Research Assistant

Y-Duyen joined the lab in Spring 2025 and is pursuing a degree in Psychology with a Biology emphasis. She is primarily interested in exploring how cognitive development varies for individuals depending on their culture and unique experiences, as well as how children’s inhibitory control mechanisms advance as they get older. Y-Duyen hopes to pursue a career in the healthcare field as a psychiatrist and work toward destigmatizing mental health within the Vietnamese community. In her free time, Y-Duyen enjoys playing tennis, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.

Wyatt joined the lab in Spring 2025 and is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Cognitive Science with a computational emphasis. He is interested in the lab because of the focus on cognitive development and its integration of cognitive control. Wyatt hopes to continue conducting research after graduation, with a particular interest in modeling the brain’s information-processing capabilities. Outside of the lab, he enjoys skateboarding, snowboarding, creating art, being in nature, and spending time with friends.

Sophia is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UC Davis pursuing a degree in Psychology with minors in Public Health Sciences and Human Development. She joined the lab in Summer 2024, drawn to its emphasis on how executive functioning and cognitive processes vary across development and diverse contexts. Sophia is particularly interested in how cognitive development influences mental health and well-being, especially in relation to social and environmental factors. She is passionate about integrating psychological research with public health approaches to help create more equitable and accessible mental health resources and services. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology or in public health. Outside of the lab, Sophia works as a Mental Health Ambassador on campus and enjoys dancing, traveling, practicing Pilates, and spending time with friends.

Shreya is an undergraduate at UC Davis majoring in Cognitive Science and Statistics. She was drawn to the lab’s focus on understanding how children’s cognitive development is shaped by cultural, social, and environmental contexts and loves exploring these ideas as a research assistant! Shreya is especially interested in how different settings such as schools, homes, and broader communities influence executive functioning and, in particular, learning outcomes. She hopes to better understand the relationship between cognitive development and disparities in access to health and education resources in order to help inform more equitable support systems for children and families. In her free time, she loves to travel, explore nature, and crochet.

Sebastian joined the lab in Spring 2025 and is a 2nd year student majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior at UC Davis. He is passionate about developmental neuroscience and is especially interested in how early experiences shape adolescent cognition. His experiences working with children in both educational and sports settings inspired his interest in pursuing developmental cognition research. Outside of the lab, Sebastian enjoys weightlifting and spending time with his roommates and friends. In the future, Sebastian hopes to enter into medical school and pursue a career in pediatrics.

Rhea is a rising third year student who joined the lab in Summer 2024 and is currently pursuing a B.S. in Cognitive Science with a computational emphasis and a B.S. in Data Science. She is interested in the lab because it explores how cognitive processes like attention, memory, and learning operate in real-world, dynamic environments. She is especially drawn to understanding how these processes are shaped by context, and how data analysis can be used to uncover patterns in behavior and cognition that inform more accurate, real-world models of how people think and learn. In her free time, Rhea enjoys reading, crafting, exploring new cafes, and learning new recipes!

Quincy is an undergraduate at UC Davis studying Cognitive Science with a computational emphasis. Quincy has Previously worked in the Janata lab, has made contributions to simulation software for the Computational Cognitive Science Textbook, and Currently works in the Cognition in Context lab. His research interests include computational neuroscience, executive functioning, and assistive technology. Quincy writes music and practices Olympic Weight lifting in his free time.

Parnita joined the lab in winter 2024 and is a 1st year Computer Engineering student at UC Davis. She works with Rachel to assist with current research in the lab while pursuing her own research as an ASPIRE scholar. She is interested in applying neuroscience principles to computer hardware design and engineering to advance technology. Beyond lab work and coursework, she enjoys working out and exploring new places in her free time.

Hayden joined the lab in Winter 2025 and is pursuing a degree in Cognitive Science with a Psychology emphasis and a minor in Human Development. Hayden is interested in developmental processes, particularly exploring differences and outcomes across cultures related to cognitive functions and well-being. She aims to pursue a graduate degree in counseling or clinical psychology, working on research to inform knowledge and practices to emphasize positive outcomes across sociocultural contexts. Outside of the lab, Hayden spends her time on the field for the Division 1 UC Davis Field Hockey team, baking, listening to music, and spending time with friends.

Grace joined the lab in the winter of 2025 and is pursuing a Psychology (Biology emphasis) degree. She is primarily interested in children's cognitive development, especially the differences in child development across cultures. She hopes to gain a better understanding of developmental psychology through working with children. In the future, she hopes to continue her studies in graduate school. She likes watching movies and traveling in her free time.