Research Assistants

Diana Chalakova

Diana is in a post-baccalaureate position at the Cognition and Cortical Dynamics Laboratory, having graduated this year with a Bachelor’s in Psychology with a minor in Informatics.  She has special interests in brain differences in perception, memory, and language learning and how they affect human experience (ask her about aphantasia!). Outside of work, Diana loves rock climbing and cooking with friends.

Maia Czerwonka

My name is Maia Czerwonka, and I am currently an undergraduate student at the University of Washington in the Cognition and Cortical Dynamics Laboratory. I am interested in language learning and the brain processes behind it, which is part of the reason why I am excited to be working with the CCDL. In the future, I hope to continue to do cognitive psychology and brain research.

Gianna Dal Porto

Gianna is an undergraduate student double majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology. She is especially interested in how biological differences affect individual perception of the world and our thinking abilities. Her special skills involve memorizing song lyrics, doing the wordle, and knowing everything about YA dystopian novels from the 2010s.

Sumin Hong

Sumin is a sophomore undergraduate student at the University of Washington pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering. Sumin is interested in neural engineering and brain computer interface. Outside of classes and research, she enjoys practicing electric guitar, piano, and watching movies.

Asha Kalyan

Hi there! My name is Asha Kalyan and I’m an undergraduate research assistant for the CCDL. I’m currently a junior majoring in Psychology at the University of Washington. I am extremely interested in the field of cognitive psychology, especially how working memory is impacted as we grow older and what we can do to revive it using new technologies and research findings. In the future, I hope to get my PhD in cognitive psychology and further my career in research.

Nadia Matveeva

My name is Nadia Matveeva, and I am a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Washington. I am pursuing a degree in Neuroscience, and double majoring in Ethics. My favorite areas of neuroscience are learning, memory, and plasticity, and I am fascinated by computational applications. After graduating from UW, I plan on completing a Ph.D. in neuroscience and working in neuroscience research and science communication. Above all, my dream is to one day have enough knowledge in neuroscience to fully describe any human behavior.

Ashley Simon

My name is Ashley Simon, and I am a current undergraduate student at the University of Washington as a pre-health student. I am interested in better understanding how our brain processes various types of information and what different factors affect this process. In the future I plan to go into healthcare but would love to continue my interest in how the brain works.

Nevada Simpson

My name is Nevada Simpson and I am currently an undergraduate student at the University of Washington. I have an interest in how the brain works, and how it makes people do what they do, as well as how we can best work with our own brains to have happy and healthy lives. Although I currently have no declared major, I plan on applying to the neuroscience major and studying that or psychology. Working as a research assistant in the CCDL is my first lab experience, and I am glad to be working on a project that blends together neuroscience and psychology like we are able to here. After getting experience working in labs and experiencing research firsthand, I would eventually like to move on towards psychiatry, possibly on the research side of things. 

Pumipat Chetpaophan

Pumipat is an international undergraduate student from Thailand, intending to major in Biochemistry as pre-medicine at University of Washington. He is particularly interested in degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Currently, he is working on a TMS project in CCDL. Outside of research, he also enjoys travelling, reading books, and watching movies. 

Sarah Wilenzick

Sarah is an undergraduate honors student at the University of Washington pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience with a minor in Linguistics. She is interested in developmental psychology and its connection to communication. Beyond the lab, she enjoys dancing, kayaking, cooking, and crossword puzzles.

Felix Quach

Felix is an undergraduate student working towards a BA in Psychology with a minor in Business. In the future, he hopes to continue his schooling and earn a masters degree in Counseling/Clinical Psychology and work towards opening his own therapy practice. In his spare time, Felix enjoys bouldering, watching football, and playing on his guitar.

Madeline Spelman 

Madeline is an undergraduate student at the University of Washington, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She is particularly interested in studying the parallels between neuroscience and behavior. In the future, Madeline plans to attend graduate school for Occupational Therapy. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new coffee shops, hiking, and going to concerts.

Madhumita Rajesh

Madhu is an undergraduate student at the University of Washington pursuing a major in Bioengineering with a minor in Data Science. She is fascinated about the role that engineering and computer science plays in medicine and is interested in creating technology that advances healthcare. During her free time, she loves watching movies, reading, listening to music, and travelling.

Ineeya Senthilnathan Kayal

Ineeya is an undergraduate student at the University of Washington intending to major in Neuroscience. She is particularly interested in neurodegenerative disorders, its treatment and the overlap between a variety of symptoms. Currently at the CCDL she is part of the TMS project. Outside of research, Ineeya enjoys photography, baking and speed skating.   

Shripad Guntur

I’m Shripad Guntur, a passionate freshman in college with a keen interest in neuroscience and biomedical engineering. Beyond the world of academia, I find joy in the exhilarating realm of cars and the thrill of snowboarding down snowy slopes. My journey in neuroscience is driven by a profound curiosity about the intricacies of the brain. I am dedicated to unraveling its mysteries and exploring the intersection of science and technology to make groundbreaking advancements. My ultimate goal is to harness the knowledge gained in understanding the brain and use it to turn the seemingly impossible into a realm of endless possibilities.

Lily Makaryan

I’m Lily Makaryan, a freshman at the University of Washington. I’m pursuing a B.S. in Psychology and am on track to graduate in 2025. I will be contributing to the project where we explore the use of fMRI to guide neurostimulation for memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with friends and family. Long term, I hope to pursue a career in research in the field of psychology or neuroscience. 

