The Cognitive Development Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder

Our History

This portion of the website is currently under construction. Please check back soon!

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Researchers

Director:

	Dr. Yuko Munakata

Lab coordinator:

	Eden Davis Eden began her position as Lab Coordinator in October 2010. She graduated summa cum laude from CU-Boulder in May 2009 with a bachelor's degree in Psychology. Her research interests include close relationships, coping and stress response, and emotion. She is excited to learn more about development and cognition through her work in the CDC. Outside of the lab, Eden enjoys hiking, yoga and spending time with friends and family.

Eden Davis

Eden began her position as Lab Coordinator in October 2010. She graduated summa cum laude from CU-Boulder in May 2009 with a bachelor's degree in Psychology. Her research interests include close relationships, coping and stress response, and emotion. She is excited to learn more about development and cognition through her work in the CDC. Outside of the lab, Eden enjoys hiking, yoga and spending time with friends and family.

Postdocs:

	Melanie Stollstorff Bio: Melanie has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience from Georgetown University. Her research interests include understanding how and why individuals differ in higher order cognitive function and emotional regulation. For example, how do genes that influence neurotransmitter function relate to differences in functional brain activation and cognition/behavior (e.g., reasoning, emotional reactivity)? Using the combination of behavioral, fMRI, genetic and pharmacological techniques, she studies both healthy adults and children and those with neuropsychological disorders. She is hopeful that this research will advance our understanding of both cognitive and emotional aspects of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADhD), depression and anxiety disorders.
	Nic Chevalier Bio: Nic received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Provence (Marseille, France) in 2008, and then completed a first post-doctorate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His research interests involve the development of executive control in children. In particular, he is interested in how children process environmental information to determine what goals they need to reach, and ultimately how to behave adaptively. He examines the processes underlying goal representation in situations that require set-sifting or response inhibition, using behavioral, eye-tracking, and electrophysiological measures. Recently, Nic has developed a special interest in inter-individual variability in cognitive strategy and qualitative changes that drive executive control development.

Melanie Stollstorff

Bio: Melanie has a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience from Georgetown University. Her research interests include understanding how and why individuals differ in higher order cognitive function and emotional regulation. For example, how do genes that influence neurotransmitter function relate to differences in functional brain activation and cognition/behavior (e.g., reasoning, emotional reactivity)? Using the combination of behavioral, fMRI, genetic and pharmacological techniques, she studies both healthy adults and children and those with neuropsychological disorders. She is hopeful that this research will advance our understanding of both cognitive and emotional aspects of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADhD), depression and anxiety disorders.

Nic Chevalier

Bio: Nic received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Provence (Marseille, France) in 2008, and then completed a first post-doctorate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His research interests involve the development of executive control in children. In particular, he is interested in how children process environmental information to determine what goals they need to reach, and ultimately how to behave adaptively. He examines the processes underlying goal representation in situations that require set-sifting or response inhibition, using behavioral, eye-tracking, and electrophysiological measures. Recently, Nic has developed a special interest in inter-individual variability in cognitive strategy and qualitative changes that drive executive control development.

Graduate Students:

	Hannah Snyder (5th Year) Bio: Hannah received her B.A. in psychology and neuroscience from Oberlin College in 2004 and spent two years as an RA doing fMRI research on prefrontal function at the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently investigating how adults are able to flexibly select a response in the face of multiple, competing possible responses, as when one must choose a word to finish a sentence. Hannah was born and raised in Washington state, and after moving progressively further east is vary happy to be back in the West, where there are mountains to climb up when time permits and to gaze longingly at when time doesnÂ’t.
	Jane Barker (1st Year) Bio: Jane became interested in the influence of SES on developing executive function and the impact of symbolism/pretend play on attention while working as a researcher at Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning in Denver. Her current lab projects involve investigations into the development of abstract representation and cognitive control in infants. During her spare time, Jane can usually be found on a soccer field, a ski run, or a mountain. She has a B.A. from Rice University and an M.P.A. in policy analysis and public finance from Indiana University - Bloomington.
	Laura Michaelson (1st Year) Bio: Laura began at the Cognitive Development Center as a summer intern in 2008, graduated with Honors from the Vassar College Cognitive Science Program in 2009, then spent two years working in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania from 2009-2011. She has returned to the CDC to pursue a joint PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience, and is currently working on projects exploring the development of cognitive flexibility and cognitive control. Laura thinks that studying the development of knowledge and cognition across childhood is the best way to understand mature brain function in adults. She is interested in the impact of this basic research on a variety of applied disciplines and industries, from enhanced treatments for neurological disorders to better designed intelligent software and machinery.

