Team Members
Dr. Sierra Peters
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Rhodes College
Jessie Poulter
Research Assistant
Jessie is a junior neuroscience major (psychology minor) from Harpenden, England. Jessie joined the DESIRE lab to obtain hands-on research experience, particularly interested in tracking how relationships change over time.
Shania Moore
Research Assistant
Shania is a junior neuroscience major from Memphis, Tennessee. She was interested in joining the DESIRE lab because of its unique nature and the chance to gain experience with human participants!
Eli Crabtree
Research Assistant
Eli is a senior psychology major from Lakeland, Tennessee and joined the DESIRE lab because of his interest in social psychology and human behavior in relationships.
Lucy Paul
Research Assistant
Lucy is a sophomore biology and english major (psychology minor) on the pre-med track from Little Rock, Arkansas. Lucy joined the DESIRE lab after having a class with Dr. Peters and becoming fascinated with contributing to the field of social psychology.
Sophia Nappi
Research Assistant
Sophia is a 2026 Rhodes alumna and Chestnut Hill College PsyD student from Middlebury, CT. Sophia got involved in the lab because of her deep interest in relationships and attachment. Wanting to understand the complexities of romantic relationships and what ultimately leads to lasting or fleeting love , Dr. Peters encouraged her to get involved in the lab her senior year.
Dr. Sierra Peters is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and the F. Elaine Donelson Chair of Psychology and Religion at Rhodes College.
She received her B.A. in Psychology from St. Norbert College in 2019, her M.S. in Psychology from Florida State University in 2021, and her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Florida State University in 2025.
Dr. Peters teaches courses such as Social Psychology, the Psychology of Intimate Relationships, the Psychology of Gender & Sexuality, and Research Methods in Psychology.
In her Dynamics of Evolved Sexual and Intimate Relationship Experiences (DESIRE) Lab, Dr. Peters conducts research to understand how to promote healthy, happy, stable long-term romantic relationships.
Boran Aljafari
Research Assistant
Boran is a sophomore neuroscience major from Jackson, Tennessee. She joined the DESIRE lab to fuel her interest in romantic relationships and get hands-on social psychology experience.
Research Assistant
Hira Janjua
Hira is a junior psychology major (health equity minor) from Memphis, Tennessee. Hira joined the DESIRE lab to gain more research experience in psychology and broaden her understanding of relationship science
Inaaya Saeed
Research Assistant
Inaaya is a junior Anthropology and Sociology major from Memphis, Tennessee. Inaaya joined the DESIRE lab because of her interests in how relationships form and how peoples experiences shape them.