Abigayle Feather, BS
BS in Psychology, Appalachian State University, 2019
I am originally from Charlotte, NC and moved to Boone, NC to attend Appalachian State University. During my undergraduate career, I joined the REACT Lab and became interested in improving mental health treatments in underserved populations. After graduation I moved to Chicago and worked in the CARL Lab at UChicago. While there, I studied factors that lead to substance misuse and interventions for smoking cessation. These interests brought me to UK and Dr. Burris, where I am now a 3rd year student in the clinical psychology PhD program and Dr. Burris' lab. I am interested in understanding health risk behaviors like smoking, scalable interventions, and improving quality of life in cancer survivors. When not working, I enjoy cooking, making coffee, and chasing down the best concerts.
Maisy Webster, BA
BA in Psychology and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 2021
I grew up in western NY and attended Johns Hopkins University where my interest in preventing chronic disease through health behavior change was developed. After graduating, I worked as a tobacco treatment specialist and research coordinator in the Lung Screening, Tobacco and Health Lab at Georgetown University. Now a second year student in the clinical psychology PhD program and Dr. Burris' Lab, I am excited to continue research in the areas of smoking cessation and cancer prevention/control, including understanding ways to improve the accessibility of behavioral health services within health systems. In my free time, I enjoy exploring KY through running and hiking as well as cheering for the Buffalo Bills.
Wendy Kyei, MS
Stay tuned...
Prospective Students
Are you an undergraduate student interested in volunteering in the BIRDS Lab during the 2025-2026 academic year? Please email Dr. Burris in August 2025 to inquire about a position.
Interested in being a graduate student in the BIRDS Lab? Please note that Dr. Burris will NOT review applications for the Clinical Psychology PhD Program for the 2026-2027 cohort of admitted students.
Graduate Student Alumni
Jessica Rivera Rivera, PhD - Clinical Psychology, 2021
Gaby Puleo Carrigan, PhD - Experimental Psychology, 2021
Tia Borger, PhD - Clinical Psychology, 2024
Will Bowling, PhD - Clinical Psychology, 2025
Announcements
8/25: Wendy joins with lab with a Lyman T. Johnson Fellowship, Maisy begins her third year in the program with a Military Health Professions Scholarship and Abbey starts her fourth year as a DREAM Scholar program participant!
9/24 & 10/24: Both Maisy and Abbey defended their master's thesis this fall, hitting an important academic milestone for the clinical program!
6/1/24: In July, Maisy will participate in the Pathways to Military Behavioral Health Careers Summer Institute, a program that involved a competitive application process.
5/17/24: Abbey won 1st place in the poster presentation competition at Markey Research Day. Not to brag, but the BIRDS Lab has placed 1st and/or 2nd every year we have someone present.
2/9/24: The Robley Rex VA Mental Health Service held a continuing education event in which Will and I gave a presentation to about 100 mental health providers on Health Equity and Rural Populations
3/1/24: I'm so happy that Tia will return to UK later this year to join the faculty. She will be an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and her job will involve both research and patient care. Congrats!
4/26/23: Katie presented a poster at the UK Undergraduate Research Showcase while Will, Tia and Abbey were allegedly at a conference in Phoenix. Upon their return to Lexington, we all gathered for a lab brunch to celebrate an awesome year. Yay brunch!



4/1/23: Katie was accepted into the UK Masters in Counseling Psychology Program and will start in the fall! Tia matched to the internship at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and will start the last leg of her PhD training in July! Will defended his qualifying exam - and in doing so become the 1st student to ever do the clinical case study quals option! Maisy accepted the offer of admission into the clinical program and will join Abbey and Will in the lab in the fall.
2/1/24: Katie was accepted into the UK Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program and will start under Dr. Ian Bogger's mentorship in the fall!
3/18/24: Maisy will receive a Health Professions Scholarship from the Navy, which will support her last few years of doctoral training!