Lab Director
Dr. Federica Bulgarelli (she/her)
I am an Assistant Professor in the departments of Psychology and Learning and Instruction at the University at Buffalo. I first became interested in language development and bilingualism when I took a Communication Science and Disorders course in college and was able to put names to the experiences I remembered from learning English after moving to the US in middle school. I received my Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University in 2018, and was a postdoc at Duke University prior to starting at UB.
Lab Manager
Jiya Gupta
I am from Mumbai, India and I graduated from UC San Diego in June 2025, with a double major in Developmental Psychology and Cognitive Behavioral Neuroscience. My research interests revolve around children’s language acquisition, pragmatic inferences, and norm learning. Outside the lab, I love exploring the city, painting, and trying new recipes!
Graduate Students
Marzie Samimifar
I am from Esfahan, Iran. I earned my M.A. in Linguistics, focusing on psycholinguistics and bilingualism. Currently, I’m a Ph.D. student at UB, on the way to learning and enjoying a new chapter of my life. I usually spend my free time painting, listening to music, and walking.
Giselle Yao (she/her)
I am originally from Zunyi, China. I earned my M.S. in Developmental Psychology from Tulane University and my B.S. in Psychology from the University of Macau. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, going to the gym, listening to music, and playing the cello.
Research Assistants
Anaya Gorbea
I am a freshman double majoring in Psychology and Health and Human Services with a concentration in Child and Family Studies. I grew up in Brooklyn, New York and my family is from Puerto Rico. I’m planning on getting my PhD in either Clinical or Cognitive Psychology!
Grace Conti
I am a freshman at UB majoring in Psychology. I am from Perrysburg, Ohio. I love going to concerts, playing the flute, and going out to eat!
Tori Brancato
I am a local from the Buffalo, NY area. I am currently a junior at UB and got my A.S. at SUNY Niagara before this. I’m majoring in Psychology with a minor in Sociology! I am excited to start my first research lab here. My goal is to work in the child counseling field of Psychology once I go into grad school.
Samantha Czosnyka
I am a junior majoring in psychology. My end goal is to become a school psychologist. I grew up in Buffalo. I love dogs and in my free time I enjoy baking.
Rawish Sohail
I am a junior double majoring in Psychology as well as Health and Human Services (child and family studies concentration). I’m from Buffalo, and in my free time I like to read, watch tv and travel!
Irelynn Fitzgerald
I am from Hyde Park, NY and I am a current sophomore double majoring in Psychology and Health and Human Services with a concentration in Child and Family Studies. Eventually, I would love to be a School Psychologist. In my free time, I like to watch sports (Go bills!), see broadway shows, and read!
Dana Jo
I am a sophomore at UB majoring in nursing. I grew up in Queens, NYC, but I currently live on Long Island. I plan on getting my masters, and I will discover which speciality to go into as I explore my options. I love baking, music, badminton, and my newest favorite hobby is road biking!
Former Members/Alumni
Former Lab Manager
Marina Rabideau graduated from SUNY Geneseo in May 2023 with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Human Development before serving as our first Lab Manager from June 2023-July 2025. Marina is now a MA student at George Mason University (Fairfax, VA) in the Applied Developmental Psychology program!
Class of 2026
Rasoa Okioga
Gabi Filipski
Juliana Barbieri
Guillermo Freeburg Rojas
Mansurah Islam
Anna Yatteau
Class of 2025
Evia Zhang (Dec. 2024)
Lilly Ganey
Loise Pador
Stephani Mejia
Class of 2024
Amanda Rissman
Brianna Siem
Maddie Lehmann
Past Research Assistants
Mariza Khalaf
Ebony Ngo
Riley Godwin
Sanai Sudlow
E. Wisdom Akinyele
Rachel Catello