Current Research Assistants
Maya Velazquez
Spring 2025 - Present
Maya is a junior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Family Studies. Originally from Chicago, she has lived in Mexico, San Diego, and Las Vegas, shaping her diverse perspective on life and human connection. After graduation, Maya plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Couples and Family Therapy to become a licensed therapist, with the goal of helping individuals and families strengthen their relationships and improve their mental health. She enjoys reading romance and thriller novels, spending time with family and friends, and baking delicious treats. She is excited to be a part of the team!
Erika Foregard
Spring 2025 - Present
Erika was born and raised in Las Vegas. She is a first year at UNLV and is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Human Services. After graduation, Erika plans to go to graduate school for clinical psychology, which is her ultimate career goal. In her free time, Erika enjoys going to the gym, cooking, and watching her favorite shows. She is also a part time barista and loves coffee! She is excited to be part of the team and gain research experience!
Dylan Christie
Summer 2025 - Present
Dylan Christie graduated from UNLV with a B.A. in Philosophy and a minor in Neuroscience. Born and raised in Las Vegas, his academic path has been shaped by a deep curiosity about identity, meaning, and the biological basis of existential thought. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. focused on working memory and systems neuroscience, with a particular interest in how the brain supports abstract and self-reflective thinking. Outside of academics, he enjoys reading existential literature, studying brain anatomy, playing soccer, and exploring how technology and neuroscience intersect. During quarantine, he kept busy by leading mental health workshops, mentoring youth, and expanding his understanding of how the brain processes emotion. He’s excited to be part of a team contributing to research on cognition and auditory processing.
Mariam Sultan
Summer 2025 - Present
Mariam was born in San Diego but has lived in Las Vegas her entire life. She majored in Psychology and plans to pursue her Masters in Psychology in the hopes of becoming a clinical psychologist here in Vegas to serve the community that has done so much for her! She loves to read books, watch the newest TV shows, and cook! More often than not, she’s at a new cafe she found online because she’s a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur. She looks forward to gaining research experience and insight into auditory cognition.
Cynthia Gonzalezreyes
Spring 2026 - Present
Cynthia was born and raised in Las Vegas. After serving in the Marine Corps, she returned to school and is now a senior studying Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience. She plans to pursue a master’s in Clinical Psychology after graduation, driven by a deep interest in understanding people and helping them feel truly seen, heard, and supported. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, birdwatching, and baking with her dog. She’s excited to be part of something meaningful and to grow through the work she’ll do in the lab.
Katherine Lambert
Spring 2026 - Present
Katie is from Las Vegas, Nevada and just graduated with a BS in Clinical/Counseling Psychology from Colorado State University. She plans to persue graduate school in the hopes of eventually becoming a Clinical Psychologist. Katie enjoys watercolors, reading, singing in choir, and outdoor activities like skiing and hiking. This will be her first semester with the music lab which she is very excited to be apart of because it combines her two passions: music and psychology.
Past Research Assistants
- Elena Ladislao
- Saida Centeno
- Makena Spiller
- Emma Zhang
- Fiona Liu
- Jennifer Hsu
- Brooke Booth
- Kaela Omengan
- Isabella Aceituno
- Kristina Cruz
- Cole Smithers
- Sarah Al-Shimary
- Jordyn Karns
- Shelbie Silvers
- Jasmine Xu
- Jordan Hayes
- Aditya Subramaniam​
- Mae Ling Catayong
- Sarah Uganiza
- Sofia Juarez
- Jolie Li
- Mark Bautista
- Kacey Chang
- Kiara O'Keefe
- Aileen Corral
- John Hatch
- Samantha White
- Juliette Brinkman
- Jeana Kim
- Saniya Walker
- Emily Solis
- Cinthya Olivas Ruiz
- Kristina Martirosyan
- Riley Ramos
- Haley Yanez
- Brittany Booth
- Michael Esquejo
- Kelly Hung
- Nancy Reyna
- Amanda Heraux
- Rudolf Jovero
- Tanya Serrano
- Dana Barakat
- Yasmin Flores
- Serrena "Doc" Truong
- Janelle Salcedo
- Minerva Moran
- Carmella Gadsen
- Dung My Do
- Maria Thao Hoang
- Tenasri Mohammed
- Matthew Leiva
- Daniela Alvarez
- Soliana Fikru
- Michael Razon
- Carlos Tamayo
- Bryanna Grijalva
- Carolina Herrera
- Natalya Sayegh
- Nicole Datastanyan
- David Galich
- Ashley Bunn
- Caetano Brito
- Christian Hunter
- Natalie Contreras
- Jacky On
- Cerena-Jazmei (Cjay) Aguiran
- Ally Danlag
- Darlington “DJ” Ugbodu
- Haley Banks
- Beatriz Torres
- Lamija (Mia) Redzic
- Anna Sukiasian
- Melissa Lacro
- Da Laina Cameron
- Jessica Jensen
- Jonathan Molina
- Mya Herndon
- Ayla Thompson
- Sofia Munoz
- Sean Chang
- Yashesvi Sharma
- Mia Jivkov
- Ryan Perez
- Melanie Garcia
- Miguel Castano
- Matthew Yearling
- Joseph Lopez
- Jordan Nelson
- Dominic Maglalang
- Karley Herbert
- Waylon Raether
- Kirtly Day
- Kalli Marie Naples
- Kelly Seaborg
- Ashley Celis
- Megan Mayer
- Jessica Ramos
- Cassidy Destefano
- Vanessa Lamorte
- Emylia Terry
- Manognya Murukutla
- William King-Lewis
- Kristina Oganesian
- Alexandra Maglinao
- Vanessa Flores
- Connor Edwards
- Jason Marquez
- Kayla Daugherty
- Mia Alvarado
- Nicole Tatalovich
- Alana Solomon
- Daniel Kipnis
- Joel Herd
- Aerie Carswell
- Katherine Johnson
- Ashley Randolph
- Lindsey Hierro
- Justina Hawkins
- Rebecca Huntsman
- Stephanie Gomez
- Deseret Nunez
- Krizel Sagun
- Priscila Venzor
- Liza Patrice Paez
- Anthony Romero
- Katelyn Fuller
- Louis Barlaan​
- Tabitha Ferraris
- Julianna Jones
- Joseph Altamirano
- Alexandra Miguez-Ruiz
- Enzo Imperial
- Jennifer Delgado
- Katie Fortuna
- Whitlee Manor
- Madison Hurley
- Kendall Lyons
- Karleen Schlichtmann
- Yazmin Valdez
- Corinna Pedregon
- Taylor Pease
- Tiancheng Chen
- Morgan Baker
- Eleanore Martin
- Johansen Pico
- Erica Hoffman
- Melisa Baumgartner