THE TEAM

BRANDON WOO (he/him)
CV | email | website | Blue Sky | OSF

Human beings are one of the most social and cooperative species on Earth. Through studies of infants and young children, our lab's research aims to shed light on humans’ early-emerging knowledge of other people and to characterize the developmental foundations of human learning, cooperation, and social life broadly.

I'm committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in science, and to mentoring students from all backgrounds. I'm a first-generation college graduate myself, and I recognize the important roles that my own mentors have had in my education and career. You can learn more about my approach to mentorship here.

When I'm not in the lab, you can find me baking and cooking, running, or hiking with friends.

ANUSHKA LAHA (she/her)
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I received my B.S. in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience at UC San Diego. I worked as a Research Assistant in The SoCal Lab at UCSD studying infants' cognitive development with a focus on how they think about others' minds and interact with them. I’m broadly drawn to how infants and young children develop their socialization and learning processes. In my free time, I like to dance, experiment with new baking recipes, and hang out at the beach!

AMELIA CHEN (she/her)
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I am an undergraduate research assistant getting my B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences. I am especially interested in how children learn and understand the goals of others around them. After my time at UCSB, I plan on going to grad school for psychology. I love gardening, reading a good book, singing with Intervals Acapella, and playing the ukulele.

CARLY WOLF (she/her)
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I am a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.S in Psychological and Brain Sciences. I am interested in the intersection between cognitive psychology and social psychology, specifically in understanding the mental processes that influence the ways people act and interact with their environment. In my free time, I love to discover new hiking trails, try different restaurants in Santa Barbara, and spend time at the beach!

DANA BEAS ALVARADO (she/her)
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I'm an undergraduate student at UCSB pursuing a B. S. in Biopsychology with a minor in Applied Psychology. I'm interested in how children learn from other's behavior. In my free time, I love drawing and taking walks by the beach. 

DESTINY LAINA (she/her)
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I am an undergraduate research assistant getting my B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences. I am very interested in how children form connections and how that influences how they interact with their environment. After my time at UCSB, I hope to receive my masters. I love reading, dancing, singing, and drawing.

JENNIFER LI (she/her)
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I am a first-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences. I am curious about how children soak up information from their surroundings and relationships constantly to create their own sense of judgement, morality, and personalities. Outside of the lab, I love playing violin, nature walks, and curling up with a good book!

JOY SUN (she/her)
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I am a third-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences with a minor in Applied Psychology. I am interested in studying how social interactions influence infants’ development and, later on, their behavior and social cognition. In the future, I hope to pursue a PhD in social cognition and clinical psychology. In my free time, I enjoy watching movies, listening to music, cooking, and spending time with friends.

RAISSA CHENG (she/her)
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I am currently a third-year double major Psychological & Brain Science and Economics, minor in Applied Psychology student at UCSB. I am broadly interested in the Theory of Mind and how children’s perspective-taking varies across ages and/or social contexts. In my free time, I enjoy photography, theatre, and gym!

SYDNEY KAUFF (she/her)
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I am a second-year research assistant pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences. I am interested in how infants process information and learn. Particularly, I’m curious about how language is learned during early development and the influence of environmental factors. In my free time, I enjoy being outdoors, whether it’s camping, hiking, skiing, or watching a good sunset on the beach!

VANESSA RICO (she/her)
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I'm a first-generation college student pursuing a B.S. in Spanish with a minor in Education at UCSB. As a research assistant, I explore how babies and young kids understand their social world.

When I'm not in the lab, you can find me reading, exploring new places, or watching my favorite movies/shows. I'm passionate about making a positive impact on my community through education. After graduating, I will pursue a master's degree and become a high school teacher.

ZOE GIPSON (she/her)
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I am a third year undergraduate transfer student pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences. I am interested in how children share, learn, and their altruistic tendencies. After UCSB, I hope to move onto pursuing a masters degree. In my free time I love traveling to different places and experiencing different cultures, but most of the time I am at the beach with a good book or spending time with friends!

HAOWEI PENG (she/her)
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I recently received my Ed.M. in Human Development and Education from Harvard GSE in May 2024. I’m interested in understanding how individuals develop their cognition of self, emotion, and social relationships within the contexts of daily interactions involving their close others, especially caregivers. Outside of the lab, I enjoy reading, cooking, and watching all kinds of movies & TV shows!

MIA TAYLOR (she/her)
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I graduated from Harvard College, where I completed my honors thesis Now that I've graduated, I'm continuing as a full-time research assistant. I'm interested in how infants and young children understand and perceive their social world. In my free time, I enjoy pet sitting, watching stand-up comedy, and playing with my Netherland Dwarf bunny.