Dr. Emma Axelsson is a Lecturer at the School of Psychological Sciences, University of Newcastle, Australia. Her research focuses on cognitive and social development in typically and atypically developing children, with specific interests in early word learning, sleep-related memory consolidation, screen time effects on development, and infants' social category representations using eye-tracking technology. Doctor of Philosophy, University of East London Bachelor of Arts (Honours in Psychology), University of Queensland Dr. Axelsson's research spans multiple disciplines including cognitive neuroscience, memory and attention, and child development. She explores how sleep patterns interact with learning outcomes, investigates screen time's impact on preschoolers' cognition, and examines visual processing of bodies and faces in developmental contexts. Her recent publications highlight trends in screen time research, with 2025 studies analyzing executive function and sleep interactions, and 2024 work examining cross-species social evaluation mechanisms. Earlier articles (2022-2013) cover temperament effects on word learning, body perception mechanisms, and longitudinal developmental studies. Dr. Axelsson supervises multiple PhD and Masters projects related to screen time, sleep, and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Her research team collaborates internationally through networks like ManyBabies and Healthy Minds (Hunter Medical Research Institute).
Diana Tamir is a Professor at Princeton University, where she directs the Princeton Social Neuroscience Lab. She earned her Ph.D. from Harvard University and specializes in the intersection of internal mental processes and external social cognition. Her research investigates: How minds predict others' emotions and mental states The cognitive consequences of self-disclosure and social media use Neural mechanisms of social prediction using fMRI and machine learning Effects of fiction reading on theory of mind Dynamics of spontaneous thought and social bonding Her recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate strong focus on emotion prediction mechanisms, social interaction dynamics, neural signatures of psychological states, and developmental aspects of social cognition. Methodologically, she employs neuroimaging hyperscanning, ecological momentary assessment, and computational modeling across diverse populations. She currently advises graduate students including Faustine Corbani and Yeaju Diana Kim. Her lab focuses on empirical approaches to understanding how individuals navigate between internal experiences and external social environments.
Andrew Perfors is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Melbourne, leading the Computational Cognitive Science Lab and directing the Complex Human Data Hub. His research focuses on quantitative approaches to higher-order cognition, including concepts, language, decision-making, and misinformation dynamics. He holds a PhD from MIT and degrees from Stanford University. Education: PhD in Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2008) MA in Linguistics, Stanford University (2000) Bachelor of Science in Symbolic Systems, Stanford University (1999) Research Interests: He investigates computational models of cognition, cultural and social evolution, and the spread of misinformation. Recent work emphasizes the cognitive mechanisms underlying inductive reasoning, sampling assumptions, and trust in information. Key Projects: Understanding Information and Trust: From the Individual to the Population (2018–2025) Bridging the Meaning Gap: Computational Approach to Semantic Variation (2023–2027) Awards: Recipient of multiple best paper awards for contributions to cognitive science and computational linguistics. Labs & Groups: Leads the Complex Human Data Hub and co-leads the Computational Cognitive Science Lab, focusing on interdisciplinary research in human behavior and data science.
Dr. Lauren Emberson (she/her/hers) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Arts. She directs the Baby Learning Lab, which is part of UBC's Early Development Research Group, a consortium focused on infant and child development. Prior to her position at UBC, Dr. Emberson was an Assistant Professor at Princeton University where she co-founded and co-directed the Princeton Baby and Princeton Kid Labs. Education: Postdoctoral Associate, University of Rochester (PI Aslin) Ph.D, Cornell University (PIs Amso, Goldstein, Spivey) B.Sc, University of British Columbia Dr. Emberson's research focuses on learning, perception (audition, vision, crossmodal or multisensory), language development, face/object perception, and attention in infants. She investigates these capacities using behavioral and neuroimaging techniques, particularly fNIRS (functional near infrared spectroscopy), working primarily with very young infants (birth through 1 year) and preterm/premature infants. Her work examines how infants' learning capacities contribute to rapid development of perception in ecological contexts, with implications for understanding how early life experiences affect later outcomes. Analysis of Dr. Emberson's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on infant perception, learning mechanisms, and neuroimaging methodology. Her work increasingly incorporates advanced fNIRS techniques while maintaining focus on fundamental questions about how infants learn from their environment. There's a growing emphasis on individual differences, cross-cultural comparisons, and applications to infants facing developmental challenges. Dr. Emberson serves on the editorial board of Infancy (journal of the International Congress of Infancy Studies) and is a consulting editor for the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience . Her research has been published in top journals including PNAS, Current Biology, Psychological Science, Cognition, Developmental Science, and the Journal of Neuroscience. Dr. Emberson has secured significant research funding from prestigious organizations including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, James S. McDonnell Foundation, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She collaborates with clinicians at BC Women's and Children's Hospitals to understand how different early life experiences impact learning and brain development. Dr. Emberson is currently accepting graduate students into her research program. The Baby Learning Lab, under Dr. Emberson's direction, is part of UBC's Early Developmental Research Group and collaborates with multiple institutions. The lab strives to provide interactive research experiences for infants and families while advancing scientific understanding of early cognitive development. The lab acknowledges that it operates on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people.
