Lab director
Vicky T. Lai is an associate professor in Psychology Department and Cognitive Science program at the University of Arizona. She also has courtesy affiliations with Second Language Acquisition Teaching GIDP, Linguistics Department, and BIO5. The overarching theme of her research is the processing of meaning and language in context. Specific topics include non-literal language (metaphor, irony, idiom), emotion and language, and language and thought. She was elected a fellow in Psychonomic Society in 2018 and was awarded Distinguished Mentoring Award in 2023. In her free time, Vicky likes to swim, hike, eat, and watch sci-fi movies and (dark) comedies.
Graduate students
Laura Baiocco is a 4th-year PhD student in the cognition and neural systems (CNS) program in the department of Psychology. Her interests include figurative language processing, emotional processing, and the relationship between the two. In her free time, she likes to watch good tv shows, visit new places, and eat veggie food.
Lindsay Krebs is a 3rd-year PhD student in the cognition and neural systems (CNS) program in the department of Psychology. Her interests include bilingualism as well as ways in which language might help to structure thought. Her current project focuses on whether apt use of metaphor in teaching can enhance learning of science concepts. She enjoys reading, cooking, and video calling with her three dogs (and family!) back home.
Çağatay Çora is a 2nd-year PhD student in the Cognition and Neural Systems (CNS) program within the Department of Psychology. He is interested in the embodied perspectives of figurative language. Additionally, he is interested in Natural Language Processing. In his free time, he enjoys camping, cycling, reading and also delving into the profound enigma of conscious realism.
Nahyun Kim is a 1st-year PhD student in the Cognition and Neural Systems (CNS) program within the Department of Psychology. She is interested in the relationship between language and emotion, as well as the functions of literal and non-literal emotional language. In her free time, she enjoys brewing coffee, taking pictures, watching dramas, and working out.
Fatima Jebahi is a third-year PhD student of Dr. Aneta Kielar in the Language and Neuroimaging Research laboratory in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. She is interested in the cognitive and neural correlates of language in acquired neurogenic language disorders. In this lab, Fatima is collaborating on a project that examines how psycholinguistic properties of words affect word naming in bilingual primary progressive aphasia. In her free time, she enjoys watching TV shows, reading books, and exploring new places.
Mourad Abdennebi is a third-year Ph.D. student of Dr. Janet Nicol in the Second Language Acquisition and Teaching program (SLAT). In this lab, he is collaborating on one of his dissertation experiments that examines multisensory word learning in adult second language learners.
Undergraduate students
Mx Hyde is a junior triple majoring in Neuroscience Cognitive Science, Psychological Science, and Linguistics. Their research interests are cognitive psychology, linguistics, and Autism/ADHD. When they have time, they enjoy reading, video games, music, dance, and crafting.
Desbah White is a junior majoring in Psychological Science and minoring in Educational Psychology. A native of Arizona, she was born and raised on the Navajo reservation. Their research interests are in social and developmental psychology, and she has a passion for working with children and teenagers in educational settings. In her free time, I enjoy watching movies and TV show marathons, reading, working out, and listening to music.
Sheridan Kraus is a junior double majoring in Neuroscience & Cognitive Science (NSCS) and Spanish. Her research interests include neurolinguistics and bilingualism. She is conducting her honors thesis on metaphor and embodiment in the lab. Outside of the research lab, she enjoys traveling, listening to music, hanging out with friends, and spending time with her cat.
Skyy Standridge is a senior majoring in Psychological Science. She is interested in developmental psychology. She enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with friends in her free time.
Clarissa Magdaleno is double majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NSCS) and Spanish with an emphasis in Translation and Interpretation and minoring in Biochemistry. She is interested in understanding how the bilingual brain functions and dementia. In her spare time she loves to cook, line dance, and binge-watch my favorite shows.
Aly Dolcini is a junior majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NSCS) and minoring in BioChemistry. She is interested in neurodegenerative research and cognitive psychology. In her free time she likes to go to the gym, visit her friends in other states, and try new foods, specifically sushi!
Danieh Alani is a sophomore double majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NSCS) and Psychological Science. Her research interests include behavioral and social psychology. In her free time she likes to read, cook, and spend time with family and friends.
Brandon Rodriguez is a junior majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NSCS) with an emphasis in neurobiology. His research interests involve studying neurodegenerative diseases and the impact of music on the brain. In his free time, he enjoys going to the gym and playing the trumpet in the University’s marching band.
How do I join the lab?
If you are a prospective student applying to the Cognitive Neural System program in the Department of Psychology at the University of Arizona, please contact Dr. Lai directly (tzuyinlai at arizona dot edu) with your research interests and CV. Please do so in September, October, or November, as the application deadline is December 1 each year.
If you are an undergraduate at the University of Arizona looking for independent research or directed research opportunities, please contact Dr. Lai directly (tzuyinlai at arizona dot edu). In your email, please include the following information and documents: Name, email, major(s) or minor(s), honors student (yes or no), year (sophomore, junior, or senior), CV or resume, transcript (unofficial fine), prior experiences in other research labs if any, and what your research interests are.