People | SCL | University of Miami

Meet the Team

Dr. Elizabeth A. Simpson

Laboratory Director,
Email: simpsone@miami.edu
Google Scholar
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. 

Arushi Malik

Graduate Student
Email: arushim@miami.edu
Google Scholar
Arushi earned her B.A. in psychology with honors from the University of Delhi and her M.S. in psychology from Christ University in India. She joined our developmental psychology Ph.D. program in 2022. She is interested in studying the development of socio-cognitive skills such as social recognition. After graduating, she plans to become a professor to continue her research and teaching in developmental psychology. In her free time, she likes to read, explore new places, cook, and watch movies.

Shuo Zhang

Graduate Student
Email: sxz659@miami.edu
Google Scholar
Shuo earned her B.A. in psychology and social behavior from the University of California, Irvine, and her M.A. in psychology from New York University. She joined our lab in 2023. Shuo is interested in infants' social and emotional development, including facial recognition and emotion regulation. She is studying how caregiver-infant relationships shape infants' social development. After graduation, she plans to be a professor of developmental psychology. Shuo likes watching movies, exploring restaurants, and hanging out with her cat. 

Nashmia Khan

Research Assistant
Email: nashmiakhanlmft@gmail.com 
Nashmia is a licensed family therapist & registered play therapist. She earned a B.A. in psychology from Florida Atlantic University & an M.S. in family therapy from Nova Southeastern University. She joined the lab in May 2025. Her research interests include the factors that contribute to parent-child attachment, the role of play in strengthening the parent-child bond, & how infants think, feel, & make sense of the world. She aspires to pursue a Ph.D. in developmental psychology to research these topics. In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her family, reading, & being in nature.

Danita Hullu

Research Assistant
Email: danitahullu@gmail.com 
Danita earned her B.S. in psychology from the University of Florida and plans to pursue graduate studies in developmental psychology. She joined the lab in January 2026. She is passionate about working with children and is particularly interested in research on parent–child bonds and attachment styles. In her free time, she enjoys creating personalized playlists for friends and family, playing the guitar, staying connected with friends abroad, and attending workout classes.

 Georgia Anne Apazidis

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: gaa176@miami.edu
Georgia is a psychology major who joined the lab in the summer of 2024. Georgia plans to go law school after graduating. She is specifically interested in child and adolescent development. In her free time, Georgia loves playing volleyball and going to the beach.

Jayden Cerber

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: jac89739@miami.edu
Jayden is a neuroscience major from Miami who joined the lab in the summer of 2026. He plans to go to medical school after graduating. His research interests include brain development and parent-child bonds. In his free time, he enjoys trying new foods, working out, and spending time with family and friends.

Alyssa Menendez

Undergraduate Researcher
Email: agm257@miami.edu
Alyssa is a psychology major with minors in American Sign Language and public health. She joined the Social Cognition Lab in June 2026. Her research passions include mental health, child development, and the formation of speech at an early age. Alyssa aspires to become a speech-language pathologist. In her free time, she enjoys painting, baking, traveling with family and friends, and listening to music.

Graduate Student Alumni

Undergraduate Lab Alumni