Undergraduate students:

	Allison Donmyer (Sophomore) Allison joined the Cognitive Development Center in the Spring of 2011. She is a Sophomore double majoring in Psychology and Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. Through working in the center she hopes to gain a greater knowledge of the center and gain research experience in cognitive development. She also plans to design an honors thesis her senior year. After graduation, Allison plans on attending graduate school to pursue a career in Psychology, possible Psychiatry. In her free time, Allison enjoys hanging out with friends, reading and being outdoors.
	Amanda Kemphues (Senior) Amanda joined the Cognitive Development Center in the Fall of 2011 as a senior Communication major at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is also working on a certificate in Peace and Conflict Studies. In the future, Amanda plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. She is very interested in language development as well as the effect of language on cognition. She is very excited to learn more about perseveration in children. In her free time Amanda enjoys yoga, biking and reading.
	Andrei Semenov (Junior) Andrei started working at the Cognitive Development Center in Spring 2010 of his freshman year. He is majoring in PSychology and thinking out continuing in the CDC for his honors thesis. Andrei is planning on taking on graduate school and hopes to go on to a research oriented position in the field of either developmental or clinical psychology. As a Russian native, Andrei hopes to work jointly with psychologist abroad and gain insight to different schools of psychology being taught there. In his time off he likes to watch soccer and hockey. HIs favorite teams are the Colorado Avalanche and the Washington Capitols. Andrei is also an avid Ultimate Frisbee player and camper.
	Arielle Jensen (Junior) Arielle joined the Cognitive Development Center in August 2010. She is currently a sophomore majoring in Psychology and considering a double major in Integrative Physiology. She plans to graduate in 2014, at which point she would like to possibly continue on to medical school with the hope of becoming a pediatrician. Arielle joined the Cognitive Development Center because she has always been interested in the development of children and hopes to learn as much as she can about all of the ongoing projects within the CDC and possibly design a project for her own honors thesis. In her free time, Arielle enjoys playing sports, snowboarding, hiking, traveling, dancing, learning, spending time with friends and family and laughing!
	Ashley Kulik (Junior) Ashley started working at the CDC in the Spring of 2012. She is a Speech Language Hearing Science major and Education minor. She is specifically interested in how language shapes thought and the role it has throughout development in children. She plans to pursue research further on the graduate level. Her hope is to work collaboratively with both researchers and educators and establish new policies in regard to our understanding of the language/learning process. In her free time, she enjoys the perks of living in Boulder. You'll find her skiing, hiking, enjoying the local music, food, and good friends.
	Kate Schild (Senior) Kate joined the Cognitive Development Center in the Fall of 2011. She is a senior at CU majoring in Psychology and minoring in evolutionary biology. After graduating she is planning on taking a year off to travel and then heading off to graduate school somewhere on the west coast. Kate loves learning from children and is hoping to gain better insight as to how their minds develop. In her spare time she loves to camp, ride her road bike, listen to live music, and eat great food.
	Kali Becher (Senior) Kali is a senior psychology major graduating in May. She plans on taking a year off after graduation and then pursuing graduate school in the field of developmental psychology, clinical psychology or even psychiatry. She hopes to gain valuable research experience working at the CDC, make new connections, meet new people, expand her knowledge and just have fun. She loves children and has always been interested in their development and the way they think and interpret the world. She is a huge sports fan so in her free time she likes to watch sports and go to games. She loves to draw and paint as well as cook. She loves being outside scuba diving, wake boarding, camping, snowboarding and just soaking up the sun. She really enjoys all these things the most when she is surrounded by the people she loves.
