Staff Directory

Sylvie is a senior at Barnard College majoring in Psychology, with a strong interest in early childhood and adolescent development. She first joined the Stroller Lab in the summer of 2025 through Barnard’s Summer Research Institute and has continued as a research assistant, exploring how early exposure to maternal stress can shape children’s behavior, socioemotional skills, and overall development. Outside the lab, Sylvie enjoys running, traveling outside NYC, and working at the Horowitz Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard.

Sunan is a master’s student in the Developmental Psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She received her dual B.A. in Psychology and Education Studies from Brandeis University. At Brandeis, she worked in Dr. Margie Lachman’s Lifespan Lab, contributing to research on cognitive aging and Alzheimer’s disease risk. She later worked in Dr. Hannah Snyder’s Cognition, Psychopathology, and Environment Lab, where she completed an honors thesis on metacognitive beliefs, intolerance of uncertainty, and internalizing symptoms. She also gained clinical research experience at McLean Hospital, studying mood, cognition, and emotion regulation in adulthood and aging. Sunan’s research interests focus on children’s executive functioning, emotion regulation, and mental health development.

Sonya Troller-Renfree is the Director of the Stroller Lab and an Assistant Professor of Developmental Psychology. Troller-Renfree's research examines the impacts of stress and early adversity on cognitive and neural development. Troller-Renfree specializes in EEG, a child-friendly neuroimaging technique and leads EEG data collection and analysis on the Baby’s First Years study – a randomized control trial of poverty reduction. Troller-Renfree has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and has received over $1 million in funding from the National Science Foundation and NICHD. In 2023, she was named an Association for Psychological Science’s Rising Star. 

Siqi is a second-year master’s student in the Developmental Psychology program at Teacher’s College, Columbia University. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Southwest University, China. During her undergraduate studies, Siqi gained valuable research experience working with Dr. Ni Yan on children's sensory processing sensitivity and parental involvement. In her junior and senior years, she also volunteered as a psychological teacher in local schools, working with young children and adolescents. Siqi's academic interests focus on the interaction between parental involvement and children's characteristics and its impact on their socioemotional development, particularly in the context of brain studies in the digital era. 

Simranjeet is a rising junior at Barnard College. She is pursuing a degree in Neuroscience & Behavior on the pre-med track. Before joining the Stroller Lab, she worked in the NEED Lab starting in her freshman year. She is not completely sure what she wants to do in the future, but she is considering teaching, pursuing a PhD, or getting an MD to work in pediatrics. While the possibilities are endless, she knows she wants to work with underserved populations. She is also excited to continue learning about child development in the Stroller lab! In her free time, she enjoys taking her cat, Jasper, and her dog, Toby, on walks, watching her favorite YouTubers, Dan and Phil, and occasionally skateboarding.

Sarah recently earned her M.A. degree from the Clinical Psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Boston College. Sarah is interested in studying the impact of parental behavior on children’s socioemotional development, especially for children from minority populations. She is excited to explore other research areas in the Stroller Lab. 

Phia is a masters student in the Developmental Psychology. She received her Bachelor of Science in Human Development at Brigham Young University under the advisement of Dr. Sarah Coyne. Phia is interested in studying how early-life adversity, especially displacement, impacts brain development.

Marilyn is a rising senior at Cornell University studying psychology. She joined the lab in 2026 and is interested in the relationship between socioeconomic status and the neurocognitive and socioemotional development of children. Prior to joining the Stroller Lab, Marilyn worked as a research assistant for the Developmental Moral Psychology Lab at Cornell. Outside of the lab, Marilyn enjoys spending time with her friends and binge-watching reality TV.

Margot is a senior at Barnard College studying Psychology and Statistics. In her junior year, she gained valuable research experience at Dr. Kimberly Noble's NEED Lab, where she analyzed EEG data for the Baby’s First Year project, a longitudinal study examining the impact of poverty-reducing efforts in children’s brain development. Margot is in her second year as an Assistant Teacher at the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development after completing the year long Fieldwork and Research Seminar on Toddler Development with Dr. Tovah Klein. At the Stroller Lab, Margot is eager to further hone her research skills, particularly interested in understanding the impact of maternal stress on a child's socioemotional functioning. With graduation from Barnard on the horizon, Margot plans to join a lab as a full time Research Assistant in hopes of pursuing her academic interests regarding emotional development of young children.

Lucy Weiss is a senior at Barnard College majoring in psychology with a specific interest in clinical psychology. She joined the Stroller Lab in the summer of 2025 to expand her knowledge on behavioral inhibition in children, to learn more about how maternal stress affects child development, and to explore how children develop empathy skills. Outside of the lab, Lucy enjoys practicing yoga, trying new recipes, and spending time in Central Park. 

