Meet the team.

Lab Director and
Principal Investigator

Zak Witkower

I received my PhD in Social/Personality Psychology with a minor in Quantitative Methods from the University of British Columbia. I previously served as an Assistant Professor at the University of Amsterdam (2023–2026) before joining the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Texas A&M University as an Assistant Professor in 2026.

Zak Witkower

Graduate Students

Interested in joining our lab?

We are recruiting graduate students to join the lab beginning in Fall 2027.

Priority will be given to applicants with a strong research record, interests in nonverbal communication, social perception, emotion, and/or leadership, and experience with or interest in using R.

After reviewing our research and publications, please email me to discuss how your interests align with the ongoing work in our lab.

Formal applications are due December 1st and should be submitted through the Texas A&M submission portal.

Undergraduate Students

Ashlynn Howell

Ashlynn Howell

Research Assistant

I am a senior undergraduate student at Texas A&M University majoring in Forensic and Investigative Sciences with minors in Psychology and Criminology. My research interests are at the intersection of psychology and forensic science, particularly personality, antisocial and manipulative traits, facial expressions, and how these characteristics may influence interpersonal perception and behavior. I also have additional interests in psychopathic and sociopathic traits and their relationship to behavior and interpersonal functioning. My current research interests have led me to explore forensic assessment and legal and criminal psychology. After graduation, I plan to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology with a focus on forensic psychology and assessment.

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Harrison Hart

Research Assistant

Even when I did not quite realize it yet, since my childhood I have been a developing thinker, engineer, and researcher. I began this journey even at three or four years old, as I am retold of asking my parents and grandparents at that age how the kitchen refrigerator or stove worked. As I grew older, I continued to hone the aforementioned character traits and skills, progressing from science kits to model rockets to gaming PCs to multispectral imaging software and camera lens design. All together, I have always enjoyed researching problems, performing experiments to gather information, and figuring out creative solutions with the parts and tools at hand. My name is Harrison Hart, and I have just begun my junior year at Texas A&M University in College Station, TX as a computer science student.

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Hafsa Farhan

Research Assistant

Biography forthcoming.

Interested in joining our lab?

We are currently recruiting undergraduate students to work with us for the 2026–2027 academic year. Priority will be given to applicants with experience conducting research (not required), and an interest in discovering novel facts about nonverbal communication, social perception, emotion, and leadership.