DOSC LAB - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor and ACES Fellow
Cassidy is a Cognitive Science PhD student working with Dr. Nadia Chernyak. Cassidy completed her M.A. in Developmental Psychology at Cornell University in 2021. She also completed her B.A. in Psychology at Cornell University in 2019.
Cassidy is interested in researching children's moral cognition and the relationship between wealth and possibility. Cassidy is particularly interested in how cultural markers impact how children process and form decisions, specifically using an intersectional framework to pit cultural markers against each other. In her free time she enjoys playing with her nieces and nephews, drinking coffee, spending time with her cat, and playing Animal Crossing.
Cassidy Wong is an undergraduate at UCI pursuing a BS degree in Cognitive Sciences on a Pre-Med track. She is interested in behavioral development and neuroscience. With a prospective career in pediatrics, she aims to intertwine the disciplines of biology and cognitive science to elevate healthcare experiences within the medical field. In her free time, she enjoys running, cooking, and hammocking with friends.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor
- Lab Director / Principal Investigator
Dr. Chernyak is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cognitive Sciences at UC - Irvine and the director of the lab. She received her BA and PhD from Cornell University, and completed additional postdoctoral training at various universities in the Boston area, including Brown University, Harvard University, Boston University, and Boston College. Her work investigates the early roots of our social behavior. She is particularly interested in how we can use developmental data to better understand the cognitive building blocks of our understanding of equity, justice, fairness, equality, and social group cognition. Sponsored by the National Science Foundation's CAREER Award, her most recent work has focused on the cognitive and social predictors of our understanding of inequality.
Eli is an undergraduate pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Biological Science. She is interested in neuropsychology and cognitive science, she hopes to continue her studies of these topics in graduate school. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, baking, and hunting around Irvine for new coffee shops :)
Habiba is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.A. in psychology at UCLA, with a planned minor in brain and behavioral health. She is interested in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders and abnormal behavior, as well as mind-body interactions as they relate to mental wellbeing. After graduation, Habiba plans to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and eventually work as a clinical psychologist. In her free time, she enjoys making ceramics, reading fantasy novels, and spending time with friends & family :)
Hannah Gonzales is a 4th-year transfer student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She is interested in neuropsychology and brain disorders. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology or neuroscience and hopes to do research on understanding mental illnesses in the future. In her free time, she enjoys going to the gym and napping with her cat Tuna :)
Born and raised in Tijuana, B.C. Mexico, Isabel recently graduated from UC San Diego with a B.S. in Psychology with a Specialization in Cognitive Psychology and a Biology minor. At UCSD, Isabel worked as a research assistant at the Social Cognition and Learning Lab studying the development of social cognition in infancy. Isabel is interested in cognitive development and intends to keep doing fun research with children. In her free time, Isabel enjoys watching shows, reading, petting her housemate's cat, and walking by the beach!
Jacky is a graduate student working with Dr. Nadia Chernyak. Jacky received her B.S. in Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and worked as a lab manager at the University of Chicago. Jacky is interested in how children's social environment shapes their beliefs and behaviors. In particular, she is interested in how children from different socioeconomic backgrounds explain concepts of equity, free will, and social mobility. In her free time, she likes to decompress by trying out new food and playing games.
Jasmine is an undergraduate student pursuing a bachelor's degree in Psychology. She is looking forward to gaining knowledge as a researcher and experiencing hands-on the growth of developmental and cognitive sciences. She has worked with children for a good chunk of her college career, and is excited to be back at it again. In her free time, she likes hanging around her dog, practicing piano, and playing games with her friends.
Jennifer Hodel is an undergraduate Psychology major at Wheaton College, Massachusetts and pursuing minors in both Education and Women and Gender Studies. Jennifer plans on obtaining graduate degrees in School Counseling and Clinical Psychology. She also later intends to conduct research focused on children's perceptions of gender. In her free time she enjoys playing tennis, baking, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.
Jessie is working towards a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. She is interested in neuropsychology, particularly conditions that can interfere with one's social cognition. After graduating, she wants to continue her education at graduate school and study cognitive neuroscience. When she's not busy, she likes to draw, play Animal Crossing, and spend time with her dogs.