Liza is a Senior at Barnard College, majoring in Spanish and Latin American Cultures and minoring in Psychology. She grew up in NYC, which provided an upbringing surrounded by people from different backgrounds, and sparked her interest in investigating how early childhood experiences impact development. Liza has drawn from her scholastic background in Spanish to work with participants in both Spanish and English, and is interested in the field of translation, as well as making research accessible to as many people as possible.

Kaylah is a first-year master's student in the Developmental Psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She earned her B.S. in Psychological & Brain Sciences with a minor in Educational Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her time at UCSB, she worked in the Cultural Psychology Lab under the supervision of Dr. Heejung Kim. Kaylah is passionate about supporting children in early childhood education, and her research interests center on socioemotional learning and its role in child development.

Kayla is a rising senior at Barnard majoring in Cognitive Science with a concentration in neuroscience. Kayla is deeply interested in the intersection of psychology and neuroscience, which has informed both her academic and extracurricular pursuits. She is especially fascinated by the mother-child dyad and the various factors mediating that relationship, shaped in large part by her previous research engagements at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the University of California San Diego. In the Stroller Lab, Kayla is excited to gain proficiency in various measures of brain and cognitive function and learn more about the complex interaction between the environment, brain, and behavior. After graduation, Kayla aspires to pursue a career in Clinical Psychology, where she hopes to integrate her interests to better understand and promote cognitive and emotional wellbeing.

Katie is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Developmental Psychology program. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Texas A&M University, where she completed an honors thesis under the mentorship of Dr. Rebecca Brooker. After graduating, Katie worked as a research coordinator with Drs. Kristin Buss and Koraly Pérez-Edgar at The Pennsylvania State University. In the Stroller Lab, Katie is excited to study the role of the home environment in neural and cognitive development, with a focus on protective factors that could inform interventions and policy changes.

Ji Young is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Developmental Psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degree from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. She received a Study Abroad Scholarship from the Korean Government to pursue her PhD. Her research interests include, but are not limited to, understanding how poverty and early childhood stress can influence the future brain activity and socioemotional well-being of children. She is also interested in exploring strategies to mitigate these challenges. During her free time, Ji Young loves to watch movies and explore new restaurants around her neighborhood. She also loves to travel solo!

Jessica is an undergraduate student majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior at Barnard College, Columbia University. She participated in Barnard’s 2024 Summer Research Institute as a research intern in the Dumitriu lab at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Her project focused on understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of resilience, particularly examining how the structural and functional connectivity of the anterior insular cortex responds to repeated stress. Outside of her classes, Jessica enjoys tutoring youth in the Harlem community through organizations such as Columbia’s State Pre-College Enrichment Program and America Reads. In Fall 2024, Jessica joined the Stroller Lab to expand her knowledge of various neuroscience research areas, with a specific interest in how early-life challenges impact cognitive and language development in young individuals.

Haleigh is a third-year PhD student in the Developmental Psychology program working under Dr. Sonya Troller-Renfree and Dr. Kimberly Noble. Haleigh received her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Psychology with a concentration in Neurodevelopment and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. She is interested in studying how early-life adversity becomes biologically embedded in the developing brain, influencing behavioral and cognitive outcomes. She is excited to gain proficiency in EEG analysis and have the opportunity to work with diverse global populations. Her additional interests include adversity-related inflammatory markers, fetal programming, and mother-child synchronicity.

DeMaris earned a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Natural Composite Science from East Carolina University. She is currently pursuing her M.S. in Neuroscience and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Following her undergraduate studies, DeMaris began her career in child welfare services as an interventionist and case planner, where she developed a strong commitment to supporting underserved youth and families in urban communities. Her experience includes working as an ABA instructor with youth on the autism spectrum and serving as a case manager for children in foster care.

DeMaris is particularly passionate about studying the physiological effects of early adversity on brain development and is dedicated to exploring evidence-based rehabilitation methods. Her research interests also include neurogenetics in relation to stress and trauma, increasing public access to scientific knowledge through effective communication, and investigating EEG methodologies and the impact of systemic racism within the field of neuroscience.

Cassidy is a second-year master’s student in the Developmental Psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She graduated from Scripps College with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Economics. At Scripps, she worked in Dr. Heejung Park’s Cultural and Developmental Psychology Lab, where she led a qualitative research project exploring resilience among North Korean defector youth. She also worked in Dr. Stacey Doan’s Applied Mind & Health Lab, where she became interested in using socioemotional and physiological measures to examine allostatic load and academic resilience in the context of a school-based mindfulness intervention. Cassidy’s research interests focus on early-life and adolescent adversity, resilience, and the effects of adversity on youth’s socioemotional and physiological outcomes.

