Na Yeon Kim, Ph.D. (she/her) | Lab Director
Na Yeon Kim is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside. Her research investigates individual differences in perception and attention, and how these processes manifest in autism spectrum disorder. She employs fMRI, eye-tracking, and behavioral studies to access higher-order cognition across developmental stages. Prior to directing the Kim AND lab, she was a postdoctoral scholar in Ralph Adolphs’ lab at Caltech and received her Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience from Princeton University. When she’s not in the lab, she enjoys traveling and trying new restaurants.
Yue Xu (she/her) | Postdoctoral Scholar
Yue is a postdoctoral scholar who received her Ph.D. in the Computation and Neural Systems program at Caltech. Her research focuses on understanding how stable traits and changing mental states interact to shape human behavior. She utilizes computational models and longitudinal data to disentangle these enduring and dynamic processes, with applications to autism-related social attention, personality and emotional change, and social cognition. In her free time, she enjoys exploring nature (hiking and camping), sightseeing, trying new restaurants, and cooking. She’s always excited to learn a new skill or pick up a new hobby, whether that’s playing the piano, ice skating, or whatever comes next!
Felicia Mou (she/her) | Lab Assistant
Felicia Mou graduated from Northwestern University in 2025 with a B.A. in Neuroscience and Psychology. As an undergraduate, she worked in Molly Losh’s Neurodevelopmental Diversity Lab. Her research interests include developmental psychopathology, cognitive neuroscience, and heterogeneity in autism spectrum disorder. Outside of the lab, she enjoys cooking, reading, exploring Southern California, and making art.
Graduate Students
Daniel Connely (he/him)
Daniel is a second-year graduate student in the Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience program. His research focuses on understanding the shared and distinct neurobehavioral processes that underlie neurodevelopmental conditions such as ASD, FASD, and ADHD. Using a transdiagnostic approach, he aims to develop tools and methods that aid in differential diagnosis to ultimately improve their clinical utility and diagnostic precision. When he’s not in the lab, you can find him trying new coffee shops, working out, traveling, cooking, going to concerts, and spending time with friends and family.
CiCi Zhao (she/her)
Cici is a first-year graduate student in the Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience program.
Research Assistants
Naya Patel (he/they)
Naya is a fourth-year student majoring in Psychology with a minor in Queer Studies. His academic interests include neurodivergence, social development, and emotional experiences. Outside of the lab, they enjoy reading, listening to music, and trying out new recipes.
Kiyra Bergstrom (she/her)
Kiyra is a fourth-year student double-majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology. Her primary research interest lies in developmental psychology, with a particular focus on how the brain changes and adapts in response to both genetic predispositions and environmental influences. Outside of academics, she enjoys spending time in nature, hiking, and swimming. She also values quality time with close friends and appreciates quiet moments spent reading or watching movies.
Ally Lingaolingao (she/her)
Ally is a third-year Psychology major with an interest in studying behavioral and developmental psychology in adolescence. In her free time, she enjoys going to the gym, reading, and trying new restaurants with friends.
Allison Bonning (she/her)
Allison is a rising third-year Psychology major eager to learn more about the neural mechanisms that encompass brain development and how these processes differ across various neurological conditions. She looks forward to exploring the connection between neuroanatomy and cognition using behavioral tools and neuroimaging. In her free time, she enjoys going on long hikes with her sister, baking sweets with friends, and practicing calligraphy.
Delvin Sonza (he/him)
Delvin is a recent graduate of UCR, having majored in Biology. His research interests include cognitive psychology and autism. He enjoys building Lego, going to the gym, and rock climbing in his free time.
Arushi Patel (she/her)
Arushi is a fourth-year honors student majoring in Biology and minoring in Global and Community Health. Her work focuses on understanding individual variability in facial emotion recognition among autistic individuals, particularly examining how alexithymia, autism severity, and anxiety contribute to these differences. In her free time, she enjoys going to the gym, trying new matcha places, and traveling.
Nicole Lopez (she/her)
Nicole is a fourth-year Neuroscience major interested in identifying the effects of different learning methods and attention tasks to see how they may vary across neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals in specific brain regions. Her capstone project explores how this could benefit overall student success and accommodate learning for all kinds of individuals. When she’s not in the lab, she enjoys spending time in nature, reading, drawing, and playing fantasy RPGs.
Hannah Jebelli (she/her)
Hannah is a third-year Psychology student. She is interested in neuropsychology, cognitive development, and how attention and brain processes influence behavior. When she’s not in the lab, she enjoys spending time with friends, going to the beach, and exploring new places to eat.
Arielle Haryanto (she/her)
Arielle is a third-year student studying Computer Science with Business Applications (CSBA). Her primary research interests are HCI, Computer Vision, and AI. Outside of the lab, she loves cooking new recipes, watching movies, playing games, and reading.
Amirreza Tanhaei (he/him)
Amirreza is an incoming fourth-year student majoring in Psychology. He is interested in gaining research experience and exploring how perception shapes how we pay attention to the world around us. His favorite free-time activity for the longest time has been playing video games. He has played video games most of his life and would love to discuss and explore how they affect our well-being.
Shannon Kaw (she/her)
Shannon is a third-year student studying Biology. Her primary research interest lies in learning about how autism can affect perception of the environment. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and exploring new places.
Mayukha Menon (she/her)
Mayukha is a second-year student majoring in Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology. Her research interests include understanding how attention, perception, and learning develop, particularly how people process information. She is especially interested in how attention and perception change throughout development and how individual differences can shape learning. Outside of the lab, she loves dancing and teaching Bollywood dance!
Alumni
Nikki Doiphode, undergraduate student
Selina Gadalla, undergraduate student
Samantha Navarrete, undergraduate student
Aaryan Kumar, Master’s student
Ryan Gorman, undergraduate student
Heaven Martin, undergraduate student
Haley Rodriguez, undergraduate student