Senior Lab Members
Ashley Thomas (she/her)
Assistant Professor
[email protected]
Ashley’s research is focused on how humans think about social relationships across development, answering broad questions such as “What is caregiving?” and “How do people think about social change?”. Check out Ashley’s website for more information about her work!
Denisse Lopez (she/her/ella)
Lab Manager
[email protected]
Denisse received her B.S. in Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience from UC San Diego as a first-generation college student. She is starting a PhD program this upcoming fall in Psychology to explore intergroup cognition and prejudice. Denisse is particularly interested in how children use race, accent, and status to explain social groups, relationships, identities, and inequality. In her free time, Denisse enjoys shooting film photography.
Emma Yu (she/her)
Lab Manager
[email protected]
Emma graduated from Boston University in 2023 with a B.A. in Psychology and is starting a PhD program in developmental psychology this upcoming fall. Emma is particularly interested in how babies and young children use cues about mental states (especially emotions) and social relationships to inform their prosocial behavior. Outside of the lab, Emma enjoys bullet journaling, crocheting, watching sports (particularly baseball, football, and hockey), and tap dancing!
Lizette Pizza (she/her)
Postdoctoral Fellow
[email protected]
Lizette is a postdoctoral fellow studying how people understand the natural world and develop a socio-moral relationship with it. Her current research examines whether young children value natural entities like plants more than artifacts and whether they conceive of plants as living things. Previously, Lizette explored children’s moral concern about environmental harm (e.g., logging) and whether they believe humans are superior to other natural entities. Her research aims to contribute to our basic understanding of human social cognition and to the creation of educational interventions for sustainability.
Lizette was a Colombian Fulbright grantee and completed her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at Boston University and a Master’s degree in Psychology at Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
Outside of the lab, Lizette enjoys biking, dancing and arts and crafts.
Hannah Hok Kim (she/her)
Associate Postdoctoral Fellow
[email protected]
Hannah is interested in how children reason about procedures and rules in coordinating group decision-making within the moral and social world. She is currently working on two main projects in the Thomas lab: i) people’s intuitive theories about the formalization of rules and procedures by virtue of aspects of groups such as size, composition, and intimacy; and ii) infant beliefs about effort and coordination in yielding outcomes. She is interested in how children also use different decision-making mechanisms (such as majority rules, discursive consensus, randomized procedures) to determine how to make decisions in impasses. She previously received her PhD from the University of Chicago in Developmental Psychology and currently also works with Rebecca Saxe and The Center for Research on Equitable and Open Scholarship at MIT. In her free time, Hannah likes to make music, watch horror movies, and draw.
Herrissa Lamothe
Associate Postdoctoral Fellow
[email protected]
I am a postdoctoral researcher at MIT working with Josh Tenenbaum and Laura Schulz. I previously completed my Ph.D. at Princeton University in Sociology. I am interested in social kinds, which include social categories (e.g. race, class, gender); and in social meanings which capture our symbolic hypotheses about the ways in which we are socially connected. I am also interested in developing a theory of central cognitionthat imports insights from the structure of our social concepts; and posits a computational model architecture for how the mind acquires its concepts and categories – including its social ones.
Mack Briscoe (they/them)
Graduate Student
[email protected]
Mack is a PhD student in the lab interested in the development of political thought. Broadly, this means that they spend a lot of time thinking about how children reason about navigating and changing different group dynamics. Some slightly more specific questions they’ve researched are: How do children think about protest/speaking up (and does it matter whether their groups are egalitarian or hierarchical)? How do children reason about structural change (and what might make it difficult or easy)? What kinds of representations do infants have about groups and their dynamics (and what can this tell us about the ways we infer social biases)? Mack began their research journey as an undergrad at UC Berkeley, where they received their B.A in Cognitive Science, before working as a lab manager for Dr. Yarrow Dunham and Dr. Julian Jara-Ettinger at Yale. In their free time, Mack enjoys making simple video games, painting, and playing their instruments.
