Research Assistant

Fatima Merchant

Fatima is a third-year undergraduate student at UC Davis pursuing a degree in Psychology with a biological emphasis and a minor in Public Health. She is interested in understanding the human mind and exploring the various factors that make each individual unique. Through this lab, she hopes to gain hands-on experience in psychological research and to better understand how the development of executive function is influenced by different contexts and stages of development. In her free time, Fatima enjoys going on runs, spending time with friends and family, and watching shows on Netflix.

Jacob Tom

Jacob is an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Psychology (Biology Emphasis) and a minor in Public Health. He is interested in biopsychology and cognition, specifically the intersection between the physical basis of behavior and mental processes. His curiosity in psychology came from a practical perspective—how the development of executive functions like cognitive flexibility and working memory could optimize performance. Outside of the lab, he is a member of the Men’s Lacrosse team and spends his free time playing poker and reading manga.

Alinda Lau

Alinda joined the lab in Fall 2025 and is currently pursuing a B.S. in Cognitive Science with a neuroscience emphasis as well as a B.A. in Psychology. She is interested in the ways that people change across contexts, specifically how cognition, personality, and social factors work in combination to influence decision-making. In her free time, Alinda likes to read, play video games, practice wushu, and spend time with family and friends.

Rosanna Chen

Rosanna joined the lab in fall 2025 and is currently pursuing a degree in Psychology with an emphasis in biology. She joined the lab after working with children and seeing how their executive function changes with age. She is interested in learning cognitive neuroscience and how it develops as children grow up. Outside of the lab, she enjoys hanging out with friends and reading.

Ashley Huang

Ashley joined the lab in the Fall of 2025 and is currently a second year pursuing a B.S. in Psychology. She is interested in how cultural factors influence mental health and how it changes the approach of clinical treatment. Through this lab, she hopes to explore more about the different professions of psychology and gaining research experience. During her free time, Ashley enjoys trying new restaurants, taking scenic walks, listening to music, cooking and spending time with friends and family.

Christopher De La Cruz

Christopher joined the lab in the spring of 2025 and is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at UC Davis. He is interested in cognitive and clinical development, with a particular focus on how mental health resources can be made more accessible to low-income communities. He hopes to increase awareness and reduce stigma around conditions like autism by contributing to research that supports earlier diagnosis and more equitable care. Christopher plans to attend graduate school in psychology and is passionate about using research to bridge the gap between science and community support. Outside of academics, he enjoys working out, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.

Y-Duyen Nguyen

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 Sterzing

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.