Previous Lab Members
After leaving the Cognition & Aging Lab, students have gone onto:
- Ph.D. programs at Notre Dame, Penn State, and the University of Missouri
- M.A. programs at San Francisco State University, the University of Southern California, and Yeshiva University.
- Full-time lab management jobs at Stanford University and the University of San Francisco
- For more details, see the full bios of our previous lab members below
Bios of Previous Lab Members
Sabrina Bhangal (Fall 2016 - Summer 2017, M.A. student): Sabrina earned her M.A. in the Mind, Brain, and Behavior program at SFSU under the advisement of Dr. Morsella. In addition to her thesis research, Sabrina also completed a project in the Cognition & Aging Lab. This project examined whether younger and older adults differ in their metacognition of working memory performance. After leaving SFSU, Sabrina joined the Ph.D. program in Cognition and Neuroscience at the University of Missouri. In her Ph.D. program she will continue to conduct research related to aging and cognition.
Megan Chesher (Spring 2017 - Fall 2017, Volunteer RA): Prior to joining the Cognition & Aging Lab, Megan completed her master's degree in clinical psychology at Loyola University Maryland. She has worked as an intern therapist in community mental health and outpatient substance abuse treatment centers. In addition to volunteering in the lab, Megan also worked as a counselor at an inpatient treatment center for drug and alcohol addiction and she volunteers as a crisis counselor. Megan is interested in neuropsychological assessment and research that focuses on the impact of psychoactive substances on various brain functions. She plans to apply to doctoral programs in the future.
Cristina Colindres (Spring 2016, Undergraduate RA): During her time in the Cognition & Aging Lab, Cristina assisted in projects related to memory and aging. However, her primary research interests are in industrial-organizational psychology. In the future she plans to obtain her Master's Degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology in order to consult and motivate adults in the business field.
Derek Chan (Fall 2017, Undergraduate RA): Derek graduated from SFSU in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in counseling. He is interested in research related to memory and mental health. In addition to volunteering in the lab, Derek also worked at a learning center with students K-8th grade. He is planning to pursue a graduate degree in school-related counseling.
Morgan Crims (Spring 2016 & Fall 2016, Undergraduate RA): Morgan assisted in research examining the impact of emotion regulation on memory. She is generally interested in clinical issues related to older adults and is especially interested in therapy for issues surrounding dying and bereavement. In the future she plans to apply to graduate programs to study these issues. In addition to working in the Cognition & Aging Lab, Morgan also volunteered for the Friendship Line, a crisis line focused on people aged 60 and older through the Institute on Aging.
Tasha Custer (Fall 2016 & Spring 2017, Undergraduate RA): Tasha assisted in the analysis of psycho-physiology recordings and coding of memory recall data. In addition to her work in the lab, Tasha also served as President of Psi Chi and had a job as a behavioral therapist working with children on the autism spectrum. She plans to one day complete a masters degree and earn a BCBA certification.
Dimitrius Ellisen (Fall 2017, Undergraduate RA): Dimitrius assisted in collecting data for a study on the positivity effect. His research interests are interdisciplinary in nature, mainly concerning ways in which individual differences in cognition/ mindfulness can possess medicinal value and affect overall quality of life. Dimitrius has aspirations of eventually pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology.
Hannah Lee (Fall 2015 & Spring 2016, Undergraduate Honor's student): Hannah's research in the Cognition & Aging Lab was done as part of the Psychology Department's honor's program. Her project examined how ageist stereotypes vary based upon older adults' physical appearance. While an undergraduate at SFSU, she also volunteered at Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, where she helped older adults adopt senior dogs as companions. After graduating Hannah was accepted to a gerontology graduate program at the University of Southern California. She aims to help older adults remain healthy and socially involved in their communities.
Soohyoung Rain Lee (Spring 2015 & Fall 2015, Undergraduate RA): Rain was the first undergraduate research assistant to work in the Cognition & Aging Lab. As an undergraduate at SFSU, he also spent time volunteering at Sutter Hospital in the Hospitalized Elder Life Program (HELP). His research interests include understanding how social activity and perspectives about aging influence older adults. He is also interested in end of life issues, including hospice and palliative care. After leaving the Cognition & Aging Lab, Rain was accepted to a graduate program at Yeshiva University.
Cori Harral (Spring 2016 & Fall 2016, Undergraduate RA): Cori assisted in data collection for a project related to attention fluctuations across the lifespan. She plans to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology and hopes to become a therapist for children or older adults.