Christina Steele (she/her)
Graduate Student
[email protected]
Christina is a PhD student in the lab, broadly studying how our perceptions of social groups influence expectations about close social relationships. She is researching how people perceive intimacy across group boundaries, including cross-group love and intergroup relationships. Additionally, she explores how babies, children, and great apes understand caregiving relationships and investigates how group reasoning shapes preferences for hierarchy and the consolidation of social power. Christina graduated from the University of Oxford and University of Edinburgh as a Marshall Scholar with M.S. degrees in psychological research and social intervention. She received her B.A. in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania as a first-generation college student where she studied the intersection between intergroup and interpersonal relationships. She aims to understand how the human mind navigates the social world to fulfill our need for connection.
Bath Interns 2024-2025
Melanie Luximon (she/her)
University of Bath ’26
I’m interested in how young children make moral judgements and reason about social interactions, and how this changes as they develop. I love reading, making jewellery, and recently I’ve started scrapbooking!
Dhanishtha Upadhyay (she/her)
University of Bath ’26
Dhanishtha is interested in how discrimination and discriminatory behaviours, empathy, and closeness are differently affected by group-based factors across ages. She is especially keen to work in applied research; to inform interventions that help alleviate individual struggles, improve interpersonal interactions, or encourage environmentally-friendly practices. Outside of the lab, she enjoys dabbling in various hobbies, including photography, dance, and theatre!
Summer Interns & RAs 2024
Kana Tsuruta (she/her)
Grinnell College ’25
I have always been passionate about working with children and understanding their incredible potential for growth as they navigate the complexities of the human social world. It fascinates me to think about how we all start as little children and develop into the individuals we are today. I am excited to dive deeper into the social and cognitive aspects of child development in the Thomas Lab. Additionally, I enjoy traveling and listening to music in my free time!
Min Feldman (she/her)
Ohio State University ’26
Broadly, I am interested in the mechanisms behind how children understand concepts of value, fairness, and group roles and relationships. I am particularly interested in the process of how young children form intuitions about social value and currency, and understanding how children assign value to social roles and shared objects in gameplay. Why are certain shared toys in the classroom considered more ‘high-value’ than others? Why is the role of ‘parent’ in a play game like House considered more high-value than the role of ‘pet’? I’d like to research these questions, as well as how they help children to form rudimentary economic theories. Outside of the lab, I love to read, volunteer, and I’m involved in my sorority!
Maya Hernandez (she/her)
Bucknell University ’25
Maya is currently going into her senior year of undergrad with a double major in Psychology and Education. Maya is hoping to pursue her PhD and is particularly interested in the racial identity development of young children and how different environments can affect the way they come to understand themselves. Her other areas of interest include parenting and children’s understandings of social groups. Maya loves reality tv, crocheting, and cooking!
Tiffany Agkpo (she/her)
Harvard College ’25
I’m a rising senior concentrating in Psychology with a secondary in Theater, Dance & Media. I’m interested in the various ways caregiving relationships influence children and adolescents. I’m also fascinated in the ways cultural context can impact children’s understanding of intimacy. Outside of research, I plan concerts at Harvard and sound engineer for live productions! For fun, I love to write, read, and visit botanical gardens.
Juliet Leyva (she/her)
California State University, Fullerton ’24
Juliet is a recent graduate from her home institution where she majored in Kinesiology with a Clinical Movement Science concentration and a minor in Chicano studies. She is planning to pursue her master’s and soon after her PhD. Her areas of research interest include looking at how infants and children see and understand the world, how socioeconomic status affects the physical, mental development, and psychological states, as well as the impact of culture and race on a child’s overall development (physical & mental such as formation of relationships & social group). Outside of the lab, Juliet enjoys reading, listening to jazz music, a nice cup of matcha, and staying active!
Charlston Stovall (he/they)
Pomona College ’25
Charlston is a senior at Pomona College studying Psychological Science with a minor in Africana Studies. Charlston aims to earn his PhD in Social Psychology with the hopes to answer questions about how children and adults navigate the social world. His research interests pertain to many topics in social and cultural psychology such as how stereotypes might become salient across development, group dynamics, and how the aspect of culture may influence behavior and cognition. For fun Charlston enjoys working out, reading, and binge watching TV-shows!
Research Assistants
Mia Taylor
Harvard College ’24
Mia graduated from Harvard College in 2024 with a B.A. in Psychology. As an undergraduate, she completed her senior thesis in the Thomas Lab, where she explored children’s developing attitudes regarding consent in saliva-sharing interactions. As a post-baccalaureate researcher, Mia aims to continue this line of work and examine children’s attitudes regarding consent in broader contexts. In her free time, Mia enjoys cooking, stand-up comedy, and playing with her Netherland Dwarf bunny.
