The Mesler Lab Team.

Rhiannon MacDonnell Mesler, Lab Director

Rhiannon Mesler is an Associate Professor at the Dhillon School of Business at the University of Lethbridge (Calgary Campus) and a member of the Institute for Consumer and Social Well-Being. Her research on prosocial consumer behavior and consumer well-being has been featured in top (FT50) journals including Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing, and Journal of Marketing Research. Rhiannon holds a PhD in Management from the University of Calgary, an MSc in Psychology from the University of Calgary, and a BA in Psychology from the University of Waterloo. She also completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Alberta. Rhiannon currently serves as Chair of the Government of Alberta’s Power and Natural Gas Consumer Panel. She has served as a Board Trustee for the City Centre for Charity Effectiveness Trust at City, University of London, the United Way of Calgary and Area, and Classroom Champions International where she now conducts the program evaluation and impact research.

Teaching

Bijit Ghosh

Senior Research Assistant
Bijit Ghosh has been a part of the Mesler Lab team since August 2024. He is a Marketing PhD Candidate at the University of Alberta and focuses his research in consumer behavior, specifically on perceived value, acts of giving, and prosocial behavior. His work explores the intricate dynamics of how consumers make decisions in prosocial contexts and gift-giving scenarios. One of Bijit's notable research projects investigates the impact of flat donation requests on customers' willingness to round up their change for charitable contributions at the point of sale. Another significant study examines the effectiveness of remedial offers that firms should present to existing customers in response to negative reactions to acquisition promotions, considering both monetary and non-monetary incentives. Bijit's research interests extend to understanding the psychological and social factors that influence consumer decision-making in prosocial contexts, aiming to provide valuable insights for both marketing practitioners and policymakers. Bijit aspires to publish his research in high-ranked journals and contribute to a prestigious research institution, where he can continue to advance knowledge in consumer psychology and foster impactful collaborations.
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Sydney Chertoff

Senior Research Assistant
Sydney Chertoff has been part of the Mesler Lab team since September 2023. Her research focuses on personality traits and non-verbal behavior. She graduated from Canisius College with her Bachelors of Science in Animal Behavior Ecology and Conservation and Psychology in the All-College Honors Program, graduating Summa cum laude . She then received her Master of Science from the Psychology Department at the University of Lethbridge and currently in her fourth year of her PhD in the Department of Psychology at the University of Lethbridge. She is co-supervised by Dr. Rhiannon Mesler and Dr. Jean-Baptiste Leca. Using her background studying non-human primates via an ethological perspective, she enjoys bridging the gap the between human-based and non-human based research. Outside of the lab, she has worked as the Executive Director of the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group and volunteered for multiple community based events. Passionate about workers’ rights, she is a current member of the bargaining committee for the Graduate Student Union at the University of Lethbridge. She is committed to conducting research using an ethological approach regardless of the species to gain a deeper, evolutionary understanding of non-verbal, seemingly purposeless, potentially coping behaviors.
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Turan Bayramli

Senior Research Assistant
Turan Bayramli has been a part of the Mesler Lab team since June 2025. He is a Marketing MSc Student at the Dhillon School of Business, University of Lethbridge, and holds a BSc (summa cum laude) in Business Administration and Management from the University of Szeged. Turan Bayramli is a dynamic business analyst and consumer behavior expert with a diverse background spanning telecommunications, energy, healthcare, and SaaS. With experience at PwC, ExxonMobil, and leading academic research institutions, he brings a unique combination of strategic insight, data-driven decision-making, and market expertise. Turan’s work focuses on consumer behavior; he is passionate about understanding the decision-making patterns of consumers and finding the factors that induce these patterns. His research areas of interest include, but are not limited to, brand communication, charitable giving, and prosocial behavior.
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Jessica Gilbert

Research Assistant
Jessica Gilbert has been part of the Mesler Lab team since March 2025. She received her Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba achieving honours with distinction, a co-op designation, and graduating Beta Gamma Sigma in October 2018. After nearly a decade working as a Marketing and Communications professional, Jessica is currently pursuing her Master of Science (Management) degree with a focus in Marketing from the University of Lethbridge. Her research focuses on the relationships stakeholders have with brands and the communication behaviour within those relationships. Under the supervision of Dr. Mesler, she is developing her thesis on brand activism.
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