Members

Members of our Lab:

Dr. Amrisha Vaish

Lab Director

Amrisha is the Pamela Feinour Edmonds and Franklin S. Edmonds Jr. Discovery Associate Professor and director of the Early Social Development Lab at the University of Virginia. Her research focuses on the social, emotional, and moral development of young children. In particular, she studies the emergence and functions of moral emotions (such as empathy, sympathy, guilt, gratitude, and forgiveness), moral judgments, and prosocial behavior.

Amrisha received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the Free University Berlin (Germany) in 2010. Prior to starting at UVA in 2014, she was a Dilthey Postdoctoral Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. Amrisha is a Fellow of APS. She received the SRCD Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award in 2011, the APA Division 7 Dissertation Award in 2012, an APS ‘Rising Star’ designation in 2015, the APS Janet Taylor Spence Award for Transformative Early Career Contributions in 2018, and the Max Planck Institute Sabbatical Award in 2021. Her research has been funded by the John Templeton Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Volkswagen Foundation. She is a faculty fellow of the LIFE Academy and a faculty affiliate of Youth-Nex.

Note for prospective PhD students: Amrisha is NOT accepting a PhD student for Fall 2025.

[Curriculum Vitae]

Qiao Chai

Post-doctoral Researcher

Yuhang Shu

Graduate Student

Yuhang is a fourth-year graduate student in the Early Social Developmental Lab. She earned her bachelor's degree in Psychology at Beijing Normal University, China, and her master’s degree in Human Development at Cornell University. Her research interests include children’s understanding of fairness and justice, how it guides them to justify experiences of inequality, and ultimately how it affects their prosocial behaviors. She is also interested in how children’s beliefs about wealth status and social groups impact how they understand fairness and inequality.

Contact Yuhang: Jxd2cf@virginia.edu

Sophie Clayton 

Graduate Student

Sophie is a third-year graduate student in the Early Social Development Lab. Her research interests are focused on reputation and impression management in children, specifically working to understand age of development and which environments may impact reputation management behaviors. She received her B.A. in Cognitive Sciences and Psychology from Rice University.

Contact Sophie: slc6ep@virginia.edu

Em Berman

Graduate Student

Em is a second-year student in the Early Social Development Lab. She received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and completed a minor in Human Development. She is interested in what factors influence moral judgments of oneself and others, and more specifically, what are the boundaries that children have for themselves and others when facing of moral violations (e.g. cheating, stealing). In her free time, she loves to hip-hop dance, teach Zumba, lift weights, paint, and spend time with her dog Louie.

Contact Em: eberman@virginia.edu

Camile Bernard

Lab Coordinator 

Camile is the lab coordinator for the Early Social Development Lab and serves as the project coordinator for the Development of Gratitude Project. She earned her B.A. in Psychology and History from Pomona College. Her research interests include the impact of media on children's education and how growing up in a digital age shapes the learning experiences of the new generation. During her undergraduate studies, Camile's research focused on social psychology and the psychology of climate change, with her senior thesis examining children's perceptions of environmentalists.

Undergraduate Research Assistants:

Caleb Soong

Hi! My name is Caleb Soong, and I'm a fourth-year undergraduate from Baltimore, MD, majoring in Psychology. I joined the lab in the Summer of 2023 and have enjoyed collaborating with the team! This year, I’m excited to be doing my fourth-year thesis with the lab on children’s perceptions of social groups. In the future, I hope to pursue an educational psychology graduate program; my research interests include looking at how motivation (growth mindset, sense of belonging, purpose, and relevance) in post-secondary educational settings impacts students' academic and social success. In addition, I enjoy doing activities such as yoga, hiking, and photography in my free time.

Georgia Beatty

I am a forth year Psychology student minoring in Public Policy. I grew up in Arlington, VA and have always loved working with children whether it be coaching swim team at home or volunteering with the Walking Bus at Venable School! I'm interested in Clinical Psychology and eventually want to combine my major and minors to work to improve mental health policy.

Ally Berger

I am a second year from Wayne, New Jersey double majoring in Youth & Social Innovation and Psychology. This is my second year at ESDL, and I am excited to continue working on the Gratitude project. I have always loved youth work and intend to pursue a career in child psychology. I am particularly interested in autism and learning how to support children with ASD in school settings. In my free time, I volunteer for Autism Allies and Madison House as well as Crisis Text Line.

