Alexandra O. Cohen, Ph.D.
Lab Director
she/her
Ali received her B.S. in Neuroscience from Duke University and her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. She then completed her postdoctoral training at New York University. Ali joined the Department of Psychology at Emory University as an Assistant Professor in 2022. She is deeply committed to promoting equity in and accessibility of science. Outside the lab, Ali enjoys cuddling her cats, taking care of her plants, and loves all things brunch, unicorn, and brightly-colored.
ali [dot] cohen [at] emory [dot] edu | personal website | CV
Tejas Savalia, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
he/him
Jonathan Kim, B.S.
Lab Manager
he/him
Jonathan graduated from Emory University with a B.S. in Psychology and Economics. After graduation, he spent two years working at Emory’s Treatment Resistant Depression clinic managing clinical trials involving ECT, TMS, and ketamine therapy for patients with mood and cognitive disorders. Jonathan is primarily interested in how memory and learning are affected by environments and how they affect cognitive development. In his free time, Jonathan enjoys hiking and playing instruments.
Rohini Kumar, B.A.
Doctoral Student
she/her
Rohini completed her B.A. in Neuroscience at Rice University in 2021. After graduating, she completed a post-baccalaureate research fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health where she studied emotional face perception. She is interested in how memory and emotion interact and how this relationship is supported by the brain. She loves dancing and live music.
Rebecca Hennessy, B.A.
Doctoral Student
she/her
Rebecca graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2023 with a B.A. in Cognitive Neuroscience and a minor in Psychology. She conducted her senior honors thesis in the Changing Brain Lab studying how curiosity and reward influence children’s motivation. After graduating, she spent two years as the lab manager for the Learning and Brain Development Lab at Northeastern University. Rebecca is interested in understanding the neurocognitive development of learning, memory, and reward processing mechanisms throughout childhood and adolescence. Outside of the lab, Rebecca enjoys cooking and baking (especially homemade sourdough), playing board games, and supporting the performing arts!
Michelle Sauceda
Research Assistant
she/her
Michelle is a senior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Predictive Health. She is interested in studying how memory and emotions impact decision-making in children and adolescents and how this relates to the development of mental disorders. After graduation, Michelle plans to attend graduate school for clinical psychology. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, going on nature walks, and hanging out with friends.
Anny Huang
Research Assistant
she/her
Anny is a senior majoring in Psychology. She is particularly drawn to the dynamic intersections of biopsychology, cognitive neuroscience, and psychology. Her primary research interests revolve around understanding the impact of brain damage on human behavior, mood, and cognition. She is also interested in exploring the interplay between mood and behavior, and she is eager to delve into the correlations between genetics and psychological disorders. Outside of the lab, Anny spends most of her time cooking, reading books, watching TV, and listening to music.
Alya Khoury
Research Assistant
she/her
Alya is a senior studying Anthropology and Human Biology, with a keen interest in the human brain. Driven by the intersection of neuroscience and anthropology, Alya is most interested in learning about the anatomy of memory as well as understanding how our brain develops and matures both on an individual and on a species scale. In her free time, she enjoys taking pictures with old film cameras, writing for the school paper, and spending time outdoors in a hammock.
Pearce Bernstone
Research Assistant
he/him
Pearce is a junior majoring in psychology. He has completed previous research during a summer study abroad program in the British Isles through Emory’s Psychology Department. During the program, he studied empathic development in children by conducting research in an Irish primary school for 3 weeks, analyzing data, and comparing his data with that of his colleagues, for the remaining 3 weeks of the program at University College of London. His primary research interests involve learning, especially different learning environments and how they can shape one’s future.
Coco Sandoval
Research Assistant
she/her
Coco is a senior at Emory University majoring in Psychology and Spanish with a premed focus. She has a strong interest in the intersection of neuroscience and child development, particularly in studying neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and ADHD. Her research has focused on how environmental and social factors influence mental health and brain development in children. Coco is passionate about using her work to improve access to equitable healthcare and education for underserved communities. In her free time, she enjoys running, dancing, cooking, and spending time with loved ones.
Grace Yin
Research Assistant
she/her
Grace is a senior majoring in Psychology. She has worked in the Dittmann Lab at Emory GBS. She is particularly interested in exploring the factors and underlying causes contributing to the development of psychological disorders in children and adolescents. After graduation, She plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and playing with her cat, Milktea.
Coco Zhang
Research Assistant
she/her
Coco is a junior double majoring in Psychology and Qss-Sociology track. She has been working in the Single-Subject Research Lab at Marcus Autism Center. She has been working on a study of open and closed economies for participant recruitment and data encoding. The study explores how color cues, fixed-time intervals, and positive/negative reinforcement influence problem behaviors in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Her research interests focus on child development, particularly understanding the cognitive and environmental factors that prevent children from reaching their full potential.
Jack Tan
Research Assistant
he/him
Jack Tan (he/him) is a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Quantitative Sciences (QSS). His research interests lie at the intersection of cognitive neuroscience and clinical psychology, with a particular focus on how traumatic experiences from adolescence through adulthood influence cognitive development, behavior, and memory formation. After graduation, he plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology. Outside of the lab, Jack enjoys hiking, spending time with friends, and photographing the beauty of nature.
Veronica Andrede
Research Assistant
she/her
Veronica is a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in History. She has prior research experience through Yale University’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship working on a project on suicide attempts and mental imagery. She is currently interested in studying how emotions, memory, and motivation influence the course of psychopathology treatment. Outside of the lab, she enjoys baking and trying new local cafes.
Minina & Tober
Support Staff
Mini (left) & Tobey (right) are 4th year rescue kitties and littermates. They are constantly investigating the impact of sleep on their well-being, the optimal amount of zoomies in a day, and whether they should show affection to humans other than their mom and dad.