Dr. Julie Markant is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Tulane University and a Faculty Associate in the Tulane Brain Institute. Her research focuses on the interplay between selective attention and learning in infants and young children, emphasizing developmental and neurobehavioral perspectives. She uses behavioral, eye-tracking, genetic, MRI, and fNIRS methods to explore how attention control influences learning efficacy and vice versa. Education: Ph.D., 2010, University of Minnesota Her research interests include developmental attention mechanisms, perceptual learning, and how biological and contextual factors shape cognitive outcomes. Key themes involve understanding how infants and children selectively attend to information and how this attention drives learning processes. Recent work explores caregiver influence on attention, prenatal factors affecting infant attention, and the role of competing information in school-aged learning. Dr. Markant leads the Learning and Brain Development Lab , which investigates cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying attention and learning. She is actively recruiting graduate students from Tulane’s Psychology and Neuroscience Ph.D. programs. Her publications reflect a focus on attention biases, developmental learning dynamics, and methodological innovations like remote infant studies. Awards and honors are not explicitly listed in the provided text.
Steve Luck is a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Davis, holding appointments in the Department of Psychology and the Center for Mind and Brain (CMB). He served as CMB Director from 2009–2019 and is affiliated with the UC Davis MIND Institute and the Center for Neuroscience. His research focuses on attention, working memory, and cognitive dysfunction in psychiatric disorders (e.g., schizophrenia), employing ERP recordings, eye tracking, and behavioral methods. He is a leading developer of ERP methodologies, including the ERPLAB Toolbox and global ERP Boot Camp workshops. Education: Ph.D., Neurosciences, UC San Diego, 1993 M.S., Neurosciences, UC San Diego, 1989 B.A., Psychology, Reed College, 1986 Research Interests: Dr. Luck explores mechanisms of cognitive control, with a focus on working memory's role in guiding attention. His lab investigates ERP correlates of attentional deficits in schizophrenia and develops standardized ERP protocols. Recent work emphasizes multivariate decoding of EEG signals and transdiagnostic neurocognitive biomarkers. Awards: Troland Award (2001) APA Distinguished Scientific Award (1998) McGuigan Young Investigator Prize (2004) Elected Fellow, Society of Experimental Psychologists and AAAS Teaching & Leadership: Professor Luck pioneered hybrid course formats in Cognitive Science and teaches advanced topics in perception and cognitive neuroscience. He co-founded the UC Davis Cognitive Science major and advocates for innovative undergraduate education models. Labs & Collaborations: The Luck Lab integrates clinical and basic research, collaborating globally on ERP method development and schizophrenia biomarker studies. Key projects include ERP Core resources and the CNTRACS consortium for neurocognitive reliability studies.
Katarzyna Chawarska is the Emily Fraser Beede Professor of Child Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, with primary affiliation in the Child Study Center and secondary appointments in Pediatrics and Statistics. She is a leading expert in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), directing the NIH Autism Center of Excellence, the Social and Affective Neuroscience of Autism Program, and the Yale Toddler Developmental Disabilities Clinic. Education: PhD in Psychology, Yale University (2000) Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Yale University School of Medicine (2000) MS in Psychology, Yale University MPhil in Psychology, Yale University MA, Jagiellonian University (1986) Her research focuses on identifying early diagnostic markers and novel treatment targets in ASD, particularly in infants at risk due to familial, genetic, or perinatal factors. Her work integrates clinical assessment, neuroimaging, eye-tracking, and longitudinal design to understand the neurodevelopmental trajectories of autism. Her recent publications explore disrupted functional connectivity, atypical visual attention, social anhedonia, and familial recurrence in autism. She employs advanced methodologies including fMRI, eye movement dynamics, and machine learning to identify biomarkers. Her research spans developmental neuroscience, clinical psychology, genetics, and pediatric psychiatry, with strong emphasis on early detection and intervention. Scientific Awards: No specific awards mentioned in the provided text. Dr. Chawarska is the Principal Investigator on active clinical trials, including studies on emotional development in infants at risk for ASD and regulation of visual attention and emotion in autism. She mentors research through her lab and collaborates extensively with experts such as Fred Volkmar, James McPartland, and Frederick Shic. She leads the Chawarska Lab, which is part of the Center for Brain & Mind Health and the Wu Tsai Institute at Yale.
