Web cookies (also called HTTP cookies, browser cookies, or simply cookies) are small pieces of data that websites store on your device (computer, phone, etc.) through your web browser. They are used to remember information about you and your interactions with the site.
Purpose of Cookies:
Session Management:
Keeping you logged in
Remembering items in a shopping cart
Saving language or theme preferences
Personalization:
Tailoring content or ads based on your previous activity
Tracking & Analytics:
Monitoring browsing behavior for analytics or marketing purposes
Types of Cookies:
Session Cookies:
Temporary; deleted when you close your browser
Used for things like keeping you logged in during a single session
Persistent Cookies:
Stored on your device until they expire or are manually deleted
Used for remembering login credentials, settings, etc.
First-Party Cookies:
Set by the website you're visiting directly
Third-Party Cookies:
Set by other domains (usually advertisers) embedded in the website
Commonly used for tracking across multiple sites
Authentication cookies are a special type of web cookie used to identify and verify a user after they log in to a website or web application.
What They Do:
Once you log in to a site, the server creates an authentication cookie and sends it to your browser. This cookie:
Proves to the website that you're logged in
Prevents you from having to log in again on every page you visit
Can persist across sessions if you select "Remember me"
What's Inside an Authentication Cookie?
Typically, it contains:
A unique session ID (not your actual password)
Optional metadata (e.g., expiration time, security flags)
Analytics cookies are cookies used to collect data about how visitors interact with a website. Their primary purpose is to help website owners understand and improve user experience by analyzing things like:
How users navigate the site
Which pages are most/least visited
How long users stay on each page
What device, browser, or location the user is from
What They Track:
Some examples of data analytics cookies may collect:
Page views and time spent on pages
Click paths (how users move from page to page)
Bounce rate (users who leave without interacting)
User demographics (location, language, device)
Referring websites (how users arrived at the site)
Here’s how you can disable cookies in common browsers:
1. Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
Choose your preferred option:
Block all cookies (not recommended, can break most websites).
Block third-party cookies (can block ads and tracking cookies).
2. Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, choose Strict to block most cookies or Custom to manually choose which cookies to block.
3. Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top-left corner of the screen.
Go to Preferences > Privacy.
Check Block all cookies to stop all cookies, or select options to block third-party cookies.
4. Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies and site permissions.
Select your cookie settings from there, including blocking all cookies or blocking third-party cookies.
5. On Mobile (iOS/Android)
For Safari on iOS: Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Block All Cookies.
For Chrome on Android: Open the app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies.
Be Aware:
Disabling cookies can make your online experience more difficult. Some websites may not load properly, or you may be logged out frequently. Also, certain features may not work as expected.
Area of interest: Population mental health; public health; community-based research; adolescence; suicidality; prevention science; substance use; non-suicidal self-injury; trauma
Things you do in your free time: Running, puzzles, and trying new coffee shops!
Fun fact: I know how to write backwards and in the mirror image fluently!
Anisiasunta Guzelides
Preferred Name: Anisia
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Advisor: Preston Britner
Area of interest: My research explores the lived experiences of foster youth, focusing on themes of placement disruptions, attachment, relationship outcomes, and sibling connection.
Things you do in your free time: Hiking, gardening, reading, and spending time with my cats
Rebekah Hobbs
Preferred Name: Rebekah
Hometown: Bridgewater, NJ
Advisor: Ryan Watson
Area of interest: LGBTQ mental health; sibling dynamics; religiosity and LGBTQ young people; intervention development and evaluation
Things you do in your free time: baking, singing, hiking, reading, spending time with family and friends
Fun fact: My goal is to visit all 50 states, and I have been to 26 so far!
Sampson Ipiankama
Preferred Name: Sampson
Hometown: Amangwu-Edda, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
Advisor: Dr. Keith M. Bellizzi
Area of interest: Cancer survivorship across the lifespan; family adjustment to chronic illness; stress, coping, and resilience in adults; health behaviors and quality of life among adults with chronic illnesses
Things you do in your free time: Volunteering, Reading, Hiking
Zakiya Johnson
Preferred Name: Zakiya
Hometown: Dubuque, IA
Advisor: Marketa Burnett
Area of interest: positive youth development and holistic well-being in Black girls and women; ethnic-racial identity development and socialization; gender identity development and socialization; parent-child relationships, female friendships, and mental health outcomes
Things you do in your free time: I love to travel, play volleyball, read, spend time with loved ones, watch movies, and knit!
