Members
Graduate Students
Alexandria Barlowe
My name is Alexandria Barlowe (she/hers), I’m from Long Island, New York and I am a PhD student here at BU working with Dr. Caldwell-Harris. I have an extensive research background in many fields, from botany to systems neuroscience. I am interested in the neural correlates of behavior and am developing a project looking at the pupillary light response in response to non-visual stimuli such as physical exertion or bilingual switching tasks. I think subcortical structures like the locus coeruleus and cerebellum contribute to higher level cognitive processes much more than we give them credit for and am interested in the behavioral and social computations they contribute to in neurodivergent populations. I am a trainee at Boston University’s Neurophotonics Program and hope to take advantage of all the opportunities available to me here at BU. I love working out, sports, and animals (dogs especially, I have 4 at home in New York!).
Seheni Kariyawasan
Seheni Kariyawasan is a Master’s student in the Human Physiology program at Boston University’s Sargent College. She earned her B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences from Boston University. She is the Project Coordinator for the Sarcasm Project with the Psycholinguistics Lab, leading a project which studies sarcasm comprehension in first and second language English speakers. Her thesis work at Sargent College examines how chronic stress and adversity associated with marginalized social identities shapes physiological and mental health outcomes. She ultimately hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology and work with youth from underserved and marginalized communities. Outside of academics, Seheni enjoys reading, creative writing, and exploring Boston’s independent bookstores.
Undergraduate Students
Ayala Mazin
Sarcasm Project
Hometown: Madrid, Spain
Major: Psychology
Ayala is a fourth year student studying Psychology at Boston University. She is a Research Assistant for the Sarcasm Project at the Psycholinguistics Lab under Dr Caldwell Harris. After graduating, she plans on continuing her studies by obtaining her PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience/ Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Neuropsychology. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and dog.
Sofia Bertone
Sarcasm Project
Hometown: Marlborough, MA
Major: Psychology, Minor in Public Health
Sofia is a third-year psychology student at Boston University. She is a Research Assistant for the Sarcasm Project at the Psycholinguistics Lab. After graduation, Sofia plans to pursue an OTD, and become a pediatric occupational therapist. Outside of academics, Sofia enjoys crocheting, playing guitar, and going to concerts.
Jacqueline Kane
Sarcasm Project
Major: Psychology, Minor: Applied Human Development and Public Health
Anthony Reales
Sarcasm Project
Hometown: Houston Tx
Major: Psychology, Minor: Public Health
Fun fact: I can tell if a coffee shop will be good within the first 30 seconds of entering.
Bio: Anthony Reales is an undergraduate student at Boston University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Public Health. He is a Research Assistant for the Sarcasm Project at the Psycholinguistics Lab under Dr. Caldwell-Harris. He is especially interested in how cognitive processes shape psychological well-being and how research can inform public health approaches to mental health disparities. Anthony plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology, with the goal of bridging cognitive science and public health to better support diverse and underserved communities. Outside of academics, Anthony enjoys coffee shop hunting, exploring new restaurants, traveling, building Legos, listening to music, and spending time with friends.
Abner Zhang (he/his)
Major: Mathematics
Mandarin Project
Patrick Soong (he/him)
Mandarin project
Major: Data Science, Minor: Psychology
I’ve been teaching swim for 11 years!
Name: Dila Bostanci
Project: Inner Speech and Bilingualism
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Major: Psychology, Minor: Biology and Sociology
Fun fact: I play 4 musical instruments!
Dila Bostanci is an undergraduate researcher and currently working on her senior honors thesis on Inner Speech and Bilingualism in the Caldwell-Harris Lab. She is especially interested in discovering how inner speech plays a role in informing our decisions, and how it can differ in individuals who know more than one language. Her broad psychological interests include cognition and specifically studying how cultural environments play a role in shaping it. She plans to eventually pursue a PhD in cognitive development. Outside of academics, she enjoys reading, playing video games, and biking.
Name: Xiaonuo (Sarah) Qiu
Project: Moral Foundations in Bilingualism
Hometown: Beijing, China
Major: Applied Math, Minor: Hospitality Administration
Fun fact: I have a guinea pig, and his name is Sticky Rice
Bio: Sarah is an undergraduate at Boston University, majoring in applied math and minoring in hospitality administration. She is a research assistant in Dr. Caldwell-Harris’s lab. She focuses on statistics, data analysis, and visualizations. After graduation, she plans to go to graduate school and study biostatistics.
Name: Kyla Gibson
Project: Childhood and Technology
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Major: Psychology and Biology
Fun fact: I have a pet pig!
Kyla Gibson is an undergraduate researcher in the Childhood and Technology Project, investigating how childhood experiences with nature and technology shape mental health and self-regulation. Her psychological interests center on developmental risk and trauma. She aims to better represent and protect underrepresented populations within psychology. She plans to pursue a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology after graduation.
Name: Yuxi Gao
Project: Moral foundations in bilinguals: Mandarin and English speakers
Hometown: China
Major: Psychology
Yuxi is a senior undergraduate student at Boston University, currently studying Psychology. She is currently working as a research assistant in Dr. Caldwell-Harris’ lab on the Moral Foundations Lab for bilinguals. After graduation, she plans to continue studying psychology and pursue a career in education.
Name: Jingxuan Feng
Project: Moral foundations in bilinguals: Mandarin and English speakers
Hometown: Long Island, New York
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Minor in Psychology
Jingxuan is a second year undergraduate student at Boston University, currently studying Biochemistry and minoring in Psychology. She’s a research assistant working in Dr, Caldwell-Harris’ lab on Moral foundations lab for bilinguals. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career as PA, or a pharmacist. Beyond academics, she likes to play video games, drawing, and listening to music. She had a guitar, but never started playing.
Name: Beining(Betty) Bao
Project: Moral Foundations in Bilingualism
Hometown: Shanghai, China
Major: Majoring in Psychology
Beining is a sophomore undergraduate student majoring in Psychology. She currently serves as a Research Assistant for the Moral Foundations in Bilingualism project under Dr. Caldwell Harris.
Name: Tzu-Chen (Bonnie) Lin
Project: Moral Foundations in Bilingualism
Major: Data Science
Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan
Bonnie is a rising junior at Boston University, majoring in Data Science with a minor in Statistics. She is a research assistant working in Dr. Caldwell-Harris’ lab on the Moral Foundations in Bilingualism project, where she uses Python to analyze behavioral datasets and create visualizations. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in data science or cybersecurity, with a particular interest in how technology can be used for social good.
Name: Jiangen(Austin) Xie
Project: Moral Foundations in Bilingualism
Hometown: Ningbo, China
Major: Public Relations
Jiangen(Austin) Xie is a junior majoring in public relations at Boston University. He is a research assistant for the Moral Foundations in Bilingualism Project in Dr. Caldwell-Harris’s lab. Jiangen is particularly interested in the intersection of communication, data analysis and global market strategy. After graduation, he plans to study International Business and continue to explore the relationship between cultural psychology and communication marketing to better understand how culture influences consumer behavior and communication effectiveness.