(The HINTS Lab)
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Peter H. Kahn, Jr. is Professor in the Department of Psychology and the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, and Director of the Human Interaction with Nature and Technological Systems (HINTS) Laboratory at the University of Washington. He is also Editor-in-Chief of the academic journal Ecopsychology. His research seeks to address two world movements that are powerfully reshaping human existence: (1) The degradation if not destruction of large parts of the natural world, and (2) unprecedented technological development, both in terms of its computational sophistication and pervasiveness. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. His publications have appeared in such journals as Science, Developmental Psychology, Human-Computer Interaction, Environmental Health Perspectives, Child Development, and Journal of Systems Software, as well as in such proceedings as CHI, HRI, and Ubicomp. His 5 books (all with MIT Press) include Technological Nature: Adaptation and the Future of Human Life (2011). |
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Thea Weiss is currently a doctoral student in Developmental Psychology at the University of Washington. She received dual B.A.’s (2014) in Neuroscience and English Literature from the University of Southern California. She has done research in emotion and cognition as well as theory of mind, and has worked as both a certified personal trainer and as a Registered Behavior Technician assisting children with Autism. The questions now guiding her research center upon the precarious position humanity finds itself in as a result of our technological affordances and conveniences. She seeks to understand the human condition through two primary research trajectories: 1) The technological mediation of nature through Virtual and Augmented Reality, and 2) The human interaction with artificial agents embodied in robotic and virtual forms. As the human relationship to the physical and social world is progressively mediated through technology, an understanding of the developmental implications for such a paradigm shift in the lived experience of the human mind and body becomes increasingly necessary. |
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Carly Gray is a fourth-year doctoral student in developmental psychology at the University of Washington. Her research interests center on the physiological and mental health effects of young people’s interaction with nature, especially regarding the development of emotion regulation, coping, and resilience. Her current research projects include 1) a longitudinal investigation of the effects of time spent in nature during COVID-19 on young girls’ health and psychological well-being, 2) the conceptual and empirical investigation of a state of being we expect can readily occur in nature, Presence, and 3) an analysis of adolescents’ relationships with nature at a permanent children’s home. In the future, she hopes to compare how young people use natural and technological environments for emotion regulation. Previously, Carly has been a research assistant on an intervention study on family communication and conflict resolution, worked in adolescent inpatient mental health treatment, and worked as a multi-day kayak guide for a non-profit working with adolescents and young adults. |
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Sarena Sabine is a second-year doctoral student in Developmental Psychology at the University of Washington. She graduated with honors from Bowdoin College in 2019 with a major in Psychology and Environmental Studies. She then worked as a Research Associate in Psychology at Bowdoin College, where she found that a multi-week nature imagery intervention benefited students’ well-being. She has also been involved in research collaborations on the mental health effects of Covid-19 on college students, and the role of pedagogical instruction on children’s ecological thinking and behavior. Her current research interests revolve around understanding the psychological impacts of immersive experiences in nature, and the implications of mental states elicited from these experiences. With plans to pursue a minor in Quantitative Psychology, she is also interested in scale development and is currently working with the HINTS Lab to develop a scale for a new construct, Presence, that may be relevant to the growing Nature and Health field. |
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Chrystal Dunker is a doctoral student in Environmental Studies at Antioch University New England. A former executive director of a regional non-profit environmental education center in southern Minnesota, she brings her love of teaching and working with youth while exploring the natural world to her studies on human-nature connection. Her research interests draw from the theoretical fields of ecopsychology, environmental psychology and conservation psychology and are focused on the therapeutic, if not essential, psychological and physiological well-being outcomes derived from a human-nature relationship particularly for children and especially for those considered at-risk. Her interest in working with Dr. Peter Kahn and the HINTS Lab centers on how nature interaction patterns and an associated nature language can be applied to the design and evaluation of nature-based educational programs. She is fundamentally interested in exploring what having a nature language and associated interaction patterns allow us to communicate to others about the importance of a human-nature bond in light of an increasing decline in children's experience with natural environments and the implications for human flourishing. |
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Yumeng is a Master’s student in Learning Sciences & Human Development at the University of Washington. He received his B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in Education, Community, and Organization from the University of Washington. In his honors Psychology thesis, Yumeng found that with a Chinese group of high school students, experiencing virtual reality of bountiful nature (vs. a window view of urban meagre nature) improved attention and reduced psychological stress. Yumeng is also interested in culturally relevant pedagogy, and aims to help educators build culturally diverse and culturally safe environments for students. He believes that nature and culture are two closely connected essential elements of people’s lives, and perceives culture as the nature of human beings. Yumeng hopes his research can help people preserve natural environments and cultural diversity. |
