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 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, pubertal hormone assessments, neuropsychological assessments, actigraphy, neuroimaging (fMRI, resting-state fcMRI), and studies of patient populations (e.g. children with Tourette disorder, ADHD, or dyslexia).
Lab Manager
Chuu Nyan, B.S.
Lab ManagerChuu received her A.S. in Biology from Austin Community College in 2020 after moving to the US from Burma. She then got her B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Texas at Austin in 2023. Throughout her senior year as an undergraduate, Chuu worked as a research assistant in the Duarte Lab and assisted in projects that used EEG and FMRI imaging techniques to study sleep and memory correlations across the lifespan. During the same time, she also worked at the Child Development Center, working closely with young children and observing their social interaction through intentional play. In June 2023, Chuu joined Dr. Church-Lang’s Lab to further her research experience. She is curious to explore the impact of early-life social interactions on cognitive and social development.
Postdoctoral Fellow
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.
Amanda Martinez-Lincoln, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral FellowAmanda received her B.S. and M.A. in Psychology from West Texas A&M University and her Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin. She is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at Vanderbilt University working under the mentorship of Dr. Laurie Cutting and is collaborating with Dr. Jessica Church-Lang’s research group. Broadly Amanda’s research focuses on understanding the underlying cognitive and language mechanisms of reading and mathematics. She is particularly interested in how learning or knowing more than one language can impact learning.
Graduate Students
Caroline Painter, B.S.
Graduate StudentCaroline Painter 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 skills, reading skill change, and executive function in youth. Caroline is interested in exploring the processes of learning and cognitive control, how these processes develop, and how these processes relate to academic achievement.
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. Ellie is thrilled to be joining the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab starting in the Fall of 2025, where she will be 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.
Research Assistants
Sneha Kesavan
Undergraduate Research AssistantSneha is a Sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Neuroscience and Plan II Honors with a Core Texts and Ideas certificate through the Jefferson Scholars Program. She is also involved in Women in Natural Sciences and the Freshman Research Initiative at UT. Sneha has always been intrigued about the inner workings of the brain and the many unanswered questions regarding childhood personality development, learning processes, and neuropsychological disorders. She joined the Church lab in 2021 to understand the practicalities of research and grow in a new learning atmosphere. Sneha hopes to attend medical school and pursue political advocacy in healthcare.
Klaudia Misztal
Undergraduate Research AssistantKlaudia is a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin double majoring in Plan II Honors and Psychology (BS). She is passionate about psychology and mental health, and is especially interested in the intersection of neural activity and human behavior, including how this relates to the development of psychological disorders. She joined the Church Lab in 2023 to learn about neuroimaging and childhood development as well as to gain exposure to a research environment. After graduating, Klaudia hopes to attend medical school and pursue psychiatry.
Charlotte Ho
Undergraduate Research AssistantCharlotte is a junior at the University of Texas at Austin in the Liberal Arts Honors (LAH) Program majoring in Psychology (B.S.) with a Pre-Health Professions For Non-Science Majors Certificate. She is heavily involved in LAH, as the Co-President of the LAH Student Council and also is an Ignite Fellow through Teach for America, where she tutors underprivileged children math and reading. Charlotte joined the Church lab in 2024 to gain research experience concerning areas in psychology and neuroscience, but also for the opportunity to do research work with children. After undergrad, Charlotte plans to attend medical school and hopes to use her liberal arts education to offer a more holistic outlook in medicine and patient care.
Kenadi Pearson
Undergraduate Research AssistantKenadi is a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Educational Psychology. She is interested in developmental and cognitive psychology, specifically in understanding how children learn and finding accommodations for the various ways kids process information. Kenadi joined the Church Lab in the Spring of 2024 to explore her interests and acquire training in research with children. She hopes to eventually get a Ph.D. and work in academia so that she can make an impact on future generations.
Madison J Franklin
Undergraduate Research AssistantMadison is a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin, double majoring in Psychology (B.A) and Sociology in the Liberal Arts Honors program. She is involved in the Association of Black Psychologists and Women in Psychology at UT. Madison has always had a passion for psychology and research. She wishes to focus on child development and social psychology, specifically how socialization and social norms influence development and neural activity. She joined the Church Lab in 2025 to learn more about development, neuroscience, and conducting research. After graduating, Madison plans on getting her masters in clinical psychology and Phd to one day become a professor and child psychologist.
Annabelle Deason
Undergraduate Research AssistantAnnabelle is a sophomore 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 junior 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.
Alumni
Eliya Ben-Asher, Ph.D.
Lead Data Scientist, Lumen Technologies
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.
Data Scientist, CatalystIQ
Laura Engelhardt, Ph.D.
Data Scientist, CatalystIQJessie-Raye (Bodenhamer) Bauer, M.A.
Sr. Manager, Data Science @ Expedia Group
Tyler Larguinho, Ph.D.
Blaire Porter, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Texas at AustinPrevious Lab Members
Lab Managers:
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) |
Alyssa Hernandez* |
Past Post-Baccalaureate Research Assistants:
Krista Barringer
Funmi Osofundiya
Dr. Khushboo Verma
Summer Research Interns:
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