People – Brain and Social Cognition Lab

LINDSAY BOWMAN, PH.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Ph.D., Psychology, University of Michigan, 2013
B.S., Psychology, Queens University, 2007
Dr. Lindsay Bowman is an assistant professor of Psychology at the University of California, Davis, and Principal Investigator of the Brain and Social Cognition (BASC) Lab. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in Developmental Psychology. With experience as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Maryland Child Development Lab and as a research fellow in the Labs of Cognitive Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, her work brings together unique perspectives on neuroscience, cognition, social understanding, and development. Her lab uses a combination of neuroscientific and behavioral methods to understand how cognition develops over infancy and childhood and how these early developments set the course for social success or impairment.

SONJA HUNTER

M.A Psychology, Rutgers University, New Jersey 2021

B.S Psychology, University of North Texas, 2019

B.A French, University of North Texas, 2019

Sonja is a PhD student in the BASC lab. She received her master’s degree from Rutgers University in 2021 where she completed a thesis on Irrelevant Speech Inhibition in the Bilingual context with Dr. Lisa Payne. Before attending Rutgers, she received her B.S in Psychology and B.A in French at the University of North Texas. Her senior thesis investigated reading patterns in interpersonal decentering narratives in the NeuroCognition lab with Dr. Anthony Ryals. Currently in the BASC Lab she is investigating the developmental neural correlates of Uncertainty Monitoring using electroencephalogram. Broadly, Sonja is interested in the development of social cognition, Executive Functions, and metacognition, including neurodivergent development. How do our brains develop the tools we use to process social information and what developmental variations can lead to interacting with social contexts differently? When Sonja is not in the lab she enjoys drawing and playing tabletop games!

OLUFEMI SHAKUUR NYABINGI

M.A. Psychology, UC Davis

B.A. Neuroscience and Spanish, Northwestern University

Olufemi (she/hers) is a Ph.D. student in the BASC Lab. She completed her Bachelors at Northwestern University, majoring in Neuroscience with a concentration in Human Behavior and Cognition. In her time at Northwestern she had the opportunity to work with Dr. Elizabeth Norton researching language development and brain activity in toddlers. After graduating, she spent two years as a Faculty Research Assistant at the University of Maryland with Dr. Nathan Fox, working primarily on experimental design and protocol development for the infant EEG portion of the nationwide HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) study. Olufemi is interested in exploring how parenting behaviors and early home dynamics relate to the development of regulatory behaviors and processes in infants and children. In her free time Olufemi enjoys painting, cooking, and going on walks.

TRISHA MAHESHWARI

B.A. Psychology and Cognitive Science, UVA 2024
Trisha (she/hers) is a Ph.D. student in the BASC Lab. She completed her Bachelors at the University of Virginia in Psychology and Cogntive Science with a concentration in Neuroscience and a minor in Computer Science. In her time at UVA, she worked on an honors thesis with Drs. Jessica Connelly and Allison Perkeybile researching the development of social behavior in varying family structures in prairie voles. After graduating, she spent two years as a Faculty Research Assistant at the University of Maryland with Dr. Nathan Fox, working on the EEG Core of the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) study. There, she collected infant EEG data, processed and optimized EEG pipelines, and analyzed data quality across sites nationwide. Her current research interests involve questions like: how do parenting behaviors and multiple caregiving units relate to the development of prosocial behaviors in young children? How do socio-emotional behaviors develop in the brain? In her free time, Trisha enjoys traveling, various arts and crafts, and socializing with friends.

RUOYU ZHOU

Ruoyu (joined lab Spring 2024) in an undergraduate research assistant on the testing team for UERP. She is a first-year student majoring in Psychology quantitative emphasis along with a French minor. She is fascinated by learning the development of cognitive processes in infants and children, as well exploring the impact of environment as a social factor on this development. Her long-term goal is to attend graduate school in social psychology and pursue a career in research. In her free time, she enjoys playing the piano and listening to music. She also likes to travel and visit local museums.

ALE PELKOWSKI

Ale (joined lab in winter 2025) is a second-year undergraduate research assistant on the Prosocial Foundations (PFP) video coding team. She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Education. She is interested in education policy and hopes to conduct research in that area. She is also interested in becoming a bilingual elementary school teacher and is fluent in English and Spanish. She hopes to continue to explore the field of child psychology — especially in emotion and language development. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, crocheting, hiking, and reading!

KIRPA KAUR BAINS

Kirpa (joined Summer 2025) is an undergraduate research assistant working for the BBB coding team. She is a first-year Human Development major. She is interested in how the development of children is affected through a variety of factors whether that be biologically, socially, or environmentally. Through exploring these factors, she aspires to be a pediatric doctor who is able to take these factors into consideration to provide the best possible care for children. In her free time, she enjoys watching/playing basketball and spending time with family/friends!

