Research Staff

Dr. Andy Yonelinas

Professor, Human Memory Lab Director

Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from McMaster University, Canada, 1995

B.S. in Cognitive Science from University of Toronto, Canada, 1990

Research Interests

Dr. Yonelinas is examining the processes underlying human memory. In order to characterize the functional nature of different memory processes, he is currently using implicit and explicit tests as well as several ‘second generation’ procedures such as the process dissociation procedure, the independence remember/know procedure, and ROC modeling procedure. In order to determine the neural substrates of memory encoding and retrieval processes he is i) examining memory impaired patients such as amnesics and Alzheimer’s patients, and ii) examining the physiological correlates of memory processes using neuroimaging techniques such as event related potentials and function magnetic resonance imaging. The goal of this work is to develop and test models of memory that address recent behavioral, neuropsychological and brain imaging data.

Ani Abovian

Graduate Student

M.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Davis, 2024

B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego, 2020

Email: aabovian@ucdavis.edu

Research Interests

Ani is a PhD candidate in Psychology and is a member of both the Human Memory Lab and the Visual Cognition Lab, and is coadvised by Dr. Andy Yonelinas and Dr. John Henderson. She is interested in visual short-term memory and the role of the medial temporal lobes in detecting visual changes. She is currently working on a project involving scene perception using eye tracking in amnesic patients and control subjects. Ani received her Bachelor’s degree from UCSD, where she previously conducted research on face perception and face masks. Aside from her academic interests, Ani enjoys going to the gym and watching movies.

Chris Hawkins

Graduate Student

M.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Davis, 2024

M.A. in Psychological Research from Texas State University, 2016

B.S. in Psychology from Texas State University, 2013

Email: hawkins@ucdavis.edu

Research Interests

Chris is a PhD student in Psychology whose research interests include examining the role of the Hippocampus in complex auditory perception and how brain damage may impact that role. He’s also broadly interested in the functional and anatomical connectivity of the Hippocampus and surrounding brain regions, and the ways in which aging, and brain damage influence that connectivity. Chris received his master’s degree from Texas State University in 2016 before working as a research assistant with Dr. Michael Rugg at the Center for Vital Longevity. When not in the lab Chris enjoys reading, hiking, and exercising.

Stephanie Norris

Graduate Student

B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Fullerton, 2022

Email: sjnorris@ucdavis.edu

Research Interests

Stephanie is a PhD student in Psychology and is a member of the Human Memory Lab. She is broadly interested in how aging and injury affect memory, with particular interest in how Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementia cause a decline in memory, thinking, and learning. Specifically, she is interested in researching early markers/indicators of Alzheimer’s Disease as well as disease progression. Stephanie received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University, Fullerton in 2022, where she also worked as a research assistant in various labs. She is currently working on a project involving change & repetition detection in visual working memory. Aside from her academics, Stephanie enjoys visiting National Parks, hiking, and listening to music.

Cheryl Lee Gonzalez

Lab Manager, Human Memory Lab and Dynamic Memory Lab

Email: chglee@ucdavis.edu

Alumni

Former Lab Manager

Serigne Diaw

Former Ph.D. Students

Cameron Riddell

Don’t Use This Code in New York, NY
M.A. from UC Davis, 2021

Michelle Ramey

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Arkansas
Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2021
Website : https://michellemramey.com/

Trevor Baer

Strategy and Operations Consultant, Varian
MBA from UC Davis, 2022
Email : tlbaer@ucdavis.edu

Richard Addante

Assistant Professor, Cal State San Bernadino
Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2011
Website : psychology.csusb.edu/facultystaff/richard_addante
Email : richard.addante@csusb.edu

Mariam Aly

Assistant Professor, Columbia University
Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2013
Website : www.alylab.org
Email : ma3631@columbia.edu

Alyssa Borders

Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2020

Craig Brozinsky

Scientist, Talas Engineering, Inc.
Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2007
Email : cjbroz@gmail.com