Katherine Tang

Hello everyone! My name is Katherine Tang, a third-year undergraduate student intending to major in psychology and currently on the pre-comm track. I am passionate about children and love to hang out with them. In my spare time, I enjoy reading fictions, swimming, playing tennis, and listening to music. This is my first year involved in this lab, I am looking forward to meeting everyone in the lab and committing to it!

Paul Lambidakis

Hello, my name is Paul Lambidakis, and I'm a returning 4th year to the ESDL lab from Rockville, MD. I'm a psychology major interested in pursuing a clinical graduate program. I'm particularly interested in child development and have always loved working with children from my years as a counselor and sports coach. I love helping with the lab's various studies, and I'm also currently working on an independent study analyzing what parents think about prosocial behaviors in day-to-day life. My other hobbies include baseball, soccer, music, and French.

Ashley Stage

Hi, I am Ashley Stage, a fourth-year biology major and sociology minor in the College of Arts and Sciences. I plan to apply to graduate school to pursue the Physician Association track. In addition to working on various research projects, I work as a CNA with Centra Heath to gain clinical experience working with patients. Working with children has always been a passion of mine as I volunteer with childcare on the weekends and love having the opportunity to combine learning with collaboration in the ESDL lab. When I am not in the lab or engaging in other extracurriculars, I can be found on some adventure, whether finding a new coffee shop or exploring a new hiking trail!

Ruby Gerken

I am a fourth-year psychology and anthropology double major. I'm originally from Asheville, NC, but I have lived in Charlottesville for two years. I'm excited to be completing my thesis in the ESDL on the cross-cultural development of gratitude and reciprocity in children (ages 5-10) in the United States and India. I hope to pursue graduate studies in psychology with the goal of supporting youth with neurodevelopmental disorders. 

Chandler Tribble

Hi, my name is Chandler Tribble, and I am a second-year undergraduate student from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I plan to major in the Echols Interdisciplinary Major, allowing me to bridge my interests in child development and youth advocacy, psychology, and neuroscience. After my studies at UVA, I hope to attend medical school and become a pediatrician. I have worked with children for many years as a camp counselor/director and in many other facets. For example, I work as a PCT at the UVA Children's Hospital, serve as a volunteer coordinator and counselor with Camp Kesem, and volunteer at the Johnson Elementary YMCA program through Madison House. Outside of working with children, I love playing sports, 3D modeling homes, and playing video games.

Lauren Machen

Hello, my name is Lauren, and I am a third-year student double majoring in Psychology and Studio Art. I've lived in Virginia all my life. When I’m not at UVA, I love to work part-time as a camp counselor and art instructor teaching children ages 2-14. I am super interested in artistic therapy, especially geared towards children. Working with kids has always been an interest of mine, and I am very excited to learn and grow under the direction of the ESDL.

Megan Jones

I am a second-year from Chattanooga, Tennessee. I am undecided but currently pursuing the pre-health track and plan to apply to PA school after graduating. In addition to the ESDL, I am involved in Future PA Society, Club Swim, and RUF on grounds.

Yufan (Hina) Liang

Hi! I am Yufan (Hina) Liang, a third-year undergraduate at UVA, double majoring in psychology and statistics. With several years of experience working with children, I believe that children are the future, and it is critical to understand their development to provide effective support. I'm thrilled to contribute to ESDL!

Meher Kalsi 

Meher is a third-year undergraduate student from Ashburn, VA, studying cognitive science with an emphasis on neuroscience and a minor in data science. Her research interests include social and emotional development, understanding the mechanisms behind learning and memory, and psychopharmacology! Outside the lab, she enjoys dancing on a UVA dance team, watching psychological thrillers, and baking.

Joyce Zhang

Hi! My name is Joyce, and I am a third-year from Maryland. I am currently a Psychology major, hoping to become a double major in YSI as well as minor in Global Studies. I'm interested to see what I can learn from the ESDL and consider ways it can be applied to improve the education experience for youth. I'm super excited to be a part of the lab!

Kranti Kaur 

Hi! My name is Kranti Kaur, and I am a fourth-year psychology major with a biology minor on the pre-med track. I've been lucky enough to be involved with the ESDL for the past 2 years and am excited to continue my journey here. I really enjoy working with children and learning about developmental Psychology which is why I have loved being a part of this lab. I also really enjoy reading and spending time with my friends, family, and dog.