	Kristen Gray (Sophomore) Kristen joined the Cognitive Development Center in October 2011. She is currently a sophomore majoring in Psychology, hoping to graduate early in 2013. She is very interested in the developmental and cognitive fields of psychology and aspires to become a Child Psychologist later in life. In her free time, Kristen enjoys reading, working with children at YMCA, hiking and spending time with friends and family.
	Layne Hubbard (Junior) Layne is a junior studying neuroscience at CU-Boulder. She is a former preschool teacher, and has collaborated with parents, children, educators, and therapists to advance the understanding of Early Childhood in Boulder, Colorado. She is passionate about improving the neurological and behavioral outcomes for children who have experienced traumas including poverty, war, abuse, and neglect. Detroit, Michigan is LayneÕs cultural hometown and she draws inspiration from the underground struggle of using creativity to transform chaos into beauty. She is happiest when submerged in a sea, swimming.
	Lindsay Provan (Community Volunteer) Lindsay first joined the CDC in the spring of 2009. As an undergrad, she did an honors thesis on memory in 5- and 6-year olds and stuck around after graduation as a volunteer because the CDC is just that awesome. Lindsay hopes to be able to make a decision one day about what to go to graduate school for but in the mean time, she enjoys hanging out in Boulder hiking, biking, climbing, doing yoga, reading, and adventuring.
	Melanie Lindahl (Junior) Melanie began working at the Cognitive Development Center in the fall of 2011. She is majoring in Neuroscience and plans to graduate in spring of 2013. After college Melanie hopes to go to medical school and work as a doctor for underserved populations. Melanie is passionate about eradicating homelessness and currently works as an intern at Emergency Family Assistance Association in North Boulder. In her free time Melanie enjoys skiing, watching football and listening to music.
	Rachel Lahoda (Community Volunteer) Rachel began working with CDC in spring 2012. She graduated in 2011 from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.A. in Psychology. She also has training in antiviolence and oppression and works at the Boulder Safehouse. Rachel plans to pursue an advanced degree in psychology. By working in this lab she hopes to gain valuable research experience in the field of psychology and learn more about cognitive development. In her free time she enjoys playing soccer, hanging out with friends and pretty much anything to do with sports.
	Regina Shrestha (Sophomore) Regina started working at the Cognitive Developmental Center in the spring of 2012. She is currently a sophomore majoring in Psychology and Integrative Physiology. Regina hopes to gain knowledge from working with kids and meaningful research experience. She hopes to get a graduate degree within a medical-research field. In her spare time she enjoys yoga, watching movies, playing with her dogs, and traveling.
	Ryan Guild (Community Volunteer) Ryan began working at the CDC in spring 2011. He graduated in 2010 from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.A. in Psychology. He also received his certificate in Peace and Conflict Studies during which he studied conflict mediation. By working in the lab he hopes to gain meaningful research experience in the field of cognitive developmental psychology, and has plans to pursue graduate school in the future. In his free time he enjoys reading, art and music.
	Shaina Martis (Senior) Shaina joined the Cognitive Development Center in the spring of 2012. She is a senior at CU majoring in Psychology and is graduating in May 2012. After graduation, Shaina plans to continue working as a research assistant and pursue a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology. She is very interested in learning and memory in adolescents. In her free time Shaina enjoys running, hiking, eating and reading.