Fun fact: I left the country for the first time in 2022 and have been to 10 countries since
Yuan Lin
Preferred Name: Yuan
Hometown: Fujian, China
Advisor: Dr. Na Zhang
Area of interest: Digital Parenting Interventions
Things you do in your free time: Music, Food, Cats
Previous Education: M.S., Business Analytics and Project Management, University of Connecticut; B.S., Applied Mathematics, University of California, San Diego
Assistantships: Teaching Assistant, HDFS 2200, Adulthood and Aging; Research Assistant, FRAME Lab, Dr. Na Zhang; Research Assistant, Waring Lab, Dr. Molly Waring
Chizobam Nweke
Preferred name:Chizzy
Hometown:Abuja, Nigeria
Advisor:Dr. Candi Nwakasi
Areas of Interest:Cancer Survivorship, Cognitive Health, Mental/Behavioral Health, Health Access
Hobbies:Walking, Hiking, Movies
Lydia Nyarko
Preferred Name: Lydia
Hometown: Bloomfield, CT
Advisor: Jolaade Kalinowski
Areas of interest: Health equity, immigrant health, mental health, community-based intervention, and child development.
Things you do in your free time: Hanging out with my friends, exercising, doing outdoor activities, and painting.
Fun fact: I love vlogging (I have a YouTube channel); I also love cameras.
Tochukwu Okolie
Preferred Name: TC
Hometown: Enugu, Nigeria
Advisor: Candi Nwakasi
Area of interest: Family caregivers of marginalized older adults, The role of psychosocial factors on the experiences of people aging in homelessness, Housing Instability in old age
Things you do in your free time: Music, Movies, Social media surfing
Gloria Oladeji
Preferred Name: Gloria
Hometown: Oyo State, Nigeria
Advisor: Kim Gans
Area of interest: Sustainable food and nutrition security; food policies and interventions; prevention and control of diet-related diseases/comorbidities; community-engaged research and interventions; wellness and mental health promotion.
Things you do in your free time: I enjoy eating good food (and trying new ones), watching dance videos (and dancing in my head), catching up on sleep, and spending time with my husband.
Fun fact or any other info you want on the site: I am building a community where girls and young women can thrive, grow, feel seen, heard, and empowered
Carly Prentiss
Preferred name: Carly
Hometown: Coventry, CT
Advisor: Marlene Schwartz
Area of interest: Health, Wellbeing, & Prevention
Things I like to do in my free time: watch true crime documentaries, color, listen to music, and try new restaurants
Fun fact: My birthday is on Halloween!
Críscila Ramos
Preferred Name: Críscila
Hometown: Governador Valadares, Brazil
Advisor: Kevin Ferreira van Leer
Area of interest: Latino Families in Migratory Contexts; Intersections between Migration, Human Development, and Social Justice; Public Policies and Access to Services for Immigrants
Things you do in your free time: Spending time with family and friends, traveling, hiking, watching movies
Fun fact: I want to see the Seven Wonders of the World—I still have five left!
Angel Reed
Preferred Name: Angel
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Advisor: Eva Lefkowitz
Areas of interest: Close Romantic Relationships, Queer Relationships, Positive Parenting, Sexual Minority Health and Behavior
Things you do in your free time: Watch Horror Movies, Read Comics and Manga, Eat Sushi
Fun fact: I like collecting vintage dolls and creepy decor!
Linda Trevino
Preferred Name: Linda
Hometown: Laredo, TX
Advisor: Rachel Cohen
Area of interest: Early Childhood Development and Interventions
Things you do in your free time: Knitting, sewing, cooking, baking, photography
Fun fact: I have three years of experience working with children both in classroom and at home settings, and much of my research inspiration is drawn from these experiences
