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 building community 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 cooking, playing pickleball with friends, or walking my cat, Bruno.

EMMA YU (she/her)
email

I am a first-year PhD student interested in how infants and children use cues about social relationships and mental states (particularly emotions) to inform their social expectations and promote their prosocial behavior. I began my research journey at The SoCal Lab at UC San Diego and the Social Development and Learning Lab at Boston University. After graduating from BU in 2023 with a B.A. in Psychology, I worked as a lab manager at the Thomas Lab at Harvard University. Outside of the lab, I enjoy bullet journaling, crocheting, watching sports (particularly baseball, football, and hockey), and tap dancing!

ANUSHKA LAHA (she/her)
email

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)
email

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)
email

I am an 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)
email

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. 

GISELLE GIN (she/her)
email

I am an undergraduate research assistant getting my B.S in Psychological and Brain Sciences with a minor in Applied Psychology. I’m interested in how children's relationships with important people in their lives influence their social understanding and well-being. During my free time, I enjoy taking sunset walks and going to hot yoga.

JACK HENRY PEREK (he/him)
email

I’m an undergraduate research assistant pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences. I’m interested in how children communicate with each other and make social inferences based on their communication. Outside the lab I love playing guitar, writing, spending time with my friends, and watching the stars.

JENNIFER LI (she/her)
email

I am an 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!

RAISSA CHENG (she/her)
email

I am a recent graduate from 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)
email

I am a 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)
email

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 and 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)
email

I am an undergraduate transfer student pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences. I am interested in children's altruistic tendencies, as well as how children share and learn. After UCSB, I hope to move onto pursuing a master's 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!

BRUNO (he/him) 

I'm Brandon's cat. I like eating treats, going on walks (I'm leash-trained!), and sleeping on my dads' work desks.