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Ken Kavin is a trilingual second-year undergraduate student pursuing his B.A. in Psychology at the University of Washington. Ken is working as a research assistant in the HINTS Lab, helping to create a psychological scale to measure Presence. Presence has been shown, both in his life and literature, to positively correlate with improved mental health and well-being. He, therefore, strives to put forward a vision of what human consciousness can be, and share insights on this state of being with the world. Ken is also particularly interested in how Presence relates to different forms of meditative practices and is most intrigued by the theoretical and philosophical discussion of Presence and its scale development. His goal in Psychology is to bring humanity back to those whose voices have been robbed due to stigmatization and advocate for inclusion and diversity in all its forms. Outside of the lab, you may find Ken meticulously setting quicks, soulfully acting on stage, ferociously debating resolutions, or devotedly filming his directorial debut. |
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Sofia Redondo is an honors undergraduate pursuing her B.S. in Psychology with an emphasis in development and clinical psychology. Sofia is particularly interested, from a developmental perspective, in how children adapt to monumental and challenging life experiences. Through the HINTS Lab, Sofia seeks to understand how development and mental wellness are affected by one’s experiences in nature. She hopes to discover more about how important nature interaction is to one’s mental being and overall development. In her free time, Sofia loves cheering on the Huskies at sports games and exploring all the restaurants and sights in Seattle with her friends. |
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Kriti Vajjhula is a second-year undergraduate student pursuing a BS in Informatics, focusing on Human-Computer Interaction and Software Development. She is interested in how different forms of technology affect interactions between humans and nature. In the wake of a new world where technology is ever-present, Kriti seeks to discover more about how we can foster a sense of appreciation for the natural world, and preserve natural environments while coexisting with technology. In her free time, she enjoys playing badminton, trying out challenging recipes in her kitchen, and listening to lots of reggaeton. |
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Jiajie is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Washington pursuing his B.S. in psychology. He is interested in how different educational experiences affect children's ability to adapt to the social environment, such as how quickly will they adjust to a new school or job, and what role will they play in those groups. Over the past four years, he devoted himself to volunteer teaching in remote areas of Sichuan, China. He is dedicated to making a positive change in how we approach education to help those who are underprivileged. Through the HINTS lab, Jiajie seeks to discover how to utilize research on states of consciousness to help children find a balance between technology and nature. In his free time, Jiajie enjoys finding peace of mind while composing music and FaceTiming with his cat "Three Fat." |
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Clarice Wang is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Washington, pursuing her B.A. in psychology and a minor in informatics. Clarice hopes to gain a deeper and more substantial understanding of human-nature interaction in a world where technology is continuously advancing in use and sophistication. She aspires to learn more about the importance of nature for human well-being and its impact on Presence and other psychological states, but also in the role that technology plays in nature and finding a balance between interacting with the two. Outside of the lab, Clarice enjoys doing escape rooms, exploring restaurants around Seattle, and finding new TV shows to watch. |
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Yihang Zou is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Washington pursuing her B.A. in psychology. She is interested in a career in mental health counseling after completing her B.A. As a research assistant in the HINTS lab, Yihang is looking forward to exploring the relationship between nature and mental well-being by helping to develop a new measure of a state of psychological well-being and looking into how people’s experiences with Presence can improve their wellness. By learning more about Presence and some activities that are more likely to coexist with a state of Presence, Yihang hopes to gain a deeper understanding of some ways to regulate one’s mood. Outside of the lab, Yihang likes to try new recipes, play board games, and spend time with her dog Casper. |
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Drew Schoenfeld is an undergraduate student at the University of Washington pursuing B.A. degrees in psychology and economics. His primary interest lies in the intersection of behavioral economics and environmentalism. As a research assistant in the HINTS lab, Drew hopes to explore questions around consciousness and ecopsychology, such as: “what role do natural environments or experiences of Presence play in human flourishing?” and from this question, “what are the resulting implications for how we organize society?” In his free time, Drew enjoys writing music, rock climbing, and spending time in nature. |
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Selina Yuan is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Washington, pursuing a B.S. in psychology and a B.A. in philosophy. During her last year at UW, she is also pursuing a minor in informatics. With a passion for exploring human consciousness, Selina joined the HINTS lab to research and better understand how nature influences human psychological states. Her research interests include how interactions with nature and technology influence states of human consciousness, as well as the origins and boundaries of human consciousness. She aims to balance both philosophical inquiry and empirical research in exploring these questions. Outside of school, she also enjoys photography, which offers her another way of understanding meaning in life. |