Sven Bölte is a Professor at Karolinska Institutet where he leads the research group focused on Autism, ADHD and other developmental neurological conditions as part of the Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND). His work bridges clinical research, education, and practical implementation of evidence-based approaches for neurodevelopmental conditions. Professor Bölte's research spans multiple domains within neurodevelopmental disorders, with particular emphasis on implementing the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for autism and ADHD using digital solutions. His group has developed and evaluated social skills training programs (KONTAKT, SKOLKONTAKT, iKONTAKT) for autistic children and adolescents, conducted twin research through the Roots of Autism and ADHD Twin Study in Sweden (RATSS), and advanced diagnostic instruments for autism, ADHD, social cognition, and adaptive behavior. His recent publications reveal a strong focus on translating research into practice, with significant work on strengths-based approaches, social inclusion, neurodiversity-affirmative assessment, and the development of practical tools for clinicians and educators. The research demonstrates increasing attention to adult experiences of autism, cross-cultural validation of interventions, and the integration of digital technology in assessment and intervention. Bölte's group also delivers extensive educational components for professionals through KI-Utbildning (Assignment Education), making it one of the largest providers of training on diagnosis and support for individuals with developmental neurological conditions within Karolinska Institutet. His work frequently addresses policy implications, as evidenced by participation in Swedish parliamentary discussions about autism and ADHD.
Amrisha Vaish is the Pamela Feinour Edmonds and Franklin S. Edmonds, Jr. Discovery Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Virginia, where she conducts research on the development of moral emotions and behaviors in children. She is affiliated with the Early Social Development Lab and the Child Development Laboratories at UVA. Research Interests: Dr. Vaish's work centers on the emergence of moral emotions such as sympathy, guilt, and forgiveness in early childhood, as well as prosocial behaviors like helping and sharing. She investigates how children evaluate moral actions and enforce norms, and more recently has explored uncooperative behaviors such as cheating and reputation management. Her research also includes infant social referencing, theory of mind development, and the negativity bias in emotional development. Recent Research Trends: Her recent publications focus on gratitude, fairness perception, upstream reciprocity, and forgiveness in young children, published in leading journals including Developmental Psychology , Child Development , and Emotion Review . These works reflect a consistent emphasis on experimental approaches to understanding moral development and social cooperation. Scientific Awards: All-University Teaching Award (2019) Janet Taylor Spence Award for Transformative Early Career Contributions, Association for Psychological Science (2018) Rising Star, Association for Psychological Science (2015) Division 7 Dissertation Award, American Psychological Association (2012) Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award, Society for Research in Child Development (2011) Advising and Grants: While specific advisees and grant details are not listed, Dr. Vaish leads an active research program and mentors students through her lab. Her recognition with early career and teaching awards suggests strong engagement in both research mentorship and educational excellence. Labs and Teams: Dr. Vaish directs the Early Social Development Lab and is part of the Child Development Laboratories at the University of Virginia, where she conducts experimental studies with infants and young children to understand the foundations of human morality and cooperation.
Sarah Carton is a Teaching Professor in the Psychology Department at Rutgers University, part of the School of Arts and Sciences. She joined Rutgers in Fall 2019 after earning her Ph.D. in the Cognition & Perception Program at New York University (2008). Her research focuses on developmental psychology, visual perception, and cognitive development in infants and young children. She teaches courses such as Introductory Psychology, Drugs & Behavior, Sensation & Perception, and Cognition, with upcoming courses like Perception of Color (PSY 2xx). Dr. Carton’s research interests include object recognition, visual illusions, perceptual categorization, infant development, and eye-tracking methodologies. Her work explores how infants perceive impossible figures, haptic exploration of objects, and transitional saccades in response to visual stimuli. She investigates foundational questions about how infants distinguish possible from impossible objects and develop spatial and dimensional understanding through multisensory interactions. Her teaching portfolio includes undergraduate courses at both Livingston and New Brunswick campuses. She actively contributes to educational initiatives in psychology, emphasizing evidence-based pedagogy. Dr. Carton’s current research trends span perceptual development, cognitive differentiation in infants, and the role of visual and haptic modalities in forming conceptual categories. Dr. Carton’s work has been published in leading journals, with recent studies examining young children’s understanding of object coherence and infants’ visual responses to paradoxical stimuli. Her research integrates behavioral experiments and eye-tracking technology to unravel early perceptual and cognitive processes.
Kristine H. Onishi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at McGill University. Her research focuses on cognitive development and language acquisition in infants and adults, including studies on phonotactic learning and infants' understanding of social communication. She is affiliated with the McGill Infant Development Centre. Research interests include: Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Science, Language Acquisition, Infant Cognition, Phonotactic Learning, and Social Cognition. Her work examines how infants learn sound structures and evaluate others' linguistic capabilities. Selected publications highlight investigations into multilingualism perception in infants, the role of talker variation in phonetic learning, and the abstract understanding of speech communication in early childhood. No scientific awards or grants are explicitly listed in the provided text.
