Research Staff & Research Assistants

Hi! My name is Alexa Aringer, I am staff in the Ad Lab, as well as the Lab Manager for Claremont McKenna College’s Applied Mind and Health Lab within the Berger Institute. I transferred from Riverside City College and graduated with Phi Beta Kappa honors and a B.S. in Psychology from UC Riverside in 2020. I joined the Ad Lab in the Summer of 2019, and have worked on various projects since joining, including a poster on Attachment Security and post-traumatic stress responses during COVID-19. Broadly, my research interests include: intergenerational impacts of trauma and childhood adversity; the biological embedding of stress; psychopathology and pathophysiology of trauma responses; trauma assessment and diagnosis; and investigating the autonomic underpinnings that underscore variations in vulnerability and resilience in underserved populations. I am currently applying to clinical psychology doctorate programs to delve into my research interests to disseminate translational science and inform treatment approaches–particularly trauma-informed care. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my partner and our pets, watching the latest show on Netflix, or potting plants into pots with funky faces.

Hello! My name is Thomas Lee. I’m a staff member of the Ad Lab and I earned my B.A. in Psychology at UCR in Spring 2023. My research interests in the developmental field are always changing as I learn more about the depth and scope of the field, but I take a special interest in neurodevelopment and media effects. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, rock climbing, and philosophical discourse with my dog Toto. 

Hi everyone! My name is Alejandra Moissiy, I will be receiving my bachelors degree in Psychology in the spring of 2024. My love for psychology began when I was 10 years old, volunteering at my local preschool and seeing how children’s personalities and mannerisms at such a young age are so uniquely different. Along with my psychology degree, I am also pursuing a minor in Business Organizational Behavior/ Human Resources. I hope to one day open my own psychology office and start a private practice. I look forward to pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology and expanding my knowledge of what this field has to offer. I am particularly interested in humanistic, positive psychology in pursuit of aiding youth to live life to its fullest potential and understand how experiences in life shape us, but do not hold us back. With this, I have really found a home in the UCR Adversity and Adaptation Lab. Outside of school I spend my time doing things that help me to live my life to its fullest which include, spending time with loved ones, traveling, gaming, and swimming.

Hi everyone! My name is Alexa Zelaya. I am planning on receiving my degree in Psychology in 2025! My dream is to pursue a career in clinical psychology and find new ways that we can help those who struggle with their mental health. I joined this lab to engage in research as well as educate myself on the ways a child’s environment influences their mindset. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music (Taylor Swift), reading, and making new memories with friends and family! 🙂

Hi there! My name is Hong-Yi (Alfred) Koo. I’m a Psychology and Sociology major (Class of 2024). My dream is to pursue a career in clinical psychology and open my own private practice. Ultimately, I hope to become an experienced therapist who not only helps people through my practice, but also inspires the general public through creating psychology-based media contents, workshops, blogs, and so on. I used to work at a consulting firm for two years, where I designed and taught mind-training programs to elevate cognitive and social abilities in children. This is also the reason why I feel gravitated toward the research at the AD lab! Through this lab, I hope to accumulate knowledge and experiences regarding how mental health and life outcomes manifest in a real-world sense.

Hi! My name is Anel Lozano. I am a psychology major with a minor in Spanish and plan on receiving my degree in the spring of 2024. I joined the Ad Lab because of the focus they placed on children and their experiences growing up, I am an older sister of two and love interacting with children and hope to one day work with them. I am interested in understanding how adversity shapes their lives in order to provide assistance in hopes of improving their well-being. I am particularly interested in learning about topics such as parenting styles, and low-income, immigrant families. Aside from school, I enjoy reading, building puzzles, and hiking.

Hi everyone! My name is Arushi Verma and I am a Biology major (class of 2025). I aspire to be a PA and specifically work in pediatrics because I love working with children. I was interested in the Ad Lab because of its focus on child development and seeing how different environments affect a child’s life into adulthood. I enjoy going to the gym, watching movies, hanging out with my friends, cooking, and creating mendhi (henna) art.

Hi! My name is Daisy Cisneros. I am recent Psychology graduate here at UCR! I am interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical or counseling psychology and plan to take a gap year to gain more experience in research. I am so excited to learn about how the experiences of adversity in childhood have an impact on development through the Ad Lab. My personal research interests are within this area, but I am also interested in learning about how experiences in the early years, including childhood trauma and attachment styles, play a role in shaping the individual as a whole, and how they cope and view the world. I am primarily interested in seeing how this impacts the developmental transition between adolescence to adulthood. I am truly passionate about mental health and well-being and like to spend my free time doing things that make me happy such as spending time in nature, working out, and going to music festivals (occasionally)!

