Welcoming A New Graduate Student Cohort
L-R Back: Jinhan Zhu, Adult Clinical/Forsyth; Aoi Hunsaker, Neural Systems and Behavior/Sisneros; Alicia Smaniotto Aizza, Developmental/Starr; Siying Zhang, Developmental/Starr; Saivone Sanchious, Adult Clinical/Lui; Xinguo Zhang, Developmental/Williams; and Connor Smith, Child Clinical/King; Middle: Tina Zhao, Cognition and Perception/Stocco; Yuqing Lei, Adult Clinical/Fang; Christine Chang, Adult Clinical/Lui; Sam Lucero, Adult Clinical/Larimer; and Ren Hicks, Child Clinical/Jacques; Front: Huanchen Cai, Social Psychology and Personality/Wilkins; Martha-Root Mbah, Neural Systems and Behavior/Mizumori; Jessica Meikle, Child Clinical/Lengua; and Mikela Ritter, Child Clinical/King
Christine Chang (she/her)
Hometown: Pleasanton, CA
Prior Educational Institution(s)/Degrees: Chapman University, Psychology Major, Law, Justice, and Social Control Minor
Area focus & advisor: Adult Clinical, Dr. Priscilla Lui
Research interests: My research interests include examining the cultural and social contexts of minoritized populations and understanding how this context contributes to racial and ethnic disparities in mental health outcomes. I am particularly interested in how individual and contextual factors interact to shape responses to racism. I also hope to develop culturally responsive interventions and leverage technology to increase access to care.
What motivated you to embark on your PhD studies? I started to enjoy research while I was an undergrad and having the opportunity to continue studying populations and topics that interest me excited me a lot. I am passionate about integrating the experiences of historically underrepresented communities into research and practice and hope to conduct meaningful research for these communities.
What excites you about UW/Seattle? UW excites me because of how big the institution is and how much research happens across all departments! I feel very blessed to go to a school with so many resources. Being from California, I liked Seattle because it is close to home and I am excited to explore all the nature that it has to offer!
What are your hobbies/activities outside of academics? Outside of academics, I enjoy going to concerts, exploring nature, thrifting, rock climbing, crocheting, and ceramics!
Aoi Hunsaker (she/her)
Hometown: Woodinville, WA
Prior Educational Institution(s)/Degrees: University of Washington Seattle; B.S in Speech and Hearing Sciences
Area focus & advisor: Neural Systems and Behavior; Joseph Sisneros
Research interests: Comparative hearing science!
What motivated you to embark on your PhD studies? Hearing fascinates me as it is a sense that operates in 360 degrees, is present across major animal groups (birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and a few invertebrates!), and is essential for many animals to communicate, including us humans. I initially became interested in studying hearing because of an acoustics course I took as an undergrad. In this class, I got to learn about the physics of the sounds I would make on the piano----which was very fun!
What excites you about UW/Seattle? As someone who does interdisciplinary research, I appreciate how diverse the expertise is on campus. I am able to learn from so many specialists in such disparate fields and combine their knowledge in my own work.
What are your hobbies/activities outside of academics? I like to draw and play the piano. Link to my personal website
Yuqing Lei (she/her)
Hometown: Shanghai, China
Prior Educational Institution(s)/Degrees: B.A. in Psychology and Neuroscience from Scripps College; Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience and Systems from University of Maryland
Area focus & advisor: Adult Clinical Area, Prof. Angela Fang’s lab
Research interests: Translational neuroscience, computational psychiatry, learning and decision making
What motivated you to embark on your PhD studies? I really think we can use neuroscience to inspire and improve clinical assessments and interventions : )
What excites you about UW/Seattle? Seattle is beautiful and I love how walkable the campus is!
What are your hobbies/activities outside of academics? Bouldering/rock climbing, PC gaming, board games, going to musicals, finding good dessert and boba places
Samuel Lucero (he/him)
Hometown: Long Beach, CA
Prior Educational Institution(s)/Degrees: UC San Diego / B.S. in Psychology w/ a Specialization in Clinical Psychology
Area focus & advisor: Adult Clinical / Mary Larimer
Research interests: Implementation of substance use interventions in tribal communities
What motivated you to embark on your PhD studies? I’ve had a lot of great mentors throughout my academic career that have been an integral part of pushing me to fulfil my potential and pursue my passions in research and in clinical work. I feel that pursuing my PhD will provide me with the opportunity to build skills and apply them in both areas.
What excites you about UW/Seattle? The program and faculty here at UW really excite me! Not only are they doing interesting, cutting-edge research but they are also super supportive and want to see us succeed which is a great trait in a clinical program. For Seattle more generally, I’m excited to explore the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges and try all the great food here in the city.
What are your hobbies/activities outside of academics? I really enjoy bouldering and I’m looking forward to getting a membership at one of the gyms here in Seattle. I also enjoy backpacking and generally getting out in nature to get away from city-life for a little bit here and there. My dog and I love to explore the different parks throughout the city.
Jess Meikle (she/her)
Hometown: Norman, OK
Prior Educational Institution(s)/Degrees: Dartmouth College, B.A., Majors: Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, Native American and Indigenous Studies
Area focus & advisor: Child Clinical; Liliana Lengua
Research interests: Parenting Interventions, Resilience among adolescents, Culturally competent interventions for Indigenous populations, Intergenerational Trauma
What motivated you to embark on your PhD studies? I want to increase Indigenous visibility within the field and I am further motivated by the lack of clinical research on Indigenous populations. I am interested in further learning of culturally competent and accessible interventions for this population to mitigate several mental health disparities.
