Principle Investigator
Jessica Church-Lang, Ph.D.
Principal InvestigatorDr. Jessica Church-Lang grew up in Michigan, got her B.A. at Smith College, and received her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Washington University in St. Louis. She had a joint postdoc with Dr. Silvia Bunge (UC Berkeley) and Dr. Brad Schlaggar (Washington University School of Medicine) before starting the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience lab in the Psychology Department at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Church-Lang has a strong interest in how cognitive control processes develop over age, and in how research on atypical development illuminates the vulnerable aspects of cognitive development. Dr. Church-Lang is the former head of the Austin neuroimaging site of the Texas Learning Disabilities Research Center project on reading intervention and brain change (texasldcenter.org). Research in the lab currently focuses on the development of cognitive control and academic skills in late childhood and adolescence, and the role of the brain’s putative control networks in learning change over intervention, educational interruption, or puberty. To address these topics, the lab uses behavioral methods such as cognitive tests, neuropsychological assessments, actigraphy, neuroimaging (fMRI, resting-state fcMRI, DWI), and studies of patient populations (e.g. children with ADHD, or dyslexia).
Post-doctoral Scholars
Tin Nguyen, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral FellowTin is drawn to figuring out and implementing ways and tools to elevate the lives of individuals facing disadvantaged circumstances and headwinds in life—through community services and scientific research. He has been involved with organizations and community programs that support students with learning difficulties through the San Antonio Youth Literacy, individuals experiencing poverty and housing insecurity through Daybreak Arts (formerly Poverty and the Arts), and others. Currently, he has the opportunities to be a part of and contribute to research projects conducted by Dr. Laurie Cutting’s team at Vanderbilt University and Dr. Jessica Church-Lang’s team at the University of Texas, studying problems and questions that deal with how contextual variables, such as families’ socioeconomic backgrounds, relate to children’s brain development and learning outcomes.
Graduate Students
Caroline Painter, B.A.
Graduate StudentCaroline graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 2025 with a B.A. in Psychology. During her undergraduate career, Caroline worked as a research assistant and honors thesis student in Dr. Jessica Church-Lang’s lab, where she examined the relationship between reading and math skills, academic skill change, and executive function in youth. As a second-year PhD student, Caroline is interested in exploring the development of academic skills and cognitive control across childhood and adolescence.
Ellie Carpenter, B.A.
Graduate StudentEllie grew up in Austin, TX, and earned her B.A. in psychology from the University of San Francisco. As an undergrad at USF, she researched thought suppression with Dr. Ben Levy and moral judgments with Dr. Saera Khan. She also studied physiological responses during sleep in Dr. Wendy Berry Mendes’s Emotion, Health, and Psychophysiology Lab at UCSF. Upon graduating, she was a Clinical Research Coordinator at the UCSF Dyslexia Center. While there, she worked with Dr. Marilu Gorno Tempini on the Dylsexia Phenotyping Project. As a second year graduate student in the lab, Ellie is studying the development of cognitive control processes and academic success. Outside of research, she’s usually saying hi to every dog she passes, watching live music, or trying out a new coffee spot.
Gladys Alondra Venegas, B.S.
Graduate StudentGladys is from Southern California and attended Yale University where she received a B.S. in Neuroscience. There she joined Haskins Laboratories and completed her senior thesis investigating brain predictors of treatment response in children with reading disabilities under Dr. Ken Pugh’s mentorship. She continued her work with Dr. Ken Pugh, Dr. Vince Gracco, and Dr. Nabin Koirala as a Postgraduate Research Associate at the Yale Child Study Center, investigating neural reorganization during reading intervention. She also worked with Dr. Karim Ibrahim to investigate the brain networks involved in emotion regulation in children with disruptive behaviors. Gladys is excited to join the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience lab in the Fall of 2026, and is particularly interested in studying how cognition, reading skills, and language relate to children’s brain development and academic outcomes.
