Zara Belanger-Pepper
Zara is a 4th-year student in the BSc Psychology & Neuroscience program, currently completing her PS499 thesis in the Cognisant Lab! On top of being a research assistant in the lab since her first year, she works as an Inclusion Support Worker for the city of Kitchener, and currently serves as the Co-President of the Faculty of Science Students’ Association (FOSSA). In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, lifting heavy weights and spending time with her best friend.
Research interests: autism stigma, altered auditory feedback in individuals with Parkinson's disease, and the effects of cannabis on social behaviour.
Sarah Cardoso
I am a fourth-year Psychology Honours BA student in the Research Specialist program at Wilfrid Laurier University. I am currently completing my Honours Thesis project in the lab under Lily, investigating decreased sound tolerance, primarily misophonia and hyperacusis, in children and undergraduate students. I also work as an Administrative Assistant at LifeCycle Counselling, gaining experience in a mental health and counselling setting. Following my undergraduate studies, I hope to pursue graduate studies in Counselling Psychology. In my free time, I enjoy travelling and spending time with my friends..
Research interests: Mental Health, Counselling Psychology, Child & Adolescent Mental Health, Sensory Processing, Decreased Sound Tolerance, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Individual Differences.
Camilla Espichan Lopez
Camilla is an undergraduate 4th-year thesis student studying Psychology and Neuroscience (BSc). During the summer, she completed a directed study as a part of volunteering in BrainWorx camp while working closely in the AEP/Formant Study. Camilla hopes to continue her studies by completing a masters in neuroscience and going into a research based career. Outside of her studies, Camilla enjoys going to the gym, spending time outdoors, travelling, listening to music and spending time with family and friends.
Research interests: Child and adolescent brain development, neuroplasticity and mental health, memory functions and processing, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s
Carolina Naranjo Lemos
Carolina is a 4th-year student in the BSc Psychology and Neuroscience program with a minor in Biology. She is completing her honours undergraduate thesis on attentional bias across sensory conditions in neurodivergent populations using EEG. She is an involved community member who has volunteered with organizations such as Adults in Motion, Boma Learning Center and Waterloo Collegiate Institute. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature, cooking and reading.
Research interests:Neurodevelopmental Conditions, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Neurological and Behavioural Effects of Digital Overstimulation, Atypical Hemispheric Specialization.
Mika Volpe
I am a fourth-year student in the Psychology and Neuroscience (BSc) program at Wilfrid Laurier University. I am an undergraduate Honours Thesis student working on Zehra’s projects. During the Summer, I work as an Instructor Therapist, providing Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapy to children with autism spectrum disorder. Following my undergraduate studies, I hope to further my education and continue gaining research and hands-on experience with a commitment to learning and contributing in roles that allow me to make a positive impact in the lives of others. In my free time I love to spend time with my family and friends, read, and go on walks.
Research interests: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mental Health, Child Development, Sensory Processing, Social Communication, Emotion, Behaviour, Brain Functions & Connectivity