Hi everyone! I’m Gerardo Michel. I’m recent psychology graduate interested in pursuing either a PhD or PsyD in clinical psychology. I am very passionate about mental health topics, and I’m mainly interested in treating depression and anxiety in young people. I hope to learn more about how youth navigate and cope with different challenges so I can gain a better understanding of mental health. Alongside being an RA, I’m also a volunteer crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Line. Some of my hobbies include photography, gaming, and watching YouTube videos. Thanks for reading my bio!

Hello! My name is Haylee Lemus and I earned my BA in Psychology in Spring 2022. Alongside my three-year-old daughter, I cherish outdoor activities and painting as our hobbies. My aspiration is to delve into Clinical Psychology and explore psychopathology across different contexts. Joining this lab offers a chance to understand psychological experiences in childhood and explore research methodologies. Looking ahead, I aim to focus on studying antisocial and violent behavior among minoritized populations.

Hola friends, if you’re looking for a header as to what my interest in psychology is, it would be Academic Achievement. I know there are many circumstances in which it is challenging for a youth to situate themselves into the role of a student and humbly believe I can contribute in this area of the field, after graduate school. Understanding the ways in which one can excel is the reason why I adore the AD Lab, since our studies revolve around the ways in which life experiences influence development. Quite recently, I thought the world of academia to be an elusive type of beast, but I made it as a transfer student. Feel free to ask me about this if you’d like. My name is Hernan Zurita!

Hi everyone! My name is Karen Lam and I am UCR Class of 2024. I am a psychology major and hope to become a psychiatrist in the future. I want to work with at risk youth and children going through adversity in order to help them cope and thrive in their situations. I joined the AD Lab because I want to work with child in adversed environments and learn how they adapt and cope to these situations they have been put in. In my free time, I love to bake, go to the gym, and watch movies.

Hello! My name is Kay Lee, and I graduated from UCR with a BA in Psychology. I am taking a gap year then I plan on pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Broadly, my research interests include child development and more specifically, how psychopathology or parent interactions may influence that development. I am additionally interested in differences across cultural contexts, race, and ethnicity. I hope to hone in on and dive into my interests further here at the Ad Lab!

Hi! My name is Maisha Ahmed. I will receive my BA in Psychology in 2026. My research interests include adolescent psychology and how one’s circumstances can influence psychopathology over time. I’m excited to learn more about developmental psychology and expand my research capabilities in the Ad Lab. In my free time, I love reading, going on walks, and listening to music.

Hello, my name is Rachel Francis! I will receive my bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2024. My interest in the field comes from my experience as an EMT and youth counselor at a Youth Shelter. I aspire to have a career in Clinical Neuropsychology to understand cognitive strengths and weaknesses and develop strategies to improve quality of life. I joined the Ad Lab to explore child development, especially in the context of trauma and resiliency. I want to learn more about cognitive functioning and child development to serve these populations better. Some hobbies I like doing outside the lab are going to the gym, crocheting, and traveling.

Hi! My name is Ruhi Barman and I will be graduating with a BA in Psychology, Law and Society in 2025. I’m very interested in the intersection between psychology and law, especially in the context of juvenile justice. I find the AdLab’s focus on understanding the influence of life experiences on child adaptation especially intriguing and am excited to learn more about it! In my free time I love baking, reading, hanging out with friends, and pretty much anything outdoors!

Hi! My name is Sachi Ashtikar, and I will be receiving my degree in Psychology in 2026! I have an intention to minor in Neuroscience as well. My current academic interests are in development and clinical psychology. I will be pursuing a PhD in the future. I am excited to gain research experience with the AdLab! I love listening to music, hanging out with my friends, and binging shows on Netflix.

Hi everyone! My name is Savannah Wong, and I will be receiving my bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Medical and Health Humanities Studies in 2024. I’m interested in pursuing a Psy.D. in clinical psychology, and hopefully specializing in pediatric clinical neuropsychology. After graduating from UCR, I will be taking a gap year(s) to gain more experience in research and clinics. I love working with children/adolescents and understanding how an individual’s environment can influence their development/brain, which is one of the many reasons why I was drawn to the Ad Lab. I cannot wait to learn new skills and grow as an individual in this lab. In my free time I enjoy working out, listening to music, traveling, and spending time with friends and family!