Lab Alumni:

Previous Lab Coordinators

Hiromi Sumiya (now working with the IRB at CU-Boulder)

Lauren Gindin (now in graduate program at University of Connecticut)

Amanda Bowles (now at UCHSC Medical School)

Previous Postdocs

Dr. Nicholas Cepeda (now an associate professor at York University)
Dr. Sarina Chien (now an assistant professor at China Medical University, Taiwan)
Dr. Bruce Morton (now an associate professor at Western Ontario)
Dr. Jeanne Shinskey (now an assistant professor at University of South Carolina)

Previous Graduate Students

-Chris Chatham (now a postdoctoral researcher at Brown University in David Badre's lab)
-Maria Kharitonova (now a postdoctoral researcher at Children's Hospital Boston in Margaret Sheridan's Lab)
-Katye Blackwell (now an Assistant Professor at Hartwick University)
-Jennifer M. Stedron (now a Program Director at the National Conference of State Legislatures, a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories. She manages policy work in the areas of early childhood development and education, special education, extended learning opportunities, and education finance.)
-Ben Yerys (now an assistant professor at Children's National.)

Previous Undergraduate Students

-Julia Stadele
-Yetunde Akinde
-Amy Turner: Now a PRA for Marie Banich
-Kelly Brennan: Now in the Master's nursing program at Marquette University
-Ingo Albrecht
-Amanda Bennett
-Jennifer Brace: Now in the PhD program in Neuroscience at UCLA
-Cheslea Cerny
-Daniel Cashmore: Now in an M.S. program in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Cal State San Bernardino; also a part-time Performance Assessment Consultant for Southern California Edison.
-Anna Cejka (Morgenthaler): Completed her masters in clinical psychology at CU-Boulder in 2008. Currently she is in the third year of her doctorate in clinical health psychology at CU Denver. She is currently working on research with childhood cancer survivors at the University Hospital on the Anschutz medical campus.
-Char Coombs
-Meghan Cronk (Wright)
-Sean De Paula
-Teesa Dutta
-Nichelle Francavilla
-Melissa Gilstrap (Hamline): Received M.S. in Biophysics and Genetics with an emphasis in Genetic Counseling from CU Health Sciences Center in May 2009. She is currently working as a cancer genetic counselor at Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver.
-Hannah Harman
-Rebecca Hassman
-Garrett Hedman
-Joedy Hulings
-Amanda Hutchison (Bowles), M.D.: Graduated from University of Colorado School of Medicine in May 2010; now in residency (2010-2015) in Adult and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at University of Colorado School of Medicine and is pursuing research in child psychiatry.
-Natalie Hutchison
-Dr. Eric Johnston: PhD in Information at University of Michigan, now an Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Policy Informatics at Arizona State University
-Patrick Keane
-Kristin Lavelle
-Grant Leitheiser, MS, MFTi, PPSC: Graduated from San Francisco State University in May 2010 with M.S. in marriage and family with a side emphasis in school counseling; He specializes in adolescent individual and family therapy and love experiential learning based initiatives.
-Deidre Lichty
-Emily Little
-Cara Miller: Pursuing PhD program in Psychology at the University of Denver
-Jessica Miltenberger
-Melissa Morgan
-Yura Oh
-Meghan Pearson: Now in a MA Counseling program at Regis University
-Libby Pelican: Now in a MA program in speech-language pathology at CU
-Sarah Perzow
-Chelsea Pierotti (Glasscock): Graduated with MA from DU in 2007; now in the 2nd year of PhD program at UNC in Sport Psychology
-Lindsay Provan
-CoLeen Pruisner
-Kelly Reid
-Sara Reid (McQuiston): Graduated with a master's in Forensic Psychology from DU in June 2008; now a professional research assistant at CU Health Sciences Center with the Schizophrenia Research Center.
-Danielle Robinson
-Julia Scott: Graduated from University of Denver Sturm College of Law in May, 2010 and have received an attorney position with the Colorado Public Defender's office pending successful passage of the Colorado Bar exam at the end of July, 2010.
-Kristin Stupiansky
-Christina Trevino