Sierra Niblett (Fall 2015, Lab Manager): Sierra was the first lab manager in the Cognition & Aging Lab. Prior to this, Sierra received her M.A. in psychological research with a concentration in cognitive neuroscience from SFSU under the advisement. Her thesis, entitled Your brain on stereotypes: Social context biases early cortical attention, integrated her passion for cognitive neuroscience and her interest in understanding how contextual factors influence basic processes. After leaving the Cognition & Aging Lab, Sierra obtained a full-time research position at the University of San Francisco.
Melissa Ortiz (Summer -Fall 2017, Undergraduate RA): Melissa graduated from SFSU in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. She is interested in research related to memory and aging. In the future she hopes to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology, with an emphasis on geropsychology.
Jordan Seliger (Spring 2016 - Spring 2017, Lab Manager): Jordan was the second lab manager of the Cognition & Aging Lab. Prior to joining the lab, Jordan received his M.A. in psychological research with a concentration in cognitive neuroscience from SFSU. His graduate research primarily examined the influence of social status on categorization, stereotype formation, and group permeability. After leaving the Cognition & Aging Lab, Jordan obtained a full-time research position at Stanford University.
Shyuan Ching Tan (Fall 2015 - Summer 2017, M.A. Student): Shyuan was a graduate student in the gerontology program at SFSU who completed her culminating experience in the Cognition & Aging Lab. She is interested in the multifaceted interaction between aging and culture, and particularly how this interaction affects older adults' memory and cognition. After graduating, Shyuan entered the Human Development and Family Studies Ph.D. program at Penn State.
Megan Thomas (Fall 2016 - Fall 2017, Undergraduate RA): During her time int he lab, Megan assisted in data collection for multiple projects that examined memory and emotion in younger and older adults. She is broadly interested in memory processes and plans to apply to cognitive psychology graduate programs in the future.
Kevin Tiziani (Spring 2017, Undergraduate RA): During his time in the Cognition & Aging Lab, Kevin assisted in data collection for a project related to the positivity effect in memory. Kevin has interests in both cognitive psychology and psycho-physiological psychology. He hopes to one day earn a Ph.D., join the field of research, and make an influential contribution.
Nicholas Yeh (Fall 2015 - Summer 2017, M.A. Student): Nick was a graduate student in the Mind, Brain, and Behavior program at SFSU. Prior to this, He earned his B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2009. His research interests include all areas of the brain that take us from ion to intelligence, and he is drawn to the complexities of neuroscience systems that facilitate brain function. Nick's M.A. thesis was completed in the Cognition & Aging Lab, and examined the impact of emotion regulation on memory. After graduating, Nick entered the Cognitive Psychology Ph.D. program at Notre Dame.
Megan Chesher (Spring 2017 - Fall 2017, Volunteer RA): Prior to joining the Cognition & Aging Lab, Megan completed her master's degree in clinical psychology at Loyola University Maryland. She has worked as an intern therapist in community mental health and outpatient substance abuse treatment centers. In addition to volunteering in the lab, Megan also worked as a counselor at an inpatient treatment center for drug and alcohol addiction and she volunteers as a crisis counselor. Megan is interested in neuropsychological assessment and research that focuses on the impact of psychoactive substances on various brain functions. She plans to apply to doctoral programs in the future.
Cristina Colindres (Spring 2016, Undergraduate RA): During her time in the Cognition & Aging Lab, Cristina assisted in projects related to memory and aging. However, her primary research interests are in industrial-organizational psychology. In the future she plans to obtain her Master's Degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology in order to consult and motivate adults in the business field.
Derek Chan (Fall 2017, Undergraduate RA): Derek graduated from SFSU in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in counseling. He is interested in research related to memory and mental health. In addition to volunteering in the lab, Derek also worked at a learning center with students K-8th grade. He is planning to pursue a graduate degree in school-related counseling.
Morgan Crims (Spring 2016 & Fall 2016, Undergraduate RA): Morgan assisted in research examining the impact of emotion regulation on memory. She is generally interested in clinical issues related to older adults and is especially interested in therapy for issues surrounding dying and bereavement. In the future she plans to apply to graduate programs to study these issues. In addition to working in the Cognition & Aging Lab, Morgan also volunteered for the Friendship Line, a crisis line focused on people aged 60 and older through the Institute on Aging.
Tasha Custer (Fall 2016 & Spring 2017, Undergraduate RA): Tasha assisted in the analysis of psycho-physiology recordings and coding of memory recall data. In addition to her work in the lab, Tasha also served as President of Psi Chi and had a job as a behavioral therapist working with children on the autism spectrum. She plans to one day complete a masters degree and earn a BCBA certification.
Dimitrius Ellisen (Fall 2017, Undergraduate RA): Dimitrius assisted in collecting data for a study on the positivity effect. His research interests are interdisciplinary in nature, mainly concerning ways in which individual differences in cognition/ mindfulness can possess medicinal value and affect overall quality of life. Dimitrius has aspirations of eventually pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology.