Megan Richardson (she/her)
Post-Bacc RA
Megan has received her B.S. in Psychology from Trevecca Nazarene University and her Ed.M. in Human Development and Education from Harvard GSE. She is broadly interested in ethnic and racial identity development in children and adolescents and how social capital within families and communities can serve as a protective factor (i.e. against discrimination) and a promotive factor (i.e. for self-esteem). She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology in the near future.
Haowei Peng (she/her)
Post-Bacc RA
Haowei received her Ed.M. in Human Development and Education from Harvard GSE in May 2024. She is interested in understanding how individuals become socialized and learn from their close others, especially caregivers. Outside of the lab, Haowei enjoys reading, cooking, crocheting, and watching all kinds of movies & TV shows!
Liliana Sanchez (she/her)
Class of 2025
Liliana is a current senior concentrating in Psychology with a secondary in Global Health & Health Policy. She is interested in how children reason about different types of social relationships, particularly those characterized by hierarchy and asymmetrical status. Outside of the lab, Liliana loves reading fantasy novels, completing jigsaw puzzles, and exploring new music.
Namuungo Enkhbat (she/her)
Class of 2026
Nami is a junior at Harvard College studying Psychology and Art, Film & Visual Studies. She is interested in how children interact with the social world and how different factors affect the development of their individual identities. As an international student from Mongolia, she’s particularly curious about how psychological findings replicate in different parts of the world and the role of cultural variability. In her free time, Nami likes to walk in nature, visit thrift stores and make art.
Blerim Jashari (he/him)
GSE Master’s Student ’25
Blerim is interested in understanding how children and people learn, with a focus on designing effective (STEM) education strategies and curriculum that promote student engagement and increase learner’s self-efficacy. Blerim is currently a Fulbright Grantee from Kosovo and a master’s student at Harvard Graduate School of Education. He plans to pursue a PhD in Human Development and/or Learning Sciences/Education in the future. Blerim received his B.S in Natural Sciences and Social Sciences with concentration in Cognitive Sciences and Biology from Minerva University as a first-generation college student. Outside of the lab, he enjoys taking walks, exploring new music, and discovering new types of food/restaurants.
Audrey King (she/her)
Class of 2026
Audrey is a junior concentrating in Psychology with a secondary in Arts, Film and Visual Studies. She has always been passionate about child education and development and is most interested in understanding the way culture and relationships can impact the way children interact with the world. Outside of the lab, Audrey enjoys being outside, skiing and discovering new food spots around Cambridge.
Paola Lee-Vega (she/her/ella)
Class of 2026
Paola is a junior at Harvard College pursuing a concentration in Psychology (on the Cognitive Neuroscience & Evolutionary Psychology Track), with a secondary in Economics and a Citation in Spanish. She is interested in social and developmental psychology, particularly in how childhood environment and caregiving relationships can impact long-term outcomes. Outside of academics, Paola is involved with Latinx student organizations on campus such as Candela Latin Dance Troupe, Fuerza Latina, and The Organization of Puerto Rican Students and enjoys dancing, learning to do nails, and watching movies!
Ainur Khaliollayeva
GSE Master’s Student ’25
Ainur is currently pursuing her master’s degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, specializing in the Learning, Design, and Innovation program. Her academic interests focus on enhancing learning experiences for students, particularly through the lens of cognitive science. Taking a course on adult development led her to dive deeper into cognitive science and psychology to better understand how to improve learning outcomes. Outside of her studies, Ainur is a passionate hiker who enjoys long trips in the mountains. She is also a cinephile, with a deep love for watching films.
Ruby Codrington (she/her)
Class of 2028
Ruby is interested in what young people can teach us about the human mind, particularly in reference to how we learn to navigate social dynamics of hierarchy and race. She is planning on pursuing a double major in Human Evolutionary Biology and Psychology, and is curious about the intersectionalities of biology, psychology, society and culture. Non-academically, Ruby loves inspirational quotes, baking bread, and she’s recently picked up guitar.
