forward to working with Professor McLeod and the wonderful team on interesting research projects and cannot wait to collaborate with and learn from each other.
Carmen Chan is a senior Communication major interested in interpersonal communication related to psychological distress and mental health. She joined the GRIP lab her sophomore year Fall and is excited to take on a new role as the lab's lab manager this semester. She is looking forward to creating a positive environment for her lab members and facilitating fun projects and new ideas.
Sophie Cook is a senior Communication major and Business minor. She has been in the GRIP lab since her freshman year and has worked on projects involving avatar mediated negotiation and student teams. She is particularly interested in teamwork and how individual traits affect team dynamics.
Cordelia Jin is a senior majoring in communication and minoring in information science in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at Cornell University. She is originally from New York but grew up in Bangkok, Thailand. This will be her fifth semester in the lab, and she is very excited to continue to participate in the research experience. She is especially interested in studying conflict in groups and group communication, as she has been involved in many different group environments including sports teams and clubs, non-profit and non-governmental organizations, and other various groups with differing dynamics. The GRIP Lab has been nothing short of a spectacular experience for Cordelia, and she is very much excited to return to the lab for her last year at Cornell, and to continue learning from and with everyone! Fun fact: Cordelia and her fellow lab partner, Yutong, presented the lab’s research at the 68th Annual ICA Conference in Prague this past summer!
Julian Robison is a senior majoring in Communication and minoring in Business and Theatre. This is his third semester as a research assistant after working in the lab over the summer. He is the Layout Editor for the Cornell Daily Sun and was seen on stage this fall in The Awakening of Spring at the Schwartz Center.
Debbie Lee is is a junior majoring in Communication and minoring in Business and Information Science. She is interested in the effect of technology on mass and interpersonal communication. She plans on pursuing a career in marketing and brand management in a consumer-centric industry. This is her first semester working in the lab, and she is thrilled to learn more about the factors that impact teamwork and group decision-making processes.
Anastasia Okoye is a senior majoring in Information Science with concentrations in Data Science and Networks, Crowds and Markets and minoring in Business. She is from Howard County, Maryland and this is her first semester participating in the Group and Interpersonal Communication Lab. She is looking forward to learning more about how group dynamics impact communication, conducting, analyzing and drawing conclusions from research, and working with Professor McLeod and the research team.
Yutong Wu is a senior from China, majoring Communication and Information Science. This is her third year working in the Group and Interpersonal Communication Research Lab. She is looking forward to assisting in Professor McLeod's research lab and working with the team of dedicated and energetic students.
Kylie Youk is a senior from Seoul, Korea, majoring in Communication and double minoring in Business and Law. This is her third semester in Professor McLeod’s lab and is excited to join a faculty of passionate students with a common interest in group functions. She aims to do research related to intergroup dynamics and social identity effects this semester. She is particularly interested in the differences and similarities between different ethnic and racial groups across Cornell. Outside of the lab, she serves as the Vice President of Finance in Class Councils and is the Chief Operating Director at Startup Grind. Her hobbies include playing badminton and rock climbing.
Deanika Preuss is a senior Communication major, double-minoring in Business and International Trade and Development. She is interested in strategy and business operations, and joined the lab to gain insights on interpersonal communication and group dynamics to help fortify her people management skills. This is her third semester in the lab and she is excited to continue her research on student team composition as well as to explore several new projects