Research Assistants
Annabelle Deason
Undergraduate Research AssistantAnnabelle is a junior at the University of Texas at Austin, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Statistics and Data Science. She is interested in developmental and cognitive psychology, specifically how parent-child relationships shape learning behaviors and moral frameworks throughout growth. Annabelle joined the Church Lab to expand her research experience and strengthen her skills in working with children. She aspires to eventually obtain a Ph.D. and pursue a career in laboratory research and academia.
Brianna Juric
Undergraduate Research AssistantBrianna is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Neuroscience with a Bridging Disciplines Program (BDP) certificate in Patients, Practitioners and Cultures of Care. She is interested in understanding differences in cognition, especially in the context of social factors impacting neurobiology, and how that knowledge can be applied to improve psychological treatments. Brianna joined the Church Lab in 2025 because she believes that learning more about how children develop is the foundation to understanding individuals’ behavior later on; she also joined to gain more experience in research that blends neuroscience with psychology. In the future, she hopes to attend graduate school to study clinical psychology to be able to provide mental health care that is both scientific and humanistic.
Angel Osaghae
Undergraduate Research AssistantAngel Osaghae is a junior at the University of Texas at Austin in the Liberal Arts Honors (LAH) program, majoring in Psychology (BS) with a minor in Health Communications. She is also involved in Black Health Professionals Organization and African Student Organization at UT. Angel is interested in child development, specifically in understanding how environmental factors can influence cognitive function, brain activity, and behavior. She joined the Church lab in 2026 to learn more about conducting research and the neurological processes involved in development and behavior. After graduation, Angel plans to attend medical school and hopes to pursue her aspiration of becoming a psychiatrist.
Shree Rao
Undergraduate Research AssistantShree is a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in Neuroscience with a Core Texts and Ideas (CTI) certificate. She is interested in understanding variations in cognition, with a primary focus on neurodevelopmental disorders and how those insights can enhance therapeutic interventions. Shree joined the Church Lab in 2026 to explore how early learning influences child development and long-term behavior, as well as to gain hands-on experience in research at the intersection of neuroscience and psychology. In the future, she aims to attend medical school to deliver care that balances innovative medicine with deep empathy.
Previous Lab Members
Past Graduate Students:
Eliya Kalisher, Ph.D.
Senior Data Scientist, LeoVegas Sport BookPublished as Eliya Ben-Asher
Damion Demeter, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California San Diego
Tehila Nugiel, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Psychology Department, Florida State University
Mary Abbe Roe Barnes, Ph.D.
Senior Data Scientist, CatalystIQ
Laura Engelhardt, Ph.D.
Sr. Business Intelligence Analyst, Delta Dental of WashingtonJessie-Raye (Bodenhamer) Bauer, M.A.
Sr. Manager, Data Science @ Expedia Group
Tyler Larguinho, Ph.D.
Faculty, La Sierra University
Blaire Porter, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Texas at AustinPast Lab Managers:
Chuu Nyan, Lab Manager (Lab Manager, Memory and Aging Lab at The University of Texas at Austin)
AnnaCarolina Garza, Lab Manager (Project Coordinator, Gibson Consulting)
Brittany Davis, Lab Manager (Master’s Student, Villanova University)
Melissa Aristizabal, Lab Manager (Teacher, IDEA Public Schools)
Mackenzie Mitchell, Lab Manager (PhD Student, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Annie Zheng, Lab Manager (PhD Student, Washington University)
Joel Martinez, Ph.D., Lab Manager (Data Scientist, Harvard University)
Leonel Olmedo, Lab Manager (educ. consulting, Safal Partners, in Houston, TX)
Past Research Assistants:Rawand Abdelghani (* = senior thesis) |
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Past Post-Baccalaureate Research Assistants:
Sami Greisdorf
Krista Barringer
Funmi Osofundiya
Dr. Khushboo Verma
Summer Research Interns:
Sonya Peterssn, Summer 2026
Savannah Trevino, Summer 2024 SURE Student
Jessica Galvez, Summer 2016 SURE Student
Lynee Herrera, Summer 2015 SURE Student
High School Research Assistants:
Uday Dutt, High School Volunteer
Rose Griffin, High School Volunteer