John Yi

I am an undergraduate entering my senior year that is double majoring in psychology and biology. Although I have many academic interests, the brain has always been something that has fascinated me and I aim to understand it at a more mechanistic level during my time in school. Prior to joining this lab, I was an honors psychology student working in Alzheimer’s research with Dr. Thomas Grabowski, in the Integrated Brain Imaging Center. Outside of school, I enjoy playing the baritone horn for the husky marching band and leading an anime-centered RSO at UW.

Kaviya Muralidharan 

I am an undergraduate student at the University of Washington pursuing a major in Bioengineering with a minor in Data Science. I am very interested in the advancement and development of medical technology to treat various diseases such as neurological conditions. In my free time I enjoy baking, swimming and listening to music.

Sarah Gallagher

Sarah is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a BS in Psychology. After UW she plans to attend medical school, focusing her attention on becoming a surgeon. She is amazed by how the brain works and believes that majoring in psychology will shape her into a more well-rounded and empathetic doctor. While she is originally from New York, she loves to use her free time to explore nature in Washington.

Madison Winsberg 

Madison is a senior undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in psychology and minoring in law, society, and justice (LSJ) at the University of Washington. Her research and academic interests include neural degeneration and change, addiction, and statistical analysis. She is interested in going to graduate school for quantitative psychology after undergrad, and plans to have a career that involves implementing and exploring her passions. In her free time, she enjoys working out, practicing yoga, and traveling.

Sara Ulibarri

Biology Postbaccalaureate

Sophie Balint

Kathryn Duffy-Greslo

Elaine Currie

Rei Mukai

Timmy Pham

Savannah Cassis

Nadine McDaniel

Nadiya Sitdykova

Nora (Nuoya) Miao

Haotian (Matthew) Ma

Zhaohe (Bob) Chang

Chloe Jaques

Eve Vinkler

Katherine Mortimore

Peter Howard-Snyder

Sahana Sridhar

Peiyi Guo

Rena Yun

Brianna Blayney

Naiyyra Abdel Aziz

Yushan Li

Quinton Voges

Alex Yu

Jon Jones

Elora Reilly

Maddie Padian

Emily Tallman

Evan Bodenstab

Angel Zhou

Wyatt Sitchin

LJ Reiter

Taylor Libman

Alyssa Alexander

Ben Kosa

Kevin Vintch

Helios Li

Alison McGrath

Souren Rainey

Gwyneth Neal Reilly

Samuel Liu

Christina Graves

Mithula Rarmal

Bethany Ault

Alyssa Bain

Ellen Perleberg

Megana Boddam

Mikaela Wingard

Erin O’Brien

Serena Zeng

Jake Meyer

Alice Li

Pi Lovinger

Regina Meng

Simran Singal

Slavna Orlova

Priyanka Dasgupta

Marí Ramirez

Ruijin Yang

Agnes Lee

Julia Blumenstein

Mathi Manavalan

Rebecca Stapleton

Ruoying He

Yolanda(Yinan) Chen

Zili Yan

Kaiser Vanguardia

Max Zheng

Amy Lu

Jingyao Shao

Jane Romani

Jessica Crane

Teresa Tsang

Tyler Muromoto

Alex Feng

Chen Su

Gauri Doshetty

Noreen Hu

Emily Jackson

Farhanah Faizal

George Yu

Gina Kim

Glib Sych

Grace Lee

Lisa Beresford

Ryan Bailey

Shelby Johnson

Tara Innab

Tony Xie

Yousra Al-Mizyen

Zheng Zhou

Johnny Rezendes

Joseph Lucero

Lilly Ross

Micah Ketola

Nadav Brumer

Heather Wessel

Mari Ramirez

Shreya Pakalpati

Sara Heller

Grace Yoon-Na Lee

Tierra Gogue-Garcia

Lisbell Abreu

Alexandria Spofford

Celeste Rainier

Vanessa Chen

Shi Lu

William Dankoff

Xiao hua Huang

Nolan Strait

Jiwon Jung

Aqidah Mazlan

Daria Blambic

Nathan Rabang

Alexandra Kronz Kaethler

Lillian Louden-Mosio

Stephanie Hall

Stephanie Mizuno

Stephen Frontauria

Steven Pillen

Wesley Ann Scott

Xiao Huang

Hyunah Lim

Shelby Grody

Yuhui Mao

Stephanie Burd

Jessica Cavalli

Christina Frantilla

Christina Sun

Erica Peterson

Katy Ni

Lai Xu

Lily Nguyen

Qi Zhang

Sherry Zhang

Taylor DeMotta

Vienna Krumwiede

Wei Liao

Ginger Kwak

Marissa Pighin

Charlotte de Blecourt

AnaMia Keely Padilla

Anna Baumann

Annie Chang

Jon Luntzel

Kimia Imani

Lauren Baker

Zirui Zeng

Sameem Norooz

Xueting Li

Celeste Sargin

Ceresa Eberhardt

Michael Thurston-Rattue

Aaron Azose

Demetrius LeNoir

Alex Eastwood

Alisa Billig

Abigail Lim

Amanda Harding

Autumn Olson

Bo Woo

Daniela Zepeda

Daniele Menez

Jeanne Gallée

Jillian Espinosa

Jimmy Nguyen

Josh Fernandez

Kara Jackson

Kelsey Strothmann

Kento Kitano

Kevin Baron

Khalil Somani

Krystyna Kolodziej

Leslie Mares

Levi Solomyak

Lisa Abe

Lorena Smith

Madeleine Warner

Mei Ling Soh

Nicole Murray

Pele Schramm

Pranav Murthy

Raymond Alvarez

Reina Kluender

Rio Frazier

Sarah Park

Shahrzad Feghhi

Tiffany Galen

Rodion Natalenko

Aparajitha Chinni Mandava

Saad Rahman