Our People
Patty Van Cappellen, PhD
IBRC Director
patty.vancappellen@duke.edu
Dr. Van Cappellen is an Assistant Research Professor at the Social Science Research Institute and Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. She earned her Ph.D. in Social Psychology in 2012 from the University of Louvain, Belgium. Her work is in experimental social psychology, investigating the psychological determinants of well-being and health behavior maintenance. She focuses primarily on two determinants: the experience of positive emotions (e.g., awe, gratitude) and religious/spiritual beliefs and behaviors. To balance her work on the benefits of religion, she also studies whether, how, and when religion promotes intergroup prejudice and aggression.
For more information on her work and publications visit her website.
Outside of academia, Patty enjoys horseback riding, discovering new restaurants, and taking in the sun of North Carolina (Belgium, her native country, is typically gray and rainy).
To learn more about her research visit the BABLab website.
Cheryl Tan
Research Coordinator
Email: cheryl.tan@duke.edu
Cheryl Tan is a Research Coordinator at the Interdisciplinary Behavioral Research Center (IBRC). She moved to Durham after graduating with a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Washington, Seattle, where she conducted an independent research study on the cross-cultural experience of joy. Her research interests are at the intersection of culture, emotion, and well-being, and she plans on pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Psychology in the future.
Outside of academia, Cheryl loves trying milk tea stores, baking, and catching up on her favorite shows.
Jenna Faith McClear
Research Coordinator
Email: jenna.mcclear@duke.edu
Jenna Faith McClear is a Research Coordinator for the Interdisciplinary Behavioral Research Center (IBRC). After graduating with a B.A. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she spent some time working in faith-based social work and clinical mental health organizations. From there, she moved on to earn her Master’s in Theological Studies from Duke Divinity School, where her thesis research focused on theological and psychological conceptions of joy. Her research interests include theological and psychological constructs of positive emotion, flourishing, and mental health, and she plans to pursue a PhD in psychology in the future. Outside of reading, writing, and research, she enjoys trying new restaurants and making music with friends.
