Rebecca L. Pearl, Ph.D., Director. Dr. Pearl is an Associate Professor in Clinical and Health Psychology and Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Florida (UF) College of Public Health and Health Professions. Dr. Pearl’s work primarily investigates the health impact of weight stigma and potential structural, social, and clinical interventions to reduce this form of stigma and its adverse impacts. Dr. Pearl also collaborates with researchers and clinicians across multiple health disciplines to study other forms of appearance- and health-related stigma. Prior to joining the UF faculty in 2020, Dr. Pearl was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) and Director of Research at the Penn Center for Weight and Eating Disorders. She completed her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Yale University, her predoctoral psychology internship at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and her postdoctoral fellowship at Penn.
Danielle Saunders, MPH, Research Coordinator. Danielle received her B.S. in Health Science, Pre-Clinical Track from the University of Central Florida in 2020. She received her MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Florida in 2023. Her Capstone project examined factors associated with emergency medical service activation for hypoglycemia among young adults with diabetes. During her time as a student at UF, Danielle was involved with First Responder Gator, where she became a certified emergency medical responder, and completed an internship with Gainesville Fire Rescue’s Community Paramedicine program. In her free time, she enjoys visiting local coffee shops, spending time with family and friends, playing golf, and tending to her house plants.
Indu Malut, Research Coordinator. Indu received her B.S. in Biology with a focus on Pathogenesis and Health Disparities from the University of Florida in 2024. During her time at UF, she researched metabolic turnover and glucose flux in melanoma cells, contributed to a clinical study on smartphone-based ECG technology for atrial fibrillation screening at the Equal Access Clinic Network, and conducted a literature review on the impact of maternal health education on infant outcomes. In her free time, she enjoys reading, doing hot yoga, and baking.
Yuying Wang, Doctoral Student, Data Manager. Yuying Wang is a first-year graduate student in the Department of Biostatistics. She received her M.S. in Biostatistics from the University of Florida. Yuying also earned her doctorate in Statistics from Zhejiang Gongshang University, where her dissertation examined the statistical effects of China’s cross-border e-commerce policy. Yuying’s current research interests include structural equation modeling and causal discovery. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading about traditional Chinese medicine, and playing with her daughter.
Abby Shonrock, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral Fellow. Abby Shonrock is a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Clinical Health Psychology at the University of Florida. Abby received her doctorate from East Carolina University, where her dissertation examined the impact of identity acceptance and community connection on predictors of BMI within bisexual and lesbian women. Abby’s current research interests include identity, stigma, and their associated health outcomes, and how the media perpetuates appearance- and identity-related stigma. In her free time, Abby enjoys reading fiction and going on walks with her dog, Mr. Bingley.
Laurie C. Groshon, M.S., Doctoral Student. Laurie Groshon is a fourth-year graduate student in the Department of Clinical Health Psychology. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Goucher College in Baltimore, MD where she assisted on projects examining coping expectancies. Laurie also received her M.S. in Health Promotion from the University of Connecticut where she assisted with projects that leveraged social media and mHealth to deliver behavioral weight loss and skin cancer prevention interventions. Laurie’s current research interests include internalized weight stigma and body image and their associated health outcomes, and how the media perpetuates appearance-related stigma. In her free time, Laurie enjoys reading fiction, spending time with friends, going on walks, and trying new restaurants in Gainesville.
Dakota Leget, M.A., Doctoral Student. Dakota Leget is a third-year graduate student in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology. She earned her B.A. in Health and Human Physiology from the University of Iowa and her M.A. in Psychological Science from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Dakota’s research focuses on exploring the impact of provider biases (e.g., weight bias, racial bias) on diagnostic and treatment decisions. She is also interested in studying the effects of body dissatisfaction on mental health and well-being during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as investigating health and well-being among LGBTQ+ populations. In her free time, Dakota enjoys reading, cooking, going on walks, attending stand-up comedy shows, and spending time with her friends, family, and cats.
Miriam Sheynblyum, M.S., Doctoral Student. Miriam is a third-year graduate student in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Touro College in NY. After graduating, she worked as a research coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh on clinical trials evaluating the effect of weight management intervention in the perinatal period on long-term cardiometabolic outcomes. Miriam’s research interests include the impact of weight stigma and internalized weight bias on health-related behaviors. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, doing yoga, and reading.
Lecsy Gonzalez, MPH, Doctoral Student. Lecsy is a second-year graduate student in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology. She received her B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in Women’s Studies from the University of Florida and her Master of Public Health from Cornell University. Lecsy’s current research interests include the impact of weight stigma on Latinx and LGBTQ populations and the impact of stigma on health-seeking behavior. In her free time, Lecsy enjoys reading (she’s currently attempting the 52 book challenge), doing yoga, and going to local music shows.
Marianna B. Horton, Research Assistant. Marianna is a fourth-year Psychology and Criminology student at the University of Florida. She has an interest in both social and clinical psychology and is currently researching topics such as weight stigma, political ideology, and psychological richness. In Marianna’s free time, she enjoys playing guitar, going to the gym, and laying around with her cat.
Babka Pearl, Canine Affiliate. Babka is a very good dog who joined the BIAS Lab in April 2021. Her contributions include encouraging healthy activity habits, rolling over for belly rubs, and whining for attention during Zoom calls. Outside of work, Babka enjoys begging for cheese, sniffing Gainesville’s nature trails, and chasing her stuffed octopus.
Lab Alumni
- Melissa Amitrano
- Salome Bezabih
- Shanaya Delice
- Anna Epifano
- Hannah Fitterman-Harris
- Marian Hernandez
- Yulin Li
- Isabella Muniz
- Maddy Reeves
- Victoria Seraphin
Lab Fun
