Dr. Erika Lunkenheimer is an Assistant Professor in the department of Human Development and Family Studies at Colorado State. Dr. Lunkenheimer completed her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northwestern University (1999), her Doctorate in Developmental Psychology from the University of Michigan (2006), and her postdoctoral training in Prevention Science at the University of Oregon (2008). She studies self-regulation, coregulation, and parenting in early parent-child interactions, with the ultimate goal of using basic developmental research on families to inform prevention science. Her current research involves studying patterns of physiology and behavior during interactions between parents and children as they play, problem-solve, and encounter minor, everyday stressors (e.g., a child not getting a desired toy). She employs a dynamic systems framework to understand the effects of these real-time dyadic patterns on child behavior, for example, how the flexibility of parent-child interaction patterns influences children's self-regulation, behavior problems, and school readiness in early childhood.
Dr. Lunkenheimer enjoys exploring her beautiful state of Colorado, spending time with her family, and singing karaoke, especially songs from the 80s.
Erin is a PhD student in the Applied Developmental Science Program in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. She recently completed her undergraduate training in Psychology and Spanish at Arizona State University. Despite having to acclimate to a colder climate, Erin is really enjoying Colorado and all Fort Collins has to offer. Her research interests include investigation of processes in parent-child interaction that contribute to risk and resilience. Specifically, personal factors that may serve to buffer the individual from life stress and adversity are of particular interest. When Erin isn't busy with her studies, she enjoys hiking, swimming, yoga, and reading.
CK is a graduate student in the Marriage and Family Therapy Masters Program and the Applied Developmental Science PhD Program at CSU. She is originally from North Carolina and got her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. CK's main research interests revolve around the influence of parent-child interactions on the development of children with various developmental disabilities, particularly Down syndrome. In her free time CK enjoys
reading (especially Harry Potter), being outside, and spending time with friends and family.
Jun is a PhD student of Applied Developmental Science in HDFS. She arrived here from China in 2008, after completing her Bachelors in Applied Psychology from Nanjing Normal University and her Masters in Developmental and Educational Psychology from Zhejiang University. She is interested in the cultivation of positive development over the lifespan. Currently, she studies factors in childhood that serve to promote and maintain healthy child development, such as children's social and object mastery motivation. She has been enjoying her adventures in America through novel academic, cultural, and geographical experiences. Her weekly online interaction with her family in China is her wellspring to recharge and refresh after long days working on her many research projects!
Corinne is a Masters student in HDFS. She is originally from Long Island, New York. Her career goal is to become a Child Life Specialist and devote her time to helping children. She graduated from Stonehill College in Massachusetts with a bachelors degree in Health Care Administration and is very excited to get back into the human services field. Her hobbies are skiing, snowboarding, and any other winter sport, along with traveling and spending time with friends.
Kyle is an undergraduate student in HDFS who is passionate about working with children and promoting sustainability on campus. He plans on attending grad school after completing his degree, where he will further explore his career options. When not in class, Kyle enjoys playing sports, listening to music, and traveling. Kyle is from Denver, Colorado.
Al is from Denver, Colorado and is an undergraduate student in HDFS who loves working with people of all ages. After the completion of her undergraduate degree, Al may attend grad school but is currently exploring all the options life has to offer. When not in class, Al loves to climb, volunteer, travel and learn about new people.
Amanda is an undergraduate student in HDFS and loves working with children of all ages. Her passion is working with children in a school setting and assisting children with various learning disabilities. After her undergrad she is bound for grad school where she will receive her masters and license in Elementary Education. During her free time she enjoys being active in Rotaract, working out and spending time with friends and family.
Dan is an undergraduate Health and Exercise Science major studying sports medicine. His academic interest lies in human physiology, and he works with the lab in processing and analyzing physiological data. He hopes to attend graduate school and pursue a career in exercise physiology. His personal interests include any activity in the beautiful Rocky Mountains, most notably rock climbing, skiing, and mountain biking. Coming from Bethesda, Maryland, he has been in Colorado for 3 years.
Bailee is an undergraduate student in HDFS. She has lived in Colorado all her life and enjoys concerts, camping, snowboarding, and traveling with friends. She has been working as a preschool teacher for almost 3 years, and enjoys being able to interact with young children and their families on a day-to-day basis. Bailee plans on attending graduate school in the next few years and is hoping to decide her career goals in the very near future!
Melanie is a Masters student in HDFS. She has lived in Colorado for 5 years and really enjoys the landscape of the mountains. She worked as a preschool teacher for 7 years, mostly in Head Start, before entering graduate school. She hopes to continue in Early Childhood Education, preparing children for entering the school system and adjusting to the classroom. Melanie is newly married and enjoys watching movies with her husband, as well as hiking in the mountains.
Rashina is an undergraduate Psychology major with a concentration in pre-med. Her passion lies in working with children, and she plans to become a pediatrician or work with children with mental disabilities. She is from Aurora, Colorado.
Jen is an undergraduate HDFS major with an interest in adolescents and families. She has worked with children in a child-care setting for 4 years and is hoping to make a career out of working with children and their families. She has lived in Colorado for 10 years and is happy to call Fort Collins her home. When she's not at school she loves cooking and hanging out with friends and family.