Summer Internship Students

-Michelle Shu (Darmouth University)
-Christina Lacerenze (University of Central Florida)
-Laura Michaelson (Vassar College, 2008): now a graduate student at the CDC!
-Alex White (Yale University, 2005 - now in the PhD program in Psychology at New York University)
-Katye Blackwell (University of Rochester, 2004 - now in the PhD program in Psychology at CU Boulder)
-Kieran O'Connor (Stanford University, 2003 - now in the PhD program in the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University)
- Sarah Sahni (Carnegie Mellon University - now a graduate student in the PhD program in Psychology at University of Wisconsin, Madison)
-Ellen Pepper (University of Michigan)

Community Volunteers

Donna Fisher (Community Volunteer)
Juan Quezada (Community volunteer, 2007 & 2008)

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Grants and Awards

The following grants have been awarded to CDC lab members:

Grant from the National Institute of Mental Health
-Dr. Yuko Munakata

Grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
-Dr. Yuko Munakata

University Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (University SURF)
-Amanda Bowles (2004, 2005)
-Jennifer Brace (2003)

Psychology Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (Psychology SURF)
-Arielle Jensen (2011)
-Amy Turner & Kelly Brennan (2010)
-Garrett Hedman, Julia Stadele, Teesa Dutta (2009)
-Kelly Reid, Amanda Bennet, Meghan Cronk (2008)
-Jessica Miltenberger & Meghan Wright (2006)
-Sara McQuiston & Kristin Stupiansky (2005)
-Julia Scott (2004)
-Meg Ryan (2003)

Bioscience Undergraduate Research Skill and Training (BURST) Award
-Jessica Miltenberger (2006)

Science of Learning Center (SLC) Award
-Deidre Lichty (2006)

University Undergraduate Research Opportunities (University UROP)
-Kelly Brennan (2010, 2011)
-Andrei Semenov(2010, 2011)
-Amy Turner(2010, 2011)
-Lindsay Provan (2010)
-Amanda Bennett & Meghan Cronk (2008)
-Sara McQuiston & Kristin Stupiansky (2005)

Assistantship UROP:
-Amy Turner (2009, 2010)
-Sean Burns (2008)
-Julia Stadele (2008)

Psi Chi (psychology National Honor Society) Summer Research Grant
-Jennifer Brace (2003)

CDC Lab Members have received the following awards:
-Hannah Snyder (graduate), 2009 Sheryl Young Award being an outstanding female graduate student in the sciences
-Hannah Snyder (graduate), 2011 Society for the Neurobiology of Language Abstract Merit Award
-Amanda Bennett and Meghan Wright (undergraduate), 2008 Provost Achievement and Convocation Award for being one of 10 undergraduate students campus wide for their academic achievement and community services, nominated by faculty members
-Meghan Cronk (undergraduate), 2008 Imogene Jacobs Award for one rising senior Psychology major exhibiting exceptional promise in research
-Yetunde Akinde (undergraduate), 2009-2011 NIH HHMI Diversity in BioScience
-Annie Grotheer (undergraduate), NIH HHMI Diversity in BioScience
-Developing Intelligence, a web log by Chris Chatham (graduate), was selected by Nature as one of the top 50 popular science blogs, and was featured in the Dec/Jan '07 issue of Scientific American Mind
-Maria Kharitonova (graduate), 2006 Sheryl Young Award being an outstanding female graduate student in the sciences
-Amanda Bowles (undergraduate), 2005 Imogene Jacobs Award for one rising senior Psychology major exhibiting exceptional promise in research
-Dr. Yuko Munakata, 2005 Top Professor Award, Mortar Board National Honor Society
-Jennifer Brace (undergraduate), 2004 Psi Chi Allyn & Bacon 3rd Place Award for the best empirical research

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Press About the CDC

Why toddlers don't do what they're told (March 2009)
LiveScience Article, as reproduced on the MSN front page, US News and World Report, Yahoo! News, Slate, Slