Travis Research Institute

Where important new ideas are explored.

Social, Behavioral, and Educational Research at Fuller Seminary takes place within the context of the Travis Research Institute (TRI). Under the leadership of Director Joey Fung, TRI has established and maintains an infrastructure that encourages large-scale collaborative research and facilitates obtaining funding for a variety of projects.

Furthering Excellence in Interdisciplinary Research

To enable the achievement of excellence by the research community, Travis Research Institute:

Creates and provides transparent research administration and processes
Broadens awareness of the value of research among students and faculty
Provides infrastructure for interdisciplinary research between SOPMFT and SMT
Contributes to the professional formation of students and faculty
Facilitates collaboration across labs and centers within Fuller Theological Seminary
Enhances faculty’s ability to obtain and manage grants

TRI Research Labs

At the intersection of science, psychology, and theology is the work of research: testing and exploring new hypotheses to expand human knowledge. Most doctoral faculty in the School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy have “laboratories,” consisting of a team of faculty, collaborators, research assistants, and students conducting research focused on a particular topic.

Human Brain & Cognition

Warren S. Brown, PhD

Dr. Brown's lab researches the cognitive and psychosocial impact of variations in connectivity and communication between cerebral hemispheres.

Culture, Children, and Families

Joey Fung, PhD

Dr. Fung's lab studies culture and family processes, adolescent depression and mindfulness, and spirituality.

Headington Research Lab

Cynthia Eriksson, PhD

Dr. Eriksson's lab conducts research and consultation to support trauma-informed ministry.

Imperfect Culture

Kenneth Wang, PhD

Dr. Wang's lab explores the ways culture and perfectionism intersect with well-being, religiousness, and assessment.

Spirituality and Health

Alexis Abernethy, PhD

Dr. Abernethy's lab examines the influence of spirituality on preventive health behaviors, disease, and psychological functioning.

Adversity, Trauma, and Resilience

Lisseth Rojas-Flores, PhD

Dr. Rojas-Flores's lab examines cultural issues as they impact psychology and faith.

Gender & Human Sexuality

Steve Simpson, PhD

Dr. Simpson's lab focuses on psychological issues of human sexuality.

Neuropsychology and Resilience

Anne Nolty, PhD, ABPP-CN

Dr. Nolty's lab studies neuropsychological assessments and works to empower children and adolescents to achieve a productive life path.

Thrive Center for Human Development

Pamela Ebstyne King, PhD

Dr. King's lab researches how diverse people thrive. The empirical research focuses on spirituality, religion, virtue development, and purpose. Our interdisciplinary scholarship integrates philosophical, theological, and psychological perspectives to further understand thriving and spirituality.

Psychological Learning

Sung Kim, PhD

Dr. Kim's lab studies assessment, text data, brain scans, machine learning, and deep learning.

The Integration, Intersectionality & Intersubjectivity Research Lab

Christin J. Fort, PhD

The Integration, Intersectionality & Intersubjectivity Research Lab exists to deepen the interdisciplinary formation of its members and to further the work of careful, prayerful, critical research in areas related to intersectional identity.

Global Psychology and Well-Being

Rachel Sing-Kiat Ting, PhD

This international lab welcomes early-career researchers and students who are interested in conducting culturally grounded research on well-being among marginalized populations (e.g., Indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities) around the world.

Spiritually and Emotionally Sustainable Leadership

David C. Wang, PhD

Dr. Wang’s lab focuses on the holistic formation of global Christian leaders, inclusive of the formation of emotional health and resilience alongside the leader’s spiritual and intellectual formation.

Leadership, Organizations, Trauma, & Healing

Katherine Wiebe, PsyD, PhD

This lab focuses on researching healthy leadership development and organizational development; leadership and organizational development in relation to trauma and healing; and individual and familial trauma and healing.

Sexual Wellness Lab

Melissa Symington, PhD

The Sexual Wellness Lab is dedicated to advancing integrative, evidence-based understandings of sexuality that honor the whole person (biological, psychological, social, and spiritual), relational systems, and communities, for the sake of human flourishing and the glory of God.

Other Research

Restorative Therapy

Terry Hargrave, PhD

Dr. Hargrave's research focuses on the evaluation and effectiveness of Restoration Therapy.

Faith Deconstruction

Michael Hardin, PhD

Dr. Hardin's current research has the following objectives: 1) To understand how individuals experience leaving or dis-identifying with their Christian faith and 2) To understand how those experiences impacted their relationships.