Drew Weatherhead is an Assistant Professor (part-time) in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Dalhousie University, affiliated with the Faculty of Science. His research focuses on early language acquisition, sociolinguistic development, and how infants and children process accented speech and speaker characteristics such as race. Education : COGS-P-BCH, Queen’s University PhD, University of Waterloo Postdoctoral Fellow (PDF), University of British Columbia Research Interests : Dr. Weatherhead investigates mechanisms of language acquisition in infants and young children, using methods like eye-tracking and fNIRS. His lab explores how social factors (e.g., race, accent) influence linguistic perception and learning. Key areas include sociolinguistic variation, race-based expectations in word learning, and bilingualism. Publications : His work emphasizes the intersection of social cognition and language development, with recent studies on accent processing, speaker race, and contextual influences on word generalization. Outputs span journals like Developmental Science , Cognition , and Journal of Experimental Psychology . Advising & Labs : Dr. Weatherhead is currently not accepting new Clinical PhD, Honours, or Directed Research students (2026-2027). He leads the Cognition and Language Learning Research Group, focusing on experimental methods to decode early language mechanisms.
Elena Serena Piccardi is a Senior Lecturer in Developmental Psychology at the University of East London (UEL), School of Childhood and Social Care. Her research focuses on the early development of sensory perception in infants at elevated likelihood for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), utilizing EEG to identify neural markers linked to sensory processing and their longitudinal relationships with behavioral and clinical assessments. Education: PhD in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Birkbeck, University of London (2021) Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education, Birkbeck & Higher Education Academy (2019) MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience & Clinical Neuropsychology, University of Padova (2015) BSc in Clinical Psychology, University of Bergamo (2013) Elena's research explores how early sensory atypicalities in tactile, auditory, and visual domains impact later social and cognitive development. Her work emphasizes translational foundations for early intervention protocols and cross-institutional collaboration with the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development (Birkbeck), University of East Anglia, and Cambridge University. Her recent publications span topics like sensory regulation in typical/atypical development, research reproducibility frameworks, and neural markers of tactile processing in infants. She is a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow and Local Lead for the UK Reproducibility Network, advocating for open science practices. Teaching & Public Engagement: Module Leader for PY7160 (Independent Research Dissertation, MSc) Contributor to PY6010, PY5010, and other developmental psychology courses Public dissemination: STAARScast podcast (2022), UEL Women in Science feature (2022), and international media collaborations
Professor Zanna Clay is a leading comparative and developmental psychologist at Durham University, specializing in primate behavior and human evolutionary origins. She holds a joint appointment as an Associate Fellow in the Institute of Advanced Study. Her work bridges primatology, developmental psychology, and conservation, focusing on empathy, communication, and social learning in great apes and humans. Clay completed her doctoral work at the University of St Andrews, followed by postdoctoral research at Emory University and the University of Neuchatel. She has extensive field experience studying bonobos in the wild and captivity, including roles at the Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary. Her research explores the evolutionary roots of human social cognition through comparative studies of bonobos, chimpanzees, and human infants. Key research interests include empathy development, language evolution, primate vocal communication, and the role of gesture in early human communication. She leads projects on cross-cultural empathy in infants (UK and Uganda) and has pioneered studies on emotion contagion using thermal imaging. Her work also addresses conservation challenges for bonobos through behavioral insights. Clay supervises PhD students investigating primate behavior, socio-emotional development, and conservation. She collaborates globally, including with the MPI-EVA in Congo and Birmingham University. Notable publications include studies on bonobo empathy, primate vocal flexibility, and the evolutionary origins of imitation.
Prof. Anna Franklin is a Professor of Visual Perception and Cognition at the University of Sussex's School of Psychology. She leads the Sussex Colour Group and Sussex Baby Lab , focusing on human color perception, development, and neural representation. Her research combines cognitive psychology, developmental science, and neuroscience to explore how color perception develops, influences aesthetics, and relates to conditions like autism. Key projects include ERC-funded initiatives studying environmental impact on color perception and developing the ColourSpot diagnostic app for childhood color vision deficiency. She also serves as Deputy Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange for the School of Psychology. Education includes a BA from the University of Nottingham and a PhD from the University of Surrey, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship. Her work spans 107+ publications, emphasizing interdisciplinary methods like hyperspectral imaging and fMRI. Collaborations include industry partnerships with ETTA LOVES and COSATTO to apply infant visual preference research in product design. Research grants include European Research Council awards (Starting Grant 2012-2017, Consolidator Grant 2018-2025) and a Proof of Concept grant for ColourSpot . Her labs investigate cross-cultural color categorization, infant aesthetics, and neural correlates of color processing. Future work focuses on calibrating visual systems to environmental statistics and improving early childhood color vision screening.
