Get to Know Us

The Relationships and Technology Lab conducts social scientific research on communication, technology use, and relationships. If you're an undergraduate student who is interested in getting involved as a research associate, please email your CV and a short statement of interest to Dr. Sharabi. If you're a prospective graduate student and would like to learn more about our Ph.D. program, visit the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication's website.

Lab Director

Dr. Liesel Sharabi is an associate professor in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication and Director of the Relationships and Technology Lab. Her research explores how technology is changing dating and relationships. She has published dozens of papers on dating apps and social media, multimodal relationships, algorithms and AI, and relationships in AR/VR. She has been featured in media outlets like The Wall Street Journal, WIRED, Time Magazine, and NPR.

About Me

20220805_LieselSharabi_js4_edited_edited_edited_edited_edited.jpg

Doctoral Students

Paige Von Feldt

Paige Von Feldt is a third-year interpersonal and health communication doctoral student. She earned her B.A. and M.A. from the University of Kentucky, where she also minored in Sociology. As a communication scientist, she primarily uses quantitative methods to examine mental health, stigma, communication technologies, and their impact on well-being. She was recently awarded the Outstanding Thesis Award from the Interpersonal Communication Division of the National Communication Association. Currently, she is a funded research assistant on a study exploring the impacts of social touch in virtual reality. You can read her work in New Media & Society or the International Journal of Communication.

Mehek Dhillon

Mehek Dhillon is a first-year interpersonal and health communication doctoral student. She earned her B.S. in Communication from Arizona State University. As a communication scholar, Mehek plans to take a mixed-methods approach to study applications of technology in close relationships. Specifically, she is interested in how collective experiences and art in digital contexts impact community health and individual well-being.

Undergraduate Students

Research Associate

Sally Tan

Sally Tan is an undergraduate junior at Barrett, the Honors College, where she is pursuing a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Anthropology. She is a proud Dorrance scholar and Luminosity Lab scholar. She is passionate about helping others make healthier decisions when using technology and navigating digital spaces. Learning about psychology has helped her make great strides toward mental wellness, and Sally aims to spread that progress and hope to others by becoming a clinical psychologist.

Research Associate

Audrey Hammond

Audrey Hammond is an undergraduate junior at Arizona State University, pursuing a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Film and Media Studies at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Her particular interest lies in exploring interpersonal relationships, especially within the realm of technology. Post graduation, she intends to advance her education by attending graduate school for Psychology.

Research Associate

Aliza Akhter

Aliza Akhter is a junior in Barrett, the Honors College, where she is pursuing a dual degree in Marketing & Management with a minor in Digital Audiences from the Cronkite School of Journalism. Her interest in research stems from her undergraduate experience with the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics, where she completed an independent research project. She is particularly interested in consumer neuroscience and how human perception can shape interactions both physically and mentally. Post graduation, she plans to pursue an MBA in Marketing at Wharton and get her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Management. .

Research Associate

Will Goldwater

Will Goldwater is an undergraduate senior at Arizona State University, pursuing a B.S. in Communication with a minor in Business at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and WP Carey School of Business. His particular interest lies in exploring interpersonal relationships through different forms of technology. In the future, he intends to go to graduate school.

Research Associate

Evan Grant

Evan Grant is an undergraduate junior at Arizona State University, where he is working toward a B.S. in Communication in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He is especially interested in interpersonal relationships and hopes to one day attend graduate school.