Rachel Diana

Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech
Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University, 2006
Website : www.memlab.psyc.vt.edu
Email : rdiana@vt.edu

Ian Dobbins

Professor, Washington University in St. Louis
Ph.D. from UC Davis
Website : pages.wustl.edu/dobbinslab
Email : idobbins@wustl.edu

Kane Elfman

Senior Software Engineer, if(we) in San Francisco, CA
Ph.D from UC Davis, 2013

Robin Goodrich

Human Factors Scientist, Exponent in Austin, TX
Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2019
Website : www.exponent.com/professionals/g/goodrich-robin-i
Email : rgoodrich@exponent.com

Iain Harlow

VP of Science, Cerego in San Francisco, CA
Ph.D. from Edinburgh, 2013
Website : www.cerego.com/team

Debbie Hannula

Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
Ph.D. from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2005
Website : sites.google.com/site/mindfulofmemorylab/home
Email : hannula@uwm.edu

Joe Hopfinger

Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Ph.D. from UC Davis, 1998
Website : www.unc.edu/~joehop
Email : hopfinger@unc.edu

Julie Jorgenson

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Davis, CA
Masters from Western Seminary, 2010
Website : juliejmft.com
Email : julie@juliejmft.com

Mark Kishiyama

Research Scientist at California Department of Public Health
PH.D. from UC Davis, 2004
Email : mmkishiyama@gmail.com

Justin Knight

Data Science Fellow, Springboard in Atlanta, GA
Ph.D. from University of Georgia, 2012
Website : github.com/SyncingRhythms
Email : knight9.justin@gmail.com

Josh Koen

Postdoc, University of Texas, Dallas
Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2013
Website : vitallongevity.utdallas.edu/fnim/koen
Email : joshua.koen@utdallas.edu

Michele Lazzara

Director of Administrative Operations, University of Illinois
Email : michelel@uic.edu

Andrew McCullough

Research Data Specialist, California Department of Motor Vehicles
Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2018
Email : amccullough@ucdavis.edu

Linda Murray

Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2008

Eric Nolan

Senior Program Development Manager, BrawnyBrains
Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2009

Jason Ozubko

Assistant Professor, Geneseo in New York
PhD. from University of Waterloo, 2011
Website : www.geneseo.edu/psychology/ozubko
Email : ozubko@geneseo.edu

Colleen Parks

Associate Professor, University of Nevada at Las Vegas
Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology, 2004
Website : faculty.unlv.edu/cparks
Email : colleen.parks@unlv.edu

Colleen Parks

Bachelors from UC Davis, 2020

Mike Petzold

Masters Student at Sacrament State University
B.S from UC Davis, 2013
Website : mikepetzold.com
Email : mtpetzold@gmail.com

Joel Quamme

Associate Professor, Grand Valley State University
Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2004
Website : www.gvsu.edu/psychology/joel-quamme-164
Email : quammej@gvsu.edu

Maureen Ritchey

Assistant Professor, Boston College
Ph.D. from Duke University, 2011
Website : www.thememolab.org
Email : maureen.ritchey@bc.edu

Matt Sazma

Assistant Professor, University of LaVerne
Ph.D. from UC Davis , 2020
Website : laverne.edu/directory/person/matthew-a-sazma/
Email : msazma@laverne.edu

Tali Sharot

Associate Professor, University College London
Ph.D. from New York University, 2006
Website : affectivebrain.com
Email : t.sharot@ucl.ac.uk

Grant Shields

Postdoctoral Scholar, Guyer Lab, UC Davis
Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2019
Website : www.grantsshields.com
Email : gsshields@ucdavis.edu

Wei-chun Wang

Postdoctoral Scholar, Bunge Lab, UC Berkely
Ph.D. from UC Davis, 2013
Website : cabezalab.org
Email : weichunw@gmail.com

Weiwei Zhang

Assistant Professor, UC Riverside
Ph.D. from University of Iowa, 2007
Website : memory.ucr.edu
Email : weiwei.zhang@ucr.edu