Meet the Undergraduate Students
Madeline Maney
She/her/hers
Hi! My name is Madeline Maney and I am a fourth-year student majoring in BCN Psychology and minoring in Classical Studies and Business Administration. My research interests include trauma assessment, crisis response, substance use, and child/adolescent familial relationships. I have been empowered by involvement in the Chevere Lab to pursue these interests with a strong emphasis on the LGBTQIA+ community as well as other marginalized communities which I hope to continue researching after my time at UF ends. I was involved in a project last year surrounding relational racism and substance use in LBGTQ Latine relationships, and I was fortunate enough to help present the poster at APA summer of 2026. This year, I greatly look forward to researching the trans community and their experiences with resistance, safety, and erasure. I am applying this fall to mental health counselor masters' programs with hopes of continuing on to a PhD after graduation. When I'm not doing research, I love cooking, teaching dance classes, playing piano and guitar, and birdwatching.
Liam Holmström
He/They
Hi, my name is Liam Holmström, and I am a second-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology BCN, minoring in Anthropology, and pursuing the pre-med track. Outside of academics, I enjoy reading, listening to music, painting, and exploring local coffee shops. My academic interests include abnormal psychology, reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness, and understanding how social environments influence mental health. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I am especially passionate about research that explores the experiences and well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals and other marginalized communities. I am excited to be a part of the Chévere Lab and to contribute to meaningful research that advances our understanding of marginalized communities and promotes more inclusive and supportive environments.
Carlotta Avila
She/Her
Hello! My name is Carlotta Avila and I am a Junior majoring in Integrative Psychology and minoring in Early Childhood Studies and Statistics. After undergrad, I hope to pursue a Ph.D in Counseling Psychology. My interest in research stems from a deep passion to uplift LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth. To me, research is an important first step to guiding policy, community outreach, and genuine change. For that reason, I am incredibly grateful to be a part of this lab and to have the opportunity to help make substantial differences in underrepresented communities. My personal research interests include the formation of a queer identity throughout adolescence, queer family dynamics, and the relationship between cultural and sexual identity. In my free time I enjoy listening to music, learning how to cook, and watching movies with my friends.
Bo Huang
He/him/his
Hi! My name is Bo Huang, a master's student in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology at the University of Florida. My academic background is in both rehabilitation and psychology, and my research interests center on mental health, particularly trauma, crisis intervention, and psychological well-being, as well as how social and relational environments shape people's mental health. I'm excited to be part of the ¡Chévere! Lab and to contribute to research that can make a meaningful difference in people's lives. To me, collective healing means creating supportive communities where people feel heard, connected, and able to access the support and resources they need.
Valin Krause
He/They
Hello! My name is Valin Krause and I am a third year undergraduate majoring in Psychology BCN and minoring in Anthropology, I plan on continuing further to get my PhD in Psychology after I graduate. I do a lot of things outside the academic space, I collect vinyl and CDs, I love going on hikes, and I am also super into cosplay. My main interest when it comes to research is how one’s social, cultural, and environmental backgrounds effect brain development and processes. I am looking to make new connections between how the world shapes our brain and how in return our brains shape the world we experience. I am also interested in research on the LGBTQ+ community as well as other cultural groups and communities. I am excited to be part of the ¡Chévere! Lab and I can’t wait to help contribute to research relating to our understanding of marginalized communities.
Prerna Khire
She/Her
Hi! My name is Prerna Khire, I'm a junior double majoring in Biology and Psychology with minors in Early Childhood Studies and Philosophy on the pre-med track! My goal in the future is to work in Emergency Medicine after completing medical school. For fun, I love to try out new coffee shops when I travel, read books, and just hang out with my friends. I joined the Chevere lab as I was extremely interested in the intersection of the LGBTQ+ community and other minority populations. I hope to become more educated in how different factors may cause a disadvantage to marginalized communities and what the next steps can be to prevent this from affecting future generations.
Salene Ni
She/Her/hers
Hi! I'm Salene and I'm a Biochemistry and Sociology double major in my junior year. My passion is instrumentation and looking at how substances affect mental health. I hope to get to know more about Chévere lab and go more in-depth with how those interests fit within the lab. Once I get into grad school, hopefully, I can merge and use this knowledge with biochemistry and apply it. Once in a while, I love going out to volunteer in random parts of Gainesville!