Kristin Tymchak, M.A./A.C.
Kristin is the Project Manager for the Social Development Lab and coordinates the ECFP-3 project. She holds an M.A./A.C. degree in school psychology from the University at Buffalo, where she was involved in research examining academic writing interventions for elementary-aged students. Kristin also holds a B.A. in psychology from the University at Buffalo, where she completed an independent honors thesis examining the effects of social experience on mouse ultrasonic vocalization production. Prior to joining the lab, Kristin worked as a school psychologist intern in a local elementary school. She is interested in how peer and familial adversity impacts school readiness. Email: katymcha@buffalo.edu
Julianne Zajdel, B.S.
Julianne is a Research Technician for the ECFP-3 project in the Social Development Lab. She received a B.S. in Psychology and Neuroscience from West Virginia University. Prior to joining the lab, she volunteered in the Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) Lab under the supervision of Dr. Cheryl McNeil at West Virginia University. She also completed an honors thesis entitled “Emotion socialization and child abuse potential when caring for at-risk toddlers” which examined relationships between caregiver emotion-focused verbalizations and abuse risk scores as well as comparisons of emotion-focused parenting practices between caregivers with high and low child abuse risk. She is interested in the development of kids emotionally with different internalizing and externalizing symptoms, as well as the different factors/practices that play a major role in adaptive and maladaptive emotional development. She hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Child Clinical and/or Developmental Psychology. Email: jmzajdel@buffalo.edu
Ella Rivet, B.S.
Ella is a Research Technician for the PEERS2K project and FRIENDS project in the Social Development Lab. She received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario. Prior to joining the lab, Ella helped conduct research on the neurohistology of multiple sclerosis, the social networks and mental health of undergraduate students, and event cognition in autistic individuals. Ella completed her undergraduate honors thesis in the Cognitive Science Lab at Western University, where she explored how autistic symptoms influence autistic individuals’ event experience and quality of life (PI: Ken McRae). She is interested in studying how brain injury and disease affect the development of executive functioning and psychopathology. She hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Neuropsychology in the future. Email: ellarive@buffalo.edu
Hannah Dickinson, B.A.
Hannah is a Research Technician for the ECFP-3 project in the Social Development Lab. She received her B.A. in Psychology at SUNY Buffalo State University. Prior to joining the lab, she volunteered as an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the Relationships and Social Development Lab at Buffalo State (PI: Dr. Kamper-DeMarco). She is interested in studying self-regulation skills in children and how that impacts their school readiness and academic competence. She hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Email: hdickins@buffalo.edu
Volunteers
Hayley Feibel, B.A.
Hayley is a volunteer for the Social Development Lab. Hayley earned her B.A. in Psychology and her B.A. in Health and Human Services (early childhood concentration). Hayley has worked in the lab for 3 years, starting as an undergraduate research assistant and moving up to a volunteer role. Hayley is currently in the School Psychology M.A. program at UB. In her future career, Hayley aims to work in a local school as a school psychologist. Email: hayleyfe@buffalo.edu
Jennifer McCarthy, B.A.
Jennifer is a volunteer for the Social Development Lab. Jennifer earned her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Counseling at UB. Jennifer has worked in the lab for 2 years, starting as an undergraduate research assistant and moving up to a volunteer role. Email: jlmccart@buffalo.edu
Laura Rivera Salgado, B.A.
Laura is a volunteer for the Social Development Lab. At UB, Laura earned a BA in Psychology, BA in Health & Human Services, minor in Counseling, and a micro-credential in Social Justice & Inclusion. Before joining the lab, she worked as a Clinical Research Assistant in Canisius University’s Institute of Autism Research. Now, in addition to volunteering, she works as a Substitute Teacher Aide in schools and as an Art Specialist at an after-school program. One of her research interests includes neurodiversity-affirming interventions for autistic children that center autistic voices. In the near future, Laura plans on studying School Psychology in graduate school. Email: laurariv@buffalo.edu
*No additional paid positions are currently available. Positions are posted on the UB jobs website when available.