Adrianna Molenaar
Adrianna is an undergraduate student in her fourth year of the Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology: research specialization program and minors in North American Studies and Education. After her undergraduate degree, she hopes to pursue graduate studies in cognitive neuroscience and a career in research. Outside of school, she enjoys working as an inclusion facilitator, reading, and hiking.
Research interests: Sensory processing, Neurodevelopmental disorders, attention, child and youth development, vocal motor control, speech and intolerance of uncertainty
Carter Smith
Carter is an undergraduate thesis student in the Cognisant Lab. He studies how modifying the visual angle of a slot machine can influence gambling judgments and decisions in virtual reality. Carter wants to dedicate his career to being a researcher. To this end, he plans to attend graduate school to train in cognitive neuroscience. Outside of the lab, Carter enjoys playing guitar, attending concerts, visiting the library, and running.
Research interests: judgment & decision-making, gambling, the visual system, social cognition, and human-computer relations.
Natalia Van Esch
Natalia works as lab manager and is currently completing her undergraduate thesis, investigating how autism stigma develops in children, and what factors influence stigma. Growing up, Natalia was always fascinated with psychology, and decided to pursue it in university, where she found interest in cognitive neuroscience, neurodevelopmental disorders, and perception. Natalia is working towards her BSc in Psychology and Neuroscience with a minor in Biology. In the future, she hopes to pursue graduate studies in Cognitive Neuroscience.
Research interests:Emotional regulation and perceptual processes, sensory processing disorders, social neuroscience, neurodevelopmental disorders.
Angie Redford
Angeline is a fifth year student completing a BSc in Psychology and Neuroscience with minors in Biology and Education. In the future Angeline would like to continue her research and pursue further studies in the field of Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine, as she has a passion for puzzles, helping people and research. This year she will be conducting a thesis project with Dr. Scheerer on Autistic Burnout.
Research interests: Neurodevelopment, autism, ADHD, traumatic brain injuries, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), nuclear medicine and neural imaging.
Samantha Covens
I am currently in my fourth year working towards a degree in Psychology and Neuroscience with a minor in Biology. Following graduation, I hope to enter into and earn a Master’s in Social Work with specialization in child and adolescent psychology. In my free time I enjoy spending time with friends and my 3 dogs, cooking, and travelling.
Research interests: The impact of family dynamics, childhood home environment, and life circumstances on academic success and motivation, how familial and social environments impact methods of interaction with others, divorce and child outcome.