RILEY CADE

(joined Winter 2026) is an research assistant on the BBB recruitment team. She is a fourth-year psychology and human development double major. Riley is interested in cognitive and social development in infancy and early childhood, as well as the impact of social and romantic relationships across the lifespan. After graduating in spring 2026, Riley plans to take a gap year to continue working in the lab and as an apprentice teacher at UC Davis’s Early Childhood Lab School. Following her gap year, she plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in clinical psychology and postsecondary teaching. Outside of her academic pursuits, Riley loves to spend time with her loved ones, travel, and sew.

KAVYA MAHALINGAM

Kavya (joined Winter 2026) is a third-year undergraduate research assistant on the BBB testing and coding team. She is majoring in Human Biology and minoring in Psychology. Her research interests include children’s social development, how it can be facilitated, and how different environments influence children’s long-term cognitive and social abilities. She is on the pre-med track and hopes to pursue a career in medicine. She is particularly interested in the intersection of physical and mental health, and their role in overall patient wellbeing and medical treatment. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, baking, and reading books.

NATASHA GUILAR

Natasha (joined Summer 2026) is a research assistant working on the BBB project. She recently graduated from the University of California, Davis with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in French. She is interested in developmental psychology, with a particular focus on cognitive development. She hopes to pursue graduate studies in developmental psychology and continue conducting research with children. In her free time, she enjoys taking ballet classes and reading.

RUOHAN XIA

Ph.D., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2026

Upon graduation, Ruohan accepted a Post-doctoral Scholar position at Stanford University, School of Medicine.

ZOE PESTANA

Ph.D., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2026

B.A., Neuroscience and Psychology, Hampshire College

Upon graduation, Zoe accepted a position as an administrative instructional manager at the UC Davis Writing Center.

MJ HEISE
Ph.D. , Psychology, University of California Davis, 2023
Upon graduation, MJ accepted a post-doctoral position as a Research Data Analyst at UCSF/Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital center for AIDS research
MARIYA CHERNENOK
Ph.D., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2023
Upon graduation, Mariya successfully pursued careers in psychological research in industry
B.A., Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, 2012, M.S.
M.S., Child Development, University of California, Davis, 2018

AMANDA SOETH
B.S., Cognitive Science (Neuroscience emphasis), University of California, Davis, 2024
Amanda was accepted into a PhD program in developmental psychology at the University of Oregon in Dr. Caitlin Fausey’s Learning Lab.

ADITI HOSANGADI
B.S., Psychology (Biological emphasis), University of California, Davis, 2021
Aditi was accepted into a PhD program in developmental psychology at University of Wisconsin – Madison.

SERENA MON
A.B., Neuroscience, Princeton University, 2020
Serena was accepted into a PhD program in communication sciences and disorders at Northwestern University.

COURTNEY JIMENEZ
B.S., Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, 2017
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2017
Courtney was accepted into a PhD program at Dartmouth College in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences.

JILLIAN MCLENITHAN

B.S., Human Development, University of California, Davis, 2017
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2017

Jillian was accepted into a Master’s program in speech-language pathology at the University of Arizona, Tucson

CASSANDRA NGUYEN
B.S., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2019

AARON MINHAS
B.S., psychology (Biological Emphasis), University of California, Davis, 2022
Aaron is currently pursuing attending medical school.

DAVID CHANG
B.A. Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2022
David will be pursing a PhD in clinical psychology.

KAYLA LITTLE
B.A. Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2022
Kayla is planning to pursue a master’s in social work.

KARA HA
B.S., Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of California, Davis, 2022
B.A. Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2022
Kara is planning to pursue a PhD in developmental biology.

UJASHI SHAH
B.S., Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, 2021
Ujashi will be attending University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine starting Fall 2022.

HALEY MAJOR
A.B. in Psychology, University of California Davis, 2023

REESE LEE
A.B. in Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2023

SAMUEL ZAKI
Applying to medical school

MIA LAM
B.A., Psychology and a minor in Sociology, University of California, Davis, 2024
Mia is currently applying for MS programs in psychological research.

SOFIA SIMON
B.S., Cognitive Science, University of California, Davis, 2024
Sofia is pursuing a graduate degree in UX Design at the University of Michigan.

ANA GARCIA
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2024
Ana is a Talent Acquisition Assistant at Fulgent Genetics Company.

GURLEEN KAUR
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2024
Gurleen is taking additional classes at community college.

GABE CABALLERO
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2025
Gabe is working an an Applied Behavior Technician.

ANANYA AIYER
B.S., Cognitive Science, University of California, Davis, 2025

XINZHU CHAI
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2025
Xinzhu is attending a PhD program in Psychology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

AUDREY BOYCE
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2025
Audrey is working an an Applied Behavior Technician, with plans to go to graduate school in LMFT.

KATIE SO
B.S. in Cognitive Science (neuroscience emphasis), University of California, Davis, 2023
Katie plans to pursue a PhD in neuroscience

AMANDA MANANGAN
B.A. Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2022
B.A. Political Science, University of California, Davis, 2022

KRITI IYER
B.S., Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, 2024
In the future, Kriti hopes to continue exploring the intersection of development and neuroscience.

CHURONG XU
B.S. Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2024
B.A. Cognitive Science, University of California, Davis, 2024
Churong is currently applying to graduate programs and will be pursuing a master’s in mental health counseling.