Jiayi Song (she/her)
GSE Master’s Student ’25
Jiayi is a master’s student at Harvard Graduate School of Education, specializing in the Human Development and Education program. Her two-year rural teaching experience prior to coming to Harvard kindled her passion for exploring young children’s social cognitive development. Specifically, she is interested in young children’s perception of their relationships with caregivers, peers and others in social groups and school settings. She is also curious about understanding young children’s reasoning of their relationships with the non-human world. In her spare time, Jiayi likes cooking, watching movies, and taking a walk along Charles River.
Shannon Harrington (she/her)
Class of 2026
Shannon is a junior concentrating in Psychology with a secondary in Theatre, Dance and Media. She is interested in how individuals learn social and moral rules and how caregivers might influence the ways in which children think about the world. Outside of the lab, Shannon loves singing with her A Capella group, performing in theatre productions, crocheting, and drawing!
Norene Williams (she/her)
Class of 2027
Norene is a sophomore at Harvard College pursuing a concentration in Bioengineering on an Electrical Engineering subtrack. She is interested in understanding how children develop their perceptions and understanding of the world and people around them. Outside of the lab, Norene enjoys singing with the Kuumba Singers of Harvard College, crocheting, playing tennis, golfing, and reading novels.
Connor Lee (he/him)
Class of 2026
Connor is a junior at Harvard College concentrating in Psychology with a minor in Computer Science. He is interested in social and developmental psychology, particularly in how the relationships in young children’s environment affect the development of their personality and actions. Outside of the lab, Connor is an avid John Mayer and Coldplay fan and loves listening to music, singing, and playing guitar; playing and watching sports; watching movies; and hanging out with his friends. He is also heavily involved with his campus ministry, Harvard Undergraduate Faith and Action, as well as his affinity group, the Asian American Brotherhood.
Victoria Chen
Class of 2028
Victoria is a first-year pursuing a double concentration in Psychology and Statistics. She’s fascinated by how developmental psychology concepts like group dynamics and social learning contribute to children’s cognitive growth, and hopes to connect this knowledge to her passion for educational design in the future. Outside of the lab, Victoria loves everything fantasy related (one of her big goals is to publish a trilogy!), bullet-journaling, and trying every ice cream flavor imaginable.
More RAs to be added soon!
Lab Alumni – Senior Members
Brandon Woo (he/him)
Former Postdoc Fellow, now Assistant Professor at UC Santa Barbara
My research program asks how humans come to understand others’ actions and minds, particularly in social contexts. Through studies of infants and toddlers, my research aims to reveal our early-emerging knowledge of other people and to characterize the developmental foundations of human learning, cooperation, and social life more broadly. Outside of the lab, I like going on runs, trying out new restaurants, and baking and cooking with my friends.
Ashley Leung
Former Postdoc Fellow, now at Pepperdine University
Ashley was a College Fellow in the lab, conducting research on the role of communication in infants’ early social cognition. She received her PhD from the University of Chicago, where she studied children’s communicative development, and the role that parents play in supporting children’s language learning.
Lab Alumni – Research Assistants
Kaitlyn Tsai
Class of 2024
Leticia Sefia
Class of 2024
Azwayla Taylor
Class of 2024
ShuXin Ho (she/her)
Class of 2027
ShuXin was an RA in the lab and studies Psychology and Economics, with an interest in understanding social relationships, discrimination, polarization, and why people disagree. Outside of academics, I enjoy dancing with the Asian American Dance Troupe, volunteering with PBHA in Boston’s Chinatown, and organizing community events at Adams House.
Andrea Ventura
Boston University ’24
Andrea was a RA in the lab, where she helped conduct research on infants’ and toddlers’ reasoning about social relationships. Andrea graduated from Boston University with a BA in International Relations in May 2024, and is currently pursing an MA/EdS in School Psychology at Tufts University. In her free time, Andrea enjoys weight training, watching basketball, and playing the guitar.
Cecilia Wang
GSE Master’s Student ’24
Iman Handy (she/her)
Class of 2026
Iman was an RA in the lab and is pursuing a concentration in Economics with a secondary in Mind Brain Behavior with a focus on decision science. Her research interests span individual expressions of empathy, the dynamics of social networks, and group formation among both children and adults. Outside of the lab, Iman is actively involved with the Harvard Undergraduate Consulting Group, enjoys hanging out with her friends, and loves watching sports games.