Lab Members

Dr. Moll began working as an Assistant Professor in Developmental Psychology at USC in January 2012. Her research focus lies in children’s understanding of perspectives and their ability to engage in joint attention.

Qianhui is a Ph.D. student in Developmental Psychology at USC. She earned her Bachelors in Psychology from East China Normal University in 2019. She is interested in children’s social cognition. Specifically, she wants to explore how children understand others’ mental states (e.g., desires, intentions, and beliefs), as well as how children learn from and learn about other people.

Alexandra is a Ph.D. student in Developmental Psychology at USC. She earned her Bachelors in Psychology from Pepperdine University and her Masters in Applied Behavior Analysis from USC. She is interested in the development of childhood anxiety as well as the ability of children to inhibit and disinhibit particular behaviors. She enjoys working with children and is looking forward to continued research with the Minds in Development Lab.

Wani is a Ph.D. student in Developmental Psychology at USC. She earned her Bachelors in Educational Studies and Psychology from Swarthmore College and her Masters in Human Development and Psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Prior to joining MIDLA, Wani worked as an elementary school teacher. She is interested in investigating children’s pedagogical cognition and their choices to transmit certain types of information over others.

Lisa is an undergraduate majoring in Psychology. Her experience working with young children has made her interested in studying developmental psychology, especially regarding cognition in children.

Lisette is an undergraduate majoring in English Literature and Psychology. Following her undergraduate studies, Lisette hopes to take on a PhD in Clinical Psychology using the skills she gains in the Minds in Development Lab to become a Child Psychologist.

Hongyu is an undergraduate majoring in Psychology and Cinema & Media Studies. He is interested in the mental and cognitive development of children and adolescents, especially the factors that are associated with psychological disorders. He looks forward to entering graduate school for research related to developmental psychopathology or clinical psychology. 

Jiamin is an undergraduate majoring in Philosophy with a minor in Cinematic Arts. She is interested in children’s mental representations of language and their perception of the world. She enjoys spending time with kids and wishes to further pursue an academic career in this field.

Maddie is an undergraduate student majoring in Cognitive Science and minoring in Spanish. She has always loved working with children and is passionate about providing children with tools to cope with mental health struggles before they even realize they need them. 

Ty is an undergraduate majoring in psychology and business. He believes that the years during children’s development are critical to their well-being in the future. He hopes all kids will have a happy childhood. His ultimate goal is to benefit people who struggle.

Chika earned her Bachelor’s in Cognitive Science from USC in 2024. She’s fascinated by the ways that human beings are shaped by their perception and how this in turn influences how they interact with others. There is much unknown about the human mind but immense strides have been made in the span of less than a 100 years. She hopes to contribute to this greater understanding of the human mind by participating in vital research at the Minds in Development Lab.

Niko is an undergraduate majoring in Cognitive Science with a minor in visual narrative art. He has worked with young kids as an art teacher throughout his life, and is particularly interested in the intersection of clinical and developmental psychology. He is excited to be directly involved with research and to pursue a career in psychology––his deepest passion.

Chase Dinkel is an undergraduate majoring in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience. He has enjoyed working with kids in various settings throughout his life and is particularly interested in the psychological development of young athletes as they learn and embrace new sports and athletic settings. He looks forward to pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology.

Bryce is a fourth-year undergraduate student in the Psychology Honors Program, who also studies screenwriting and organizational leadership. He is interested in the fundamental aspects of human nature and the cognitive and social development of children. After graduating from USC, he plans to pursue a PhD in Developmental Psychology to inform his work with teaching children.

Jeanie earned her Bachelors in Psychology from Whittier College. She is interested in children’s pedagogical cognition and the ways in which siblings impact one another’s development. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology in the future.