Undergraduate Students

Current Undergraduate Students

Eric Biolos

Major: Psychology

My name is Eric Biolos and I am a Psychology major here at UW-Madison.  I have previously worked with children with selective mutism, and I have also worked as a camp counselor and tennis instructor. I am primarily interested in how the intersection between biological, environmental, and psychological factors influence the way we think and behave.  I intend to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology after I finish my bachelor’s program. In my free time I enjoy working out, listening to music, playing guitar, and hanging out with friends.

Eden Comer

Major: Psychology

My name is Eden Comer, and I am majoring in psychology. I have previously worked as a children’s music instructor and summer camp counselor and found that I really enjoy working with kids! I’m interested in emotional development in children, and my long-term career goal is to become a child psychologist. In my free time, I like to read, do yoga, and play guitar!

Hannah Curran

Major: Psychology

My name is Hannah Curran, and I am majoring in psychology with a certificate in graphic design. I love working with children and am excited to be a part of this team! I am most interested in learning about how external factors in childhood impact the development of psychopathology. In the future, I hope to pursue a Ph.D. in clinical psychology to continue research and eventually practice counseling as well. I also enjoy art, music, running, hiking, and playing the guitar.

Lexi Hackney

Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders

My name is Lexi Hackney and I’m an undergraduate student here at UW-Madison. I’m studying Communication Sciences and Disorders with hopes of continuing on to graduate school in Speech Pathology. I am also interested in pursuing a research path within this profession. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, playing at the park with my dog, spending time on the lake, and hanging out with friends and family!

Jackson Hedegaard

Major: Neurobiology & Psychology

I’m majoring in Neurobiology and Psychology along with a certificate in Science Communication. I find neuroplasticity to be very cool, particularly how the brain changes in those who experience disabilities, mental illness, and trauma. I’m also interested in learning more about modern treatments for mental health as well as how research in this field can be translated to obtain real world changes. I enjoy biking, exploring the city, playing the saxophone, and cooking.

Jasmine Li

Major: Psychology & Human Development and Family Studies

My name is Jiaxin(Jasmine) Li, and I am currently double majoring in Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS). I’m interested in how early childhood experiences directly impact an individual’s development and how genetic and environmental factors can interplay to affect the development of child psychopathology. I love golfing and doing group fitness classes with friends in my free time.

Margaret Mackinnon

Major: Psychology & Education Studies

My name is Margaret Mackinnon, and I am double majoring in Psychology and Education Studies. I enjoy working with children and have previously worked as a summer camp counselor and as a children’s pottery class instructor. I am interested in how early childhood experiences influence an individual’s emotional development. In the future, I hope to continue working with children as a school psychologist. In my free time, I enjoy going on hikes, reading, and exploring coffee shops in Madison!

Rachel Rans

Major: Psychology

My name is Rachel Rans. I am a junior studying psychology at UW. This is my first time doing research outside of a classroom so I am super excited! I hope to go onto graduate school and then become a therapist for children when I’m older. I enjoy traveling, playing piano, and eating good food!

Mira Singh

Major: Psychology

I am excited to gain research experience and explore topics of child development with this lab. I hope to take what I have learned in my courses about typical and atypical development and apply those theories to the research I will be helping with in this lab. I am majoring in Psychology with two certificates in Health and the Humanities, and Disability Rights and Services. Ultimately, my goal is to go to graduate school for either a master’s in Counseling Psychology or a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. I do have previous experience with children; I currently teach taekwondo to kids in my hometown of Milwaukee, and this summer I will be a teacher to grade school children through the Center for Urban Learning.

In my free time when not running around campus, I love to read (particularly books on psychology, crime, or social justice), practice taekwondo (I am a third-degree black belt in ITF), or watch a good movie.

Ainsley Skomal

Major: Psychology & Strategic Communications

I am double majoring in psychology and strategic communications in the Journalism school. I am very interested in human cognition, perception, and the development and maturation of emotions. I gained experience working closely with children through volunteering as a classroom assistant for the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired in Kansas City as well as interning for a local broadcast film production company that creates films to advocate for elementary and middle-school age children with disabilities. Through these experiences, l determined that I am fascinated not only by perception but also behavior and social interaction. A few goals that I have in this lab are to become more familiar with the research process as well as to potentially learn how to analyze and categorize data.

Alex Solberg

Major: Biology

I am a undergraduate student in my second year. I’m majoring in biology and getting a certificate in Scandinavian studies. I’m interested in learning about the body and also about how the mind impacts development of children. In the future I have aspiration of going to medical school and becoming a physician.

Allaina Struve

Major: Psychology & Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies

My name is Allaina Struve. I am currently studying Psychology and Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies with hopes to pursue a future in consumer insights and market analytics. I enjoy working with children and have been a nanny and lifeguard in the past. In my free time, I love making memories with family and friends, being in the sun, and trying new restaurants.

Ellie Thoma

Major: Neurobiology & Spanish

My name is Ellie Thoma, and I’m currently double majoring in Neurobiology and Spanish. I love working with kids, and I’m really interested in learning about children’s resilience and cognitive science in general. I’m excited to be a part of this research team, and I look forward to seeing how we can help implement intervention strategies to support kids in the community. In my free time, you can find me reading a good book, watching Wisconsin sports, or spending time outside with friends.