HDFS faculty seek to understand how individuals’ relationships and social experiences are associated with their health and well-being. Researchers examine a variety of physiological processes including salivary hormones, genetic predispositions and daily symptoms associated with people’s behaviors, emotions and experiences. Faculty also investigate how experiences and interactions with important others in individuals’ lives impact mental health and risky health behaviors.
Maria Arredondo
- Assistant Professor
- Human Development & Family Sciences
- Human Ecology
I am not recruiting graduate students at this time.
Aprile Benner
- Professor
- Human Development & Family Sciences
- Human Ecology
Mateo Farina
- Assistant Professor
- Human Development & Family Sciences
- Human Ecology
I am recruiting graduate students for Fall 2025 (application deadline is Dec. 1).
Karen Fingerman
- Professor
- Research Director, Center on Aging and Population Sciences
- Director, Texas Aging and Longevity Consortium
- Sonia Wolf Wilson Regents Administrative Professorship, Holder
- Human Development & Family Sciences
- Human Ecology
I am currently accepting graduate students for fall 2025. But I am no longer studying intergenerational relationships.
My research currently looks at daily experiences in late life. We are beginning to research caregivers for Lewy Body Dementia.
Sae Hwang Han
- Associate Professor
- Human Development & Family Sciences
Accepting doctoral students to start in Fall 2026 (application deadline is Dec. 1).
Deborah Jacobvitz
- Professor
- Phyllis L. Richards Endowed Professor in Child Development
- Human Development & Family Sciences
- Human Ecology
Su Yeong Kim
- Professor
- Human Development & Family Sciences
Dr. Kim is accepting new Ph.D. students for Fall 2028. Application deadline is December 1, 2027.
Jeffrey Lockman
- Professor
- Human Development & Family Sciences
- Human Ecology
Elma Lorenzo-Blanco
- Associate Professor
- Human Development & Family Sciences
- Human Ecology
Seeking student research assistants for course credit or on a volunteer basis. See profile for more details.
Lisa Neff
- Professor
- Human Development & Family Sciences
- Human Ecology
Nicole Perry
- Assistant Professor
- Human Development & Family Sciences
- Human Ecology
I am not recruiting graduate students at this time.
Gabriela Livas
- Professor
- Department Chair
- Human Development & Family Sciences
- Human Ecology