ADRIEN WARD
A.B. Psychology and minor in Neuroscience, 2023.
Lab manager for Yuko Munakata’s lab at UC Davis

ADITI HOSANGADI
B.S., Psychology (Biological emphasis), University of California, Davis, 2021

SAFAH BHATTI
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2022
Safah is currently pursuing a master’s in the Eliot Pearson Human Development and Child Study program at Tufts University.

PAUL RUST
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2021
B.A., Cinema & Digital Media, University of California, Davis, 2021
Paul will be applying to schools to get a doctorate in clinical psychology or an M.S. in counseling.

KELLY KURATA
B.S., Psychology (Biological emphasis), University of California, Davis, 2020

MIRIAM GARFINKEL
B.S., Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, 2020
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2020

NINA VELASQUEZ SINGH
B.S., Cognitive Science (Neuroscience emphasis), University of California, Davis, 2019
B.A., Spanish, University of California, Davis, 2019

JOSEPH MUSSANO
B.S., Cognitive Science (Neuroscience emphasis), University of California, Davis, 2019

JORDAN THOMPSON
B.S., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2019

ELLICIA WONG
B.S., Human Development, University of California, Davis, 2018
Ellicia is currently pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy.

ALEXANDRA KERSHAW
B.S., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2018
Alex is currently pursuing a Masters in Nursing.

ARIEL MADRIGAL
BA in Psychology and a minor in Aging and Adult Development.
She is currently the Community Engagement Specialist at Empower Yolo and is planning to start applying to MSW and MFT programs.

HELEN VAN
B.S., Psychology, University of California, Davis 2023
She is currently applying to medical schools while working as a Mohs Histotechnician.

MELISSA KUCUKDEMIRCI
B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Human Development, University of California, Davis, 2023
She is volunteering with a Crisis Text Line as a crisis counselor.

ANNAH WEBB
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2019
Annah is working towards an M.S. in Counseling at Sacramento State, specializing in marriage child and family counseling.

KATE EVERHARDT
B.S., Psychology (Biological emphasis), University of California, Davis, 2021
Kate is working as a research assistant at the Anxiety Disorders Center and will be applying to graduate school in clinical psychology.

ALEX VARALLO
B.S., Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, 2021

LINA SAVAGE
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2020
Lina is currently pursuing a Masters in Art Therapy.

SHARLENE DELOS SANTOS
B.S., Human Development, University of California, Davis, 2020 M.S., Medical Health Science, Touro University California, 2021
Sharlene received a M.S. in Medical Health Science and will be attending Touro University California to receive her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree with intentions to become a primary care physician.

NATALIE ANDEN
B.A., Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2020
Natalie is currently pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology at Palo Alto University.

SHARANI RAMESH
B.A., Cognitive Science, University of California, Davis, 2021
B.A., Design, University of California, Davis, 2021

JODY ZHOU
B.S., Cognitive Science, University of California, Davis, 2018
Jody was accepted into the PhD program in Human Development at University of California, Davis.

KRISTEN KNAUS
B.A., Psychology, minor in Human Development, University of California, Davis, 2022
Kristin was accepted into a master’s program in marriage and family therapy at Pepperdine University.

SHARON TAN

LORELEI TAYBI

KATHLEEN LY

AKRITI DAS

KATHLEEN LY

TAMMY PHAN

AYUSHI AMBEKAR

ROWAN EL-ARABATY

HANNAH MIN

ZENA LABABIDI

DANIELLE HALL

PATRICE DELARA

ADITI JAIN

ABBIGAYLE LIBONATI

JAZMINE MINHAS

JIENEL VALENZUELA

KAASHVEE KUMAR

SHABAZ KHAN

ALLYSA DE VERA

SHREYA NENE

MELANY MEDINA

ALLYSON KANG

NABIYA HAIDER

RYAN MCCABE

HANAN JAOUNI

IMAAN SYED

KAYLEE CHRISTIANSON

COLBY PECK

MARIE TRUMM

LINETTE JUN

AVA AZEVEDO

ERIKA VILLASENOR

NOLAN CHING

HAILEY CHOW

ARI ALMACEN

COLBY HUANG

ALEJANDRO PAGAN

MAITHREYI NARAYANAN

HANNAH DAPKEWICZ

AMANDA WU

JENNA CHUI

CLAIRE LEONARD

ANEE GUILHOT

ADRIKA SEN

LAYSA VELASQUEZ MORENO

HARMONI LA

ELLIE CORDOVA

EESA SABOOH

EMMA HEGAZY

KATE NELSON

MAGGIE DIXON

CHUNKUN XIAO

SIMONA KAMAT

Meet the Research Team

Principal Investigator

Current Graduate Students

Current Research Assistants

Lab Alumni – Graduate Students

Lab Alumni – Junior Specialists/Lab Coordinators

Lab Alumni – Post Doctoral Researchers

Lab Alumni – Undergraduate Research Assistants

We Would Love to Have You Visit Soon!