Job Titles:
- Thesis Student, SURP Recipient
Jolina Lee is an undergraduate working towards a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She is particularly interested in child development and, more specifically, in understanding the mechanisms through which children are able to rapidly learn about and understand the social world around them. After collecting her degree, Jolina hopes to pursue a graduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology.
Jose Ramirez recently completed his B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. He is eager to gain experience and learn more about the cognitive development of children. Besides cognitive development, he is also interested in abnormal psychology and the treatment of mental disorders. In the future, he hopes to go on to graduate school after gaining experience in the field of developmental psychology.
Kiana Gee is a second-year undergraduate student pursuing her Bachelors of Science in Cognitive Science. She enjoys studying developmental cognition and language acquisition, and she especially loves working with children. In the future she hopes to continue her work with children and further her studies in graduate school. During her free time, she enjoys listening to and playing music, drawing, and spending time with friends and family.
Lizbeth Romero is a third year undergraduate student at UCI pursuing a BS degree in Psychology. She is interested in human decision making as well as cognition and perception. After graduation her goal is to pursue a master's in Human Factors or I/O Psychology. In her free time she enjoys reading, listening to music and hanging out with friends.
Rae is pursuing a double major with a B.A. in Psychological Sciences and a B.A. in Criminal Law and Society with a Minor in Sociology. She plans to pursue higher education, specifically her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and work with the Department of Defense to change mental health policies within the military. She enjoys cooking, baking, and learning Japanese in her free time. Rae is excited to be working with the DoSC Lab!
Sharanya is a graduate student working with Dr. Nadia Chernyak. She received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Hyderabad, an M.A. in Applied Psychology with Specialization in Clinical Psychology from Tata Institue of Social Sciences, Mumbai, and an M.A. in Social Sciences (concentration - Psychology) from the University of Chicago.
Sharanya is interested in understanding how non-WEIRD contexts shape children's social cognition. She is interested in understanding how markers such as status and familiarity affect children's social preferences in multi-lingual and multi-cultural environments. Apart from research, Sharanya is an avid reader, loves watching the latest K-dramas, enjoys long walks, and listening to new music.
Sophia is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in psychological science and criminology, law, and society at the University of California, Irvine. Sophia has previous research experience in conducting case studies on formerly incarcerated individuals, those with mental illnesses, and diversity in law firms. She is particularly interested in risk assessment and mental illness diagnoses and prevention in children. Upon completion of her undergraduate degree, Sophia hopes to pursue a doctorate in forensic psychology. In her free time, Sophia likes to take care of her pets and go hiking.
Sophia Tong is an undergraduate student pursuing a bachelor's degree in Public Health Sciences. She is very interested in developmental and behavioral psychology as well as how public health factors can influence child development. After graduating Sophia plans on attending graduate school to further pursue her studies in public health and psychology. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, dancing, and watching sitcoms.
Taylor Ashqar is a student at UCI pursuing her Bachelors of Science in Cognitive Sciences. She is very interested in AI and developmental cognition and hopes to transition into grad school to further her knowledge of both. In the future, she hopes to teach and continue research in the field. In her free time, she likes reading, writing, and spending time with friends.
Tenzing Choeying is pursuing a B.S. in Psychology at Fordham University. She has volunteered for the Himalayan youth since highschool and tutored them during her college career. Tenzing is interested in children's cognitive development such as how they develop societal biases. She is particularly interested in how to make young children become aware of their biases. After graduation, Tenzing plans to continue her education in counseling psychology. During her free time, Tenzing enjoys baking, reading, jamming to music, doing skincare, and being with friends and family.
Umiemah Farrukh is an undergraduate at UCLA, pursuing a bachelor's degree in Psychology. She has previous research experience and is particularly interested in how an individual's childhood experiences shape them and their mental health. She is very excited to be working at the DoSC Lab this summer. Upon completion of her BA and progessive master's, Umiemah will be applying to grad school to pursue a health-related career. In her free time Umiemah loves writing poetry, making art, and trying out new coffee shops in LA!
Vivian Nguyen is an undergraduate student studying for a bachelor's degree in Psychology. She is interested in studying child development, particularly how children are able to acquire social behaviors and learn about the world. After graduation, she plans on pursuing a graduate degree in clinical psychology to eventually become a Marriage and Family therapist.