Dr. Elif Isbell is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of California Merced and the director of the IDEA research group. She completed her Ph.D. in Psychology (cognitive neuroscience) at the University of Oregon. Before UC Merced, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oregon and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She was a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) T32 Postdoctoral Fellow in Developmental Psychology at the University of Michigan. 

Beyond her academic endeavors, she enjoys indoor and outdoor adventures with her family, reading sci-fi & fantasy books, learning new languages, and cross-stitching.

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Amanda Peters, M.A., is a 4th-year doctoral student in Developmental Psychology. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2021 with a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. Her research interests broadly revolve around how, when, and why attentional control lapses. She is particularly interested in examining individual and contextual factors contributing to attentional fluctuations, the neural mechanisms underlying attentional lapses, and developmental changes in the consistency of attentional control across childhood and adolescence. She is also interested in exploring the links between attentional control consistency and academic achievement. 

Outside of her academic work, Amanda enjoys painting and golfing.

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Dylan Richardson, M.A., is a 4th-year doctoral student in the Developmental Psychology program. He is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellow. At UC Merced, he earned a B.A. in 2021 and an M.A. in 2024 in Psychological Sciences. His research interests involve examining the development of cognitive control in children and adolescents, and how it relates to math achievement. 

In his free time, Dylan is an avid fisherman and also enjoys hiking, exploring the outdoors, and going to the beach with his Black Labrador, Milo.

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Lois Lopez earned a B.A. in psychology from UC Merced in 2024. She is the lab coordinator of the IDEA lab and is an incoming doctoral student.

During her free time, Lois likes singing, acting, hiking, and spending quality time with her cat and family.

Yu Fang Tseng is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology. She was a UC Merced Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC) scholar and University of Michigan MSPICEd summer research intern. Broadly, she is interested in studying cognitive control. She is also interested in cognitive science and clinical psychology.

In her free time, Yu Fang enjoys scrapbooking (while watching a good show), playing video games, and crocheting.

Alexis Cooper is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Chemistry with a biological emphasis. She’s from Atlanta, GA and is interested in cognitive science. 

Outside of her academic work, Alexis loves music, cooking, nature, and playing with her dog.

Elauria Wiggins is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. She is a registered behavior technician and is broadly interested in cognitive and clinical psychology. She hopes to attend a graduate program in clinical psychology post-graduation. In her free time, Elauria enjoys playing volleyball, reading, and loves concerts.

Hins Qiu is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Biophysics and Cognitive Science. He is broadly interested in development psychology and neural plasticity. Besides academia, Hins enjoys playing League of Legends and exploring nature.

Ariah Marz is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology. Before attending UC Merced, she earned her A.A. in Psychology and Social Science. She is broadly interested in developmental psychology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and spending time with friends.

Keona Huang is a third-year undergraduate student double majoring in Psychology and Global Arts Studies with a Visual Arts Emphasis. She is broadly interested in research on developmental psychology, interpersonal relationships, resilience, and wellness. In her free time, Keona loves to sing, draw, bake, and spend time with her friends and family.

Kaylin Cardoso is a second-year undergraduate student double majoring in Psychology and Sociology. She is broadly interested in developmental and clinical psychology. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, watching rom-coms, having deep conversations, and going on spontaneous road trips with friends.

Hien Ton is a first-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and Sociology. She’s interested in forensic psychology and criminology. Outside of academics, Hien enjoys gaming and spending time with her cat, Toru.