Caitlin is a second-year master’s student in the Neuroscience and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2023, earning a Bachelor of Science with honors in Psychology. While completing her bachelor’s degree, she worked under the guidance of Drs. Heather Joseph and Judith K. Morgan, completing an honors thesis under the mentorship of Dr. Morgan. After graduating, she continued her work with Dr. Morgan for two additional years while employed as a Research Specialist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In the Stroller Lab, Caitlin is excited to continue learning about neural synchrony in mother-child dyads and hopes to gain proficiency in EEG methodology.

Brian is a visiting scholar from the University of Nebraska Lincoln. He received his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Educational Neuroscience form the University of Alabama where he studied the development of numerical cognition using EEG/ERP. Brian serves as the site coordinator of the Baby’s First Years study in Omaha, Nebraska. In the Stroller Lab, Brian is investigating the association between child functional brain development and executive function. 

Bella is a first year master's student in the Developmental Psychology program at Teacher's College, Columbia University. She received her BA in Psychology from the University of San Francisco. While at USF, she worked in the Athletic Systems Lab, where she was able to grow her interests in research under the supervision of Dr. Alexander Ochoa. She is primarily interested in how adverse effects in children's early years affect their brain development and behavior throughout their lives. 

Ana is a second-year master's student in the Developmental Psychology program. She received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Education from Universidad San Francisco de Quito in her home country, Ecuador. After her graduation and in the midst of the pandemic, Ana taught tiny humans (AKA first graders) at a local school for two years and became utterly fascinated by children's resilience and never-ending curiosity. She is passionate about studying the impact that early childhood school, family, and community interventions can have on shaping the developmental pathways of children who face early adversity.

Alexa is an undergraduate student majoring in Psychology at Barnard College, Columbia University. She participated in Barnard’s 2024 Summer Research Institute as a research assistant in the Baby Brito Lab at New York University. Her project focused on differences in monolingual and bilingual infants’ sustained attention, exploring how early language exposure may influence attentional capacities. Outside of her classes, Alexa enjoys playing volleyball with the club team at Columbia, working at the Barnard Fitness Center, and trying different food spots around the city. In the summer of 2025, she joined the Stroller Lab to expand her knowledge of early childhood experiences within the home and social environment and how these factors influence a child’s neurological and behavioral development.

Aiyi is an M.S. student in Neuroscience and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She holds an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts and Sciences with Study Abroad from University College London, where she earned first-class honors for her thesis on neuroscientific and sociocultural narratives on the medicalization of ADHD. Aiyi’s work focuses on how environmental influences shape neurodevelopmental outcomes, aiming to apply neuroscientific research to real-world educational and social challenges. They gained research experience with EEG and fNIRS through their work at King's College London and Birkbeck's Center for Brain and Cognitive Development, investigating emotional regulation in school environments and the impacts of physical exercise on children with and without ADHD. Beyond the lab, Aiyi is passionate about theater, music, museums, creative writing and film.

Agostina holds two bachelor’s degrees, one in Early Childhood Education from Sara C. Eccleston Educational Institute, and another in Educational Psychology from El Salvador University in Argentina, where she graduated with honors. Upon graduation, she worked for seven years in educational settings as an Early Childhood Educator in Buenos Aires, Argentina, fostering thoughtful and meaningful curricula. More recently, she pursued her M.A. in Cognitive Science in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she helped as a research assistant in the NEED Lab, working on the Baby's First Years project, which is the first clinical trial testing connections between children’s brain development and poverty reduction. After graduation, Agostina was offered the lab manager position at the Stroller Lab under the mentorship of Dr. Troller-Renfree.

Agostina is passionate about how early experiences can foster or detriment cognitive development among young children, especially phonological awareness and language development. Thus, she would like to offer actionable advice to caregivers, professionals, and parents to support the development of young kids.

Afiya is a first-year master's student in the Developmental Psychology program at Teachers College, Columbia University. They graduated from Boston University in 2026, earning a B.A. in Psychology and English. While at Boston University, she worked in Dr. Nick Wagner's Biobehavioral and Social-Emotional Development Lab, participating in research that focused on children's maladaptive functioning such as, callous-unemotional traits and anxiety. Afiya is particularly interested in research about risk factors, like stress and life adversity, in early childhood that may lead to the development of anxiety as well as the influence parent-child relationship's may have in promoting pro-social behaviors.

Abby is currently a second-year master’s student in the Developmental Psychology program at Teacher’s College, Columbia University. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Child Studies/Human Development with a minor in Dance from Tufts University. After graduating, Abby taught at the Eliot-Pearson Children's School for a year, where her passion for understanding the impact of educational interventions on young children was ignited. She is interested in exploring how various teaching methods and approaches influence children's development and learning outcomes, especially among children with neurodevelopmental disorders.