Rhys Nicholas 

I graduated from UVA in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Cognitive Science. I plan on attending medical school in the future and hope to pursue a career in pediatrics. In my free time, I enjoy going to the gym, surfing, cooking, reading, playing sports, and spending time with friends. 

Helen Sparling 

Hello, I am Helen Sparling. I am a Psychology and Studio Art major with hopefully a minor in Data Science. I grew up in a family of eight, and have always loved kids. I am particularly interested in child development/psychology and I am interested interested in pursuing clinical psychology in the future. In my free time, I love to paint, play piano or guitar, read, hike, and spend time with friends and family. 

Grace Deelar 

Hi! My name is Grace, and I'm a third year double majoring in Psychology and Environmental Science. I am passionate about child development and psychology and hope to go into social work after UVA. For the past five years, I've been working with children as a camp counselor, and I'm excited to be part of the lab. In my free time, I enjoy playing volleyball, reading, and hiking!

Selina He 

Hi! I'm Selina, a third-year Elementary Education major with a minor in Psychology. I'm very passionate about working with children and hope to get more professional growth working with children in the lab. I also love climbing and playing sudoku in my free time. 

Lab Alumni: 

Post-Doctoral Researchers:

Dr. Janine Oostenbroek, Post-Doc 2016-2019: currently a Prenatal and Parenting Psychologist at Redlands Psychologists in Brisbane, Australia

Dr. Jessica Stern, Post-Doc 2019-2023: starting as an Assistant Professor at Pomona College in Fall 2024

Dr. Mary Shaocong Ma, Post-Doc 2023-2024: currently an Assistant Research Professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)

Graduate Students:

Dr. Caroline Kelsey, PhD 2020 (co-advised): currently Post-doctoral Researcher at Boston Children's Hospital

Dr. Meltem Yucel, PhD 2021: currently Post-doctoral researcher at Duke University

Dr. Stefen Beeler-Duden, PhD 2022: currently Post-doctoral Researcher at UVA's Center for Healthy Brain Development

Dr. Johanna Chajes, PhD 2024: currently Post-doctoral Research Associate and Lecturer at UVA

Undergraduate Distinguished Majors:

Christina Marlow, 2019: currently PhD student in Lifespan Developmental Psychology, NC State University

Sarah Thomas, 2019: currently Fulbright Awardee, teaching abroad in Taiwan

Jenna Marzougui, 2020: currently Master's student in Psychological Sciences, College of William & Mary

Carolynn McElroy, 2020: currently pursuing M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology, Gallaudet University

Kelly Cheung, 2020 (Thesis in Political Philosophy, Policy & Law program)

Kayla Pelletz, 2021 (and Lab Manager): currently Master's student, Boston College School of Education

Madeline Brence, 2022 (and Lab Manager): currently a PhD student, University of Virginia

Shirley Liu, 2022: currently pursuing M.S. in Analytics, University of Chicago 

Qiyuan Hu, 2023: currently a Master's student in Science Management, University of Notre Dame

Lab Managers:

Shannon Savell: currently a PhD student in Clinical Psychology, University of Virginia

Katrina Farris: currently a PhD student in Psychology, Georgia State University

Hailey Costello: currently a Management Associate at MicroStrategy

Naomi Rader: currently a Research Specialist at Georgetown University

Undergraduate Research Assistants: 

Adiba Hasnat, Rosa Marsharipova, Madeleine Nguyen, Taylor Curro, Danna Jaber, Gretchen Neary, Virginia Girling, Melissa Abel, Daniela Alvarez-Vargas, Maura Austin, Angelica Bosko, Zumin Chen, Kate Dotson, Eva Getting, Carolyn Hawkes, Kate Haynes, Megan Lee, Margie Martinez, Madeleine Mitchell, Lyndsay Nelson, Andy Nguyen, Bridget Nortney, Alex O-Connor, Lauren Oken, Nishta Polam, Skylar Raynor, Meghan Secrist, Linda Tran, Ponni Velmurugan, Cabell Williams, Audrey Davis, Grace Long, Bogdan Ion, Lenzy Mondo, Marjan Naderi, Olivia Braye, Hannah Barnes, Tulsi Patel, Xander Johnson, Eshba Shiolee, Charlotte Milone, Virginia Girling, Kaitlin Blakeslee, and Marie Larounis.