CARE LAB
Our Team
Principal Investigator/ Lab Director
Han Na Lee, Ph.D.
Counseling Psychology
Iowa State University
Dr. Han Na (Hanna) Lee (she/her/hers) is an Assistant Professor in the APA-accredited Counseling Psychology program at Iowa State University. She has a PhD in Counseling Psychology and a Measurement & Quantitative Methodology Certificate from Loyola University Chicago. She completed her APA-accredited pre-doctoral internship at the University of Texas at Austin, Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC).
The key areas of Dr. Lee's research have included 1) examination of immigrant specific concerns, 2) investigation of the contextualization of social relationships for ethnic minorities, and 3) studies of how different forms of oppressions intersect with internalized racial belief for identity development. Dr. Lee's work, in particular, has focused on Asian and Asian American individuals and families, including immigrant populations. She also serves as a board member at Korean American Wellness Association (KAWA) to provide accessible, culturally and linguistically appropriate interventions.
Before coming to the United States, Dr. Lee made her way through South Korea, China, and Germany, and the shifts in social status that she personally experienced upon being thrust from majority to minority group membership have been integral to her research interests.
Outside of academia, she enjoys running, exploring restaurants, drinking good coffee/matcha, traveling, reading, and watching K-drama.
Research Lab Coordinator
Heejae Lee, M.A.
Heejae (she/her) is a second-year doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at Iowa State University. She received an MA in Education Counseling from Seoul National University in South Korea. Her research interests are centered on social minorities, particularly racial minorities, with a focus on Asian and Asian American populations in the U.S. She is especially interested in exploring systemic disparities, microaggressions, discrimination, and experiences of othering. In her free time, Heejae enjoys reading novels, journaling, and playing video games.
Research Project Coordinator
Jaisy Lau, M.A.
Jaisy is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Counseling Psychology program. She was born and (partially) raised in New York City, with her adolescent years living in a suburban town outside of Albany, NY. She earned her B.S. in Information Systems and Psychology at SUNY Stony Brook University and her M.A. in Psychology at NYU. Her research interests lie in examining depression in Asian Americans, with a particular focus on sociocultural risk factors and clinical assessment. She hopes that her research will promote help-seeking behaviors and inform the development of culturally-contextualized interventions. Her hobbies include travelling, eating good food, cooking, reading, taking pictures, and staying active (running, hiking, ultimate frisbee).
Fun fact: she holds dual citizenship in the United States and Hong Kong S.A.R.
Doctoral Student
Nan Zhao
Nan is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Counseling Psychology program at Iowa State University. Her research interests focus on cross-cultural differences of self-compassion, stigma, and help-seeking. Clinically, Nan is interested in applying compassion-focused therapy to individual and group work. Nan enjoys spending time with her friends, cooking, watching TV shows, and playing with her lovely cat Doubao.
Lab Member
Honghua Zhou, M.A.
Honghua is an incoming doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program at Iowa State University. She earned her B.A. in Psychology in China and her M.A. in Counseling Education in South Korea. Her research interests focus on racial-ethnic marginalized populations, the impact of racism, and help-seeking behaviors. She enjoys beginning her mornings with a glass of water and a short workout.
Undergraduate Student
Sydney Mclntosh
Hello! My name is Sydney McIntosh and I am currently a junior studying psychology with minors in biology and statistics!
Undergraduate Student
Hajin Jung
I am a junior undergraduate student majoring in Psychology. While I am still exploring my specific research interests, I am broadly interested in counseling psychology and clinical psychology. Through this lab, I hope to learn more about the research process and gain valuable experience as I continue my studies.
