Meet the Team

Dr. Elizabeth A. Simpson

Laboratory Director,
Email: simpsone@miami.edu
Dr. Simpson joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Miami in 2015. She loves research and hopes to inspire future generations of scientists. Outside of the lab she enjoys dog parks, the beach, running, and reality TV.

Sarah Maylott

Graduate Student
Email: smaylott@miami.edu
Sarah joined our lab in 2016. She earned a B.A. in psychology from the University of Tennessee and a M.S. in psychology from the University of Miami. She is interested in prenatal development and early social development of at-risk and typically developing populations. For her dissertation, she is studying how becoming a parent may have positive changes on attention and cognition. After getting her Ph.D., she plans to continue research into fetal and infant development. Sarah enjoys being outdoors, traveling, reading, horseback riding, and spending time with her dogs.

Amy Ahn

Graduate Student
Email: yxa262@miami.edu
Amy joined our program in 2017. She graduated with honors from Cornell University with a B.S. in human development and a concentration in social and personality development. She is joint-mentored by Dr. Daniel Messinger and Dr. Elizabeth Simpson, and is interested in leveraging automated measurements to understand early social and emotional development. After graduating from UM, she plans to continue research in child development. In her free time, Amy enjoys yoga, traveling, and cleaning her apartment.

Guangyu Zeng

Graduate Student
Email: gxz102@miami.edu
Zeng joined our lab in 2018. He has a B.S.Sc in psychology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a M.A. in psychological science from from the Catholic University of America. He is interested in the development of social cognitive skills such as emotion recognition and joint attention in typically developing and at-risk infants and children. After graduation, he plans to continue research into infant and early childhood development. Zeng enjoys reading, cooking, swimming, and observing all kinds of animals.

Roberto Lazo

Lab Manager
Email: Rjl69@miami.edu
Rob joined the lab as an undergraduate in 2017 and earned the title of Lab Manager soon thereafter. He graduated from UM with a B.S. in psychology and biology. He enjoys studying neuroscience, consciousness, and how the mind works. He plans to pursue an advanced degree in psychology and work in the field of mental health. In his free time, he enjoys meditation, Qi-kung, and exploring new ways to promote wellness.

Mendel Lebowitz

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: mlebowitz@miami.edu
Mendel is a neuroscience major with a chemistry minor. After receiving his rabbinical ordination at the Rabbinical College of America, Mendel transferred to the University of Miami to pursue his lifelong goal of becoming an M.D. Mendel is interested in the development of infant-parent relationships and how different experiences can affect those bonds. Mendel enjoys spending time with his wife and baby boy.

Alanna Adler

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: aba83@miami.edu
Alanna is a sophomore at the University of Miami double majoring in Psychology and Public Health with a minor in Health Sector Management and Policy. After graduating, she hopes to continue her studies in psychology. In her free time she enjoys going to the beach, exploring Miami, and spending time with her friends and family.

Emma Jaisle

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: emj52@miami.edu
Emma is a psychology major and chemistry minor on the pre health track. After graduating with a B.S., she plans to attend medical school and one day be a psychiatrist. When she is not busy with school she enjoys volunteering as an EMT, going to the beach, and spending time with her friends and pets.

Isabella Cabrera Valencia

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: ixc276@miami.edu
Isabella is a psychology major with a chemistry minor on the pre-med track. After graduating she plans to attend medical school. She is interested in learning more about brain development in children. She loves spending time with family and friends, and enjoys helping others, traveling, reading, and Pilates.

Christopher Castaneda

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: crc154@miami.edu
Chris is a Cuban-American, born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is interested in learning more about child development, especially infant visual attention. He enjoys playing sports, watching movies, and listening to music. 

Jenna Trainor

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: jxt734@miami.edu
Jenna is a psychology major with a chemistry minor. After graduating she will either go to medical school or continue doing research in psychology. In her free time she enjoys working out, cooking, and hanging out with friends.

Andreas Bezahler

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: axb1458@miami.edu
Andreas was born and raised in Philadelphia. He is a psychology major with minors in marine science and sociology. He joined the lab in the summer of 2019. After receiving his B.S. degree, he plans to attend graduate school in clinical psychology. In his free time, he enjoys walking his dog, swimming, and spending time with friends.

Jackson Kyser

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: jgk49@miami.edu
Jackson is an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in neuroscience at the University of Miami. He is especially interested in how physiological processes influence attitudes, behaviors, and cognition. After graduating, Jackson aspires to enroll in an M.D.-Ph.D. program and pursue a career as a physician-scientist. In his free time, Jackson enjoys playing hockey and guitar.

Alexandra Mills

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: axm2180@miami.edu
Alexandra joined the lab in 2019. She is double majoring in psychology and human social development with a minor in criminology. She plans to attend graduate school in clinical psychology. Alex enjoys volunteering as a peer educator, traveling, and hanging out with friends.

Diana Nascimben

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: dnn17@miami.edu
Diana is an psychology major with a minor in chemistry, who joined our lab in 2019. After graduating, she plans to attend medical school. Outside of the lab, she likes spending time with family and friends as well as watching sports… especially the New England Patriots!

Collaborators

Lab Alumni