Meet Our Team
Principal Investigator
Dr. Elizabeth Redcay
Elizabeth Redcay is a Professor of Psychology and the director of the Developmental Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab. She received her Ph.D. in Psychology and Cognitive Science from UCSD and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in MIT's Brain and Cognitive Sciences department before starting at UMD.
Graduate Students
Victoire Alleluia Shenge
Victoire is a graduate student in the developmental psychology PhD program. She graduated from the University of Rochester with a BS in Brain and Cognitive Sciences and a minor in Linguistics, and went on to do a fellowship around Mental Health, Faith and Youth under the guidance of Dr. Ann Marie White and Dr. Nancy Chin. Following her fellowship, she worked with Dr. Duje Tadin and Dr. John J Foxe, as a lab manager and study coordinator on different projects including multisensory integration in autism and face recognition. She is broadly interested in the development of social cognition especially in children with autism spectrum disorder.
Erin Reckener
Erin is a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology PhD Program. She graduated from the Catholic University of America with a BS in Psychological and Brain Sciences and a minor in Neuroscience. She went on to complete her MSc in Clinical Neuroscience at the University College London. She is broadly interested in exploring the risk and protective factors of loneliness in order to best support development for children on the autism spectrum.
Norma Peña-Flores
Norma is a graduate student in the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science PhD program. She received a BA in Philosophy from the University of Navarra and a BS in Physics from Florida International University. She began her PhD studying the neurobiological effects of social isolation in a crayfish model at the Lab of Crustacean Neurobiology and Behavior. In 2023 she joined the DSCN lab to study the interplay between the development of social cognition brain networks and gastrointestinal health in adolescents. She is broadly interested in the biological and environmental factors affecting social cognitive brain development.
Lab Personnel
Mia Zwally
Lab Manager
Mia is the lab manager for the Developmental Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 2023 with a B.S. in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience. She plans to pursue a PhD degree in cognitive neuroscience.
Emily Reid
Project Coordinator
Emily is a post-baccalaureate research coordinator with the Developmental Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, as well as a Masters student at the University of Maryland. In the future, she plans to pursue a PhD in psychology.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Nell O'Hara
Nell is a senior psychology major on the B.S. track with a minor in human development. She has a passion for working with children and promoting equity and access in the psychology field. On campus, Nell is a student in the Gemstone Honors Program and a member of the gender-inclusive service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. Outside of UMD, she works as a Registered Behavioral Technician at the Language and Behavior Center in Silver Spring, MD. After completing her undergraduate degree, she hopes to pursue a graduate degree in school psychology.
Sofia Plastino
Sofia is a junior majoring in Psychology and Public Health, with an interest in pursuing research in the future. She loves working with kids and is interested in neurodiversity in relation to social interactions and neuroscience. On campus, she is a supporter for Lean On Me, Vice President of Students Engaged in Public Health, and Co-President of Meet Me Behind McKeldin Mall.
Sophia Ubiera
Sophia is a junior psychology and Japanese double major on the B.S track with a minor in neuroscience. She is interested in neuropsychology and working with children and adolescents. On campus, she is involved in the Honors Humanities and Language Partner program, and is a residential assistant as well as the president of the Puerto Rican Dominican Student Association. Outside of the lab she enjoys teaching pre-ballet and watching anime!
Rachel Resnick
Rachel is a third-year undergraduate student studying psychology and human development who plans to obtain her Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She is interested in pursuing work in the research and development of clinical trials of novel treatments for child psychopathology. Outside of DSCN, she also works in the Maryland Child and Family Development Lab and is assisting with an NIH-funded study at James Madison University.
Kayla Warren
Kayla is a sophomore Neuroscience major on the Molecular and Cellular track who is looking to attend graduate school to obtain a Ph.D in clinical psychology to then practice neuropsychology. She is deeply interested in exploring the intersections of brain anatomy and human function, with the goal of advancing our understanding of the mind and tackling the challenges our brains face. On campus, Kayla is a part of University Honors and Banneker/Key scholars and a member of the Women’s club volleyball team.
Mariel Arevalo Ballon
Mariel is a sophomore majoring in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics. She is interested in how neural circuitry, behavior, and environmental influences shape development across diverse populations and in advancing understanding and awareness of neurodevelopmental and social-cognitive processes. Outside of the lab, Mariel serves as Vice President of the Project Sunshine chapter at UMD, works as a student coordinator for the Lakeland STARs program, and enjoys dancing.
Tanvi Gupta
Tanvi is a freshman Neuroscience major who is interested in pursuing medical school and exploring psychiatry, neurology, and other specialties. Her interest in the brain stems from questions about why various people perceive the same object or event in different ways and how those perceptions can influence their interactions with the external world, including with other people. Outside of the DSCN lab, she is a member of the Integrated Life Sciences (ILS) honors program, volunteers with UMD's Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program, and learns an Indian classical dance called Kathak.
Lab Alumni
- Desi Jones
- Alicia Vallorani
- Kathryn McNaughton
- Grace Daley
- Eli Robinson
- Haroon Popal
- Matthew Kiely
- Paige Munshell
- Junaid Merchant
- Quentin Leifer
- Diana Alkire
- Oliver Xie
- Aditi Hosangadi
- Libby Giacobbe
- Hema Clarence
- Aliceann Trostle
- Manasvinee Mayil Vahanan
- Ming Yuang
- Nicole Chapman
- Raphe Shankman
- Ryan Regars
- Ryan Stadler
- Stephanie Moy
- Deena Shariq
- Jacqueline Thomas
- Alexandra Hickey
- Adnan Rashid
- Bess Bloomer
- Diana Grant
- Miranda Sapoznik
- Sydney Maniscalco
- Yaqiong Xiao
- Laura Kirby
- Dylan Selbst
- Dominic Smith- DiLeo
- Debbie Choi
- Dustin Morascewski
- Katie Bouvier-Weinberg
- Katie Beverley
- Sabine Huber
- Hunter Rogoff
- Zoey Maggid
- Tova Rosenthal
- Erin Brine-Dolye
- Ishan Shah
- Alex Mangerian
- Eleonora Sadikova
- Morgan Biggs
- Jazlyn Nketia
- Meredith Pecukonis
- Kate Rice Warnell
- Liat Hotz
- Joana Romero
- Stephanie Goncalves
- Alexis Pappadeas
- Stephanie Golding
- Lesley Sand
- Jennifer Trinchere
- Cashmire Norfleet
- Katherine Calabrese
- Helen Kong
- Jessica Golding
- Harrison Pierce
- Eric Czinn
- Tara Feld
- Brogan Murphy
- Eric Meyer
- Toby Hamovitz
- Lindsey Benjamin
- Simren Kanwal
- Ishaan Parikh
- Brieana Viscomi
- Daniel O'Young
- Nina Lichtenberg
- Ruth Ludlum
- Jeremy Baker
- Viviana Bauman
- Shannon Coveney
- Robert Cai