What excites you about UW/Seattle? There is a lot of Indigenous research going on at the UW (in the school of social work, public health, and the medical school)! I am excited to learn more about the tribes in the PNW and work with them as well!
What are your hobbies/activities outside of academics? I love to bake! My favorite things to bake are pies and cookies! I also enjoy taking my fur baby, Akana, on walks and exploring new parks.
Mikela Ritter (she/her)
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Prior Educational Institution(s)/Degrees: Bachelor of Science, Astronautical Engineering, Mathematics Minor, from University of Southern California (USC); Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering, from UCLA; Associate of Arts, Psychology, Santa Monica College
Area focus & advisor: Child Clinical area; Dr. Kevin King
Research interests: Affect and Emotion Regulation; Stress and Coping; Substance Use; Internalizing Symptoms; Methodology; Interdisciplinary Approaches; Underserved Populations
What motivated you to embark on your PhD studies? My passions for research, working with students, and teaching inspired me to pursue a PhD program. After obtaining an education in engineering and research/clinical experience in psychological science, I realized that my curiosities and passions across STEM can be combined, inform one another, and be used synergistically to answer important questions about human nature and how to better individuals' lives. Being connected to the human elements of holistically supporting others, my prior clinical psychological research experience brought me great fulfillment and confirmed a principal source of meaning in my life. This ultimately led me to pursue a research career in clinical psychological science. I aspire to become an academic professor and advance the field of psychological science.
What excites you about UW/Seattle? I am most excited to be a part of a wonderful lab (shout out RADLab), an amazing cohort, and a supportive department, and to be a Husky in the UW community. I'm grateful for the beautiful nature and mountains in Washington state.
What are your hobbies/activities outside of academics? Outside of academia, I love to be active in nature, hiking, running, snowboarding, and also enjoy baking and quality time with loved ones.
Saivone Sanchious (she/her)
Hometown: Cibolo, Texas
Prior Educational Institution(s)/Degrees: Trinity University, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Minor in Communication
Area focus & advisor: Adult Clinical (Priscilla Lui)
Research interests: The impact of discrimination and systemic factors on mental health outcomes, reducing barriers to mental health care for marginalized communities, and creating culturally sensitive assessment tools.
What motivated you to embark on your PhD studies? I believe that research and clinical practice should inform one another, which is why I pursued training in both areas to help bridge that gap. I also believe that increasing representation and diversity within the field can lead to better mental health outcomes for historically underrepresented groups.
What excites you about UW/Seattle? A change in scenery!
What are your hobbies/activities outside of academics? Crocheting, painting, and dancing
Connor Smith (he/him)
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Prior Educational Institution(s)/Degrees: Western University, London, ON Canada / BA(Hons) in Psychology
Area focus & advisor: Child Clinical, Dr. Kevin King
Research interests: The development of substance use disorders, especially the distinction between using alone or using with others.
What motivated you to embark on your PhD studies? I wanted to contribute to the battle against addiction and I think the research and clinical skills I will acquire during my PhD will help me do so.
What excites you about UW/Seattle? UW is a world class research machine located on a world class campus. To top it off, it’s located in the heart of Seattle, a vibrant, diverse city. And it’s all nestled within the Puget Sound, where the ocean and the mountains meet.
What are your hobbies/activities outside of academics? I love the outdoors. So, I enjoy hiking, skiing, and outdoor sports like soccer, beach volleyball, cycling, or running. I also like to sing and play guitar (though I am a very novice guitarist).
Siying Zhang (she/her)
Hometown: Xiamen, China
Prior Educational Institution(s)/Degrees: M.Ed from Vanderbilt University, Post-bac researcher at Stanford University
Area focus & advisor: Developmental with Prof. Ariel Starr
Research interests: Language Development, Cognitive Development, Causal Cognition, Abstract Reasoning
What motivated you to embark on your PhD studies? Coming from a background as a first-gen college student, my path wasn’t linear, but every step has fueled my passion for understanding how early cognitive and linguistic skills develop. On a deeper level, I’m motivated by the opportunity to contribute to the broader understanding of cognitive development with the hope that what we learn can directly shape educational practices and improve support systems.
What excites you about UW/Seattle? What doesn’t excite me about UW and Seattle? The department is highly collaborative and idea-driven, with people who genuinely support one another. Plus, Seattle’s mix of city energy and natural beauty is unbeatable, and the coffee scene alone is enough to fuel a PhD!
What are your hobbies/activities outside of academics? I’m all about daydreaming, HIIT workouts, and binge-watching psychological thrillers! And, of course, my cat is my daily sidekick—she’s got the best “therapy” purrs.
Xinguo Zhang (she/her)
Hometown: Changsha, China
Prior Educational Institution(s)/Degrees: BA from Bryn Mawr College, MEd from Vanderbilt University
Area focus & advisor: Developmental, Dr. Amber Williams
Research interests: I am interested in children’s moral development and its implication to interventions for diverse children and caregivers. Specifically, I want to study how children develop and evaluate behaviors such as helping, sharing, excluding or victimizing based on social group memberships. I am also interested to learn how children understand concepts such as biases and inequality and how caregivers can provide guidance through socialization processes.
What motivated you to embark on your PhD studies? I love working with children and love the topics that I research. I am excited to include children and family who are historically marginalized in my research, learn more about their experiences and use my research to benefit their communities.
What excites you about UW/Seattle? It is my first time living in the west coast in the US, so I am excited about how Seattle is a big, diverse and vibrant city but also has so many accesses to nature.
What are your hobbies/activities outside of academics? I like baking, cooking and hiking!