Our Team

Lab Director

Dr. Milla Titova

Dr. Milla Titova received a B.A. in Psychology from Hiram College and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Social/Personality Psychology from the University of Missouri. Currently, she is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Arizona and Director of the Happiness and Well-Being Lab. Dr. Titova’s research interests concentrate on happiness and well-being, specifically, how cultural and personality differences affect people’s well-being levels, as well as the experience of happiness and positive emotions. She also investigates how people’s relationships with the places and spaces that they occupy are connected to happiness and well-being. In her free time, Dr. Titova enjoys running, hiking, exercising, reading, and watching Arsenal games.

postdoctoral researcher

Dr. Ashley N. Krause

Dr. Ashley Krause is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Arizona, where she studies how places shape meaning in life, authenticity, and psychological well-being. Dr. Krause received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Florida in 2026, where she also earned her M.S. in 2023. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Francis Marion University in 2020. Her research draws from social, existential, and socioecological psychology to better understand the relationship between people and the environments they inhabit. She is particularly interested in how places become psychologically meaningful, foster attachment and rootedness, and influence everyday experiences of identity and purpose.

Graduate Student

Chenxi Liu

Chenxi Liu is a Ph.D. student in Psychology at the University of Arizona. She received her B.S. in Psychology and her M.Ed. in Psychology from Beijing Normal University. Her research interests focus on prosocial behavior and its antecedents and consequences. Drawing on socioecological perspectives, she is particularly interested in understanding how macro-level environments and people’s relationships with places shape prosocial behavior, and how these processes contribute to human well-being. In her free time, Chenxi enjoys traveling, watching comedy shows, and listening to music.

Undergraduate Students

Jubilee Bostwick

Jubilee is a junior double degree student pursuing a B.A. in Psychology and a B.F.A. in Illustration, Animation, & Design. She's passionate about fostering belonging and connectedness as well as promoting mental health and well-being, specifically in cross-cultural settings. Jubilee plans to pursue a master’s degree in clinical social work and aims to work with refugee populations around the world. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her cat Luna, reading, painting, rock climbing, and spending time with loved ones.

Alexa Moran

Lexi is a senior pursuing a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Adolescence, Community, and Education. She is particularly interested in child development, positive psychology, and understanding the factors that influence children’s mental health and well-being. Lexi aims to pursue a career as a child psychologist, with hopes of supporting children's mental health and development. Outside of academics, Lexi is an involved member of Alpha Delta Pi and Psi Chi. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, volunteering, and staying active.

Elizabeth Windell

Elizabeth is a senior pursuing a B.A. in Psychology with a thematic minor in Philosophy of Cognition and Human Development. She is particularly interested in understanding the relationship between the brain, cognition, and behavior, including how genetic and environmental influences shape neural development and contribute to the emergence of psychological and neurological disorders. She aspires to become a clinical neuropsychologist, where she will combine her interests in neuroscience and psychology to better understand how changes in the brain influence cognition, behavior, and everyday functioning. She is deeply passionate about expanding her research experience by contributing to work that deepens our understanding of the neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying human behavior and psychological functioning. Outside of academics, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with friends and family, laughing and making memories with them, and traveling around the world whenever she has the opportunity.

Breana Valencia

Breana is a senior pursuing a B.A. in Psychology and Communication with a minor in Consciousness Studies. Her research interests focus on how socio-cultural contexts shape individuals’ sense of self, belief systems, and experiential interpretation. She is especially interested in meaning-making and identity development across diverse communities. Breana hopes to pursue a career researching these dynamics through interdisciplinary methods. Outside of academics, she loves reading, sewing, watching sitcoms, and exploring folklore and mythology.

Honors students

Amanda Gildersleeve

Amanda is a junior pursuing a B.A. in Psychology at the University of Arizona with a minor in Business Administration. She is interested in understanding people's thoughts and emotions as well as their behaviors and personalities. She is passionate about positive psychology and about promoting mental health and well-being. Amanda aims to pursue a career in clinical psychology in the hopes of improving the mental health and overall well-being of others. In her free time, Amanda enjoys reading, baking, seeing movies, and spending time with family and friends.

Madison Schmidt

Madison is a junior pursuing a B.A. in Psychology at the University of Arizona with a minor in Business Administration. She is particularly interested in understanding personality, emotion, and psychopathology. Madison aims to pursue a career in counselling, particularly with children and teens, to help them learn how to manage their mental health from a young age. Her current interests are on the connections between well-being and different aspects of one’s personal spaces.

Esmeralda Avila

Esmeralda Avila is a Junior pursuing a B.S in psychology with a minor in Human Development and Family Science. She’s passionate about getting a deeper understanding of why people act the way they do, all while learning how to improve their mental health and well-being. Esmeralda aims to pursue a career in psychology to become a therapist. She loves being outside, creativity, and trying new things. In her free time, she enjoys serving at her church, spending time with loved ones, being physically active, reading, and practicing her instruments.

Our Team

Lab Director

Dr. Milla Titova

postdoctoral researcher

Dr. Ashley N. Krause

Graduate Student

Chenxi Liu

Undergraduate Students

Jubilee Bostwick

Alexa Moran

Elizabeth Windell

Breana Valencia

Honors students

Amanda Gildersleeve

Madison Schmidt

Esmeralda Avila

Lab Mascot

Crouton

Former / Graduated lab members

Bellamie Sy

Yibo Ding

Cheryl Tan

Leila Guilhemotonia

Sharise Love

Arina Stoianova

Sonia Duan

Felicia Du

Emma Ottosen

Lancy Ren

Prisha Patel

Sophie Kim

Zoie Martin

Valeria Mendez

Michael Landman

Angela Donner

Alexa Weaver

Shankara Narayanan

Ashley Becker-Ursini

Emily Stone