Hannah Lee (Fall 2015 & Spring 2016, Undergraduate Honor's student): Hannah's research in the Cognition & Aging Lab was done as part of the Psychology Department's honor's program. Her project examined how ageist stereotypes vary based upon older adults' physical appearance. While an undergraduate at SFSU, she also volunteered at Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, where she helped older adults adopt senior dogs as companions. After graduating Hannah was accepted to a gerontology graduate program at the University of Southern California. She aims to help older adults remain healthy and socially involved in their communities.
Soohyoung Rain Lee (Spring 2015 & Fall 2015, Undergraduate RA): Rain was the first undergraduate research assistant to work in the Cognition & Aging Lab. As an undergraduate at SFSU, he also spent time volunteering at Sutter Hospital in the Hospitalized Elder Life Program (HELP). His research interests include understanding how social activity and perspectives about aging influence older adults. He is also interested in end of life issues, including hospice and palliative care. After leaving the Cognition & Aging Lab, Rain was accepted to a graduate program at Yeshiva University.
Cori Harral (Spring 2016 & Fall 2016, Undergraduate RA): Cori assisted in data collection for a project related to attention fluctuations across the lifespan. She plans to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology and hopes to become a therapist for children or older adults.
Sierra Niblett (Fall 2015, Lab Manager): Sierra was the first lab manager in the Cognition & Aging Lab. Prior to this, Sierra received her M.A. in psychological research with a concentration in cognitive neuroscience from SFSU under the advisement. Her thesis, entitled Your brain on stereotypes: Social context biases early cortical attention, integrated her passion for cognitive neuroscience and her interest in understanding how contextual factors influence basic processes. After leaving the Cognition & Aging Lab, Sierra obtained a full-time research position at the University of San Francisco.
Melissa Ortiz (Summer -Fall 2017, Undergraduate RA): Melissa graduated from SFSU in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. She is interested in research related to memory and aging. In the future she hopes to pursue a graduate degree in clinical psychology, with an emphasis on geropsychology.
Jordan Seliger (Spring 2016 - Spring 2017, Lab Manager): Jordan was the second lab manager of the Cognition & Aging Lab. Prior to joining the lab, Jordan received his M.A. in psychological research with a concentration in cognitive neuroscience from SFSU. His graduate research primarily examined the influence of social status on categorization, stereotype formation, and group permeability. After leaving the Cognition & Aging Lab, Jordan obtained a full-time research position at Stanford University.
Shyuan Ching Tan (Fall 2015 - Summer 2017, M.A. Student): Shyuan was a graduate student in the gerontology program at SFSU who completed her culminating experience in the Cognition & Aging Lab. She is interested in the multifaceted interaction between aging and culture, and particularly how this interaction affects older adults' memory and cognition. After graduating, Shyuan entered the Human Development and Family Studies Ph.D. program at Penn State.
Megan Thomas (Fall 2016 - Fall 2017, Undergraduate RA): During her time int he lab, Megan assisted in data collection for multiple projects that examined memory and emotion in younger and older adults. She is broadly interested in memory processes and plans to apply to cognitive psychology graduate programs in the future.
Kevin Tiziani (Spring 2017, Undergraduate RA): During his time in the Cognition & Aging Lab, Kevin assisted in data collection for a project related to the positivity effect in memory. Kevin has interests in both cognitive psychology and psycho-physiological psychology. He hopes to one day earn a Ph.D., join the field of research, and make an influential contribution.
Nicholas Yeh (Fall 2015 - Summer 2017, M.A. Student): Nick was a graduate student in the Mind, Brain, and Behavior program at SFSU. Prior to this, He earned his B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2009. His research interests include all areas of the brain that take us from ion to intelligence, and he is drawn to the complexities of neuroscience systems that facilitate brain function. Nick's M.A. thesis was completed in the Cognition & Aging Lab, and examined the impact of emotion regulation on memory. After graduating, Nick entered the Cognitive Psychology Ph.D. program at Notre Dame.
Other previous lab members include...
Kaylee Dunckel (Fall 2016 to Spring 2017, Undergraduate RA)
Nassa Jumpholwong (Summer 2016, Undergraduate RA)
Nesa Nabavi (Summer 2016, Undergraduate RA)
Carmen Ng (Fall 2016 to Spring 2017, Undergraduate RA)
Nassa Jumpholwong (Summer 2016, Undergraduate RA)
Nesa Nabavi (Summer 2016, Undergraduate RA)
Carmen Ng (Fall 2016 to Spring 2017, Undergraduate RA)