Alexandra Tyra, Ph.D.

Dr. Alexandra Tyra graduated Summa Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University in 2017 with dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Psychological Sciences and Criminology/Criminal Justice. She then went on to receive her Master of Arts (2019) and Ph.D. (2024) in Psychology and Neuroscience from Baylor University. During her graduate studies, Dr. Tyra also completed a Fulbright year in the United Kingdom (2022-2023), obtaining an additional MSc by Research in Sport, Exercise, and Rehabilitation Sciences. Dr. Tyra’s research focuses on understanding how psychosocial factors influence physiological responses to stress and subsequent physical health outcomes. In her spare time, she enjoys running, writing poetry, and painting.

Katherine Knauft, Ph.D.

Dr. Katherine Knauft is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Baylor Behavioral Medicine Lab. In 2016, she received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Art from Augustana College. Following her undergraduate studies, Dr. Knauft received a Master of Arts (2019) and Ph.D. (2022) in Psychology from Miami University. Her research examines the physiological, psychological, and social pathways connecting stressful experiences to health. Outside of the lab, Dr. Knauft can be found reading, spending time with her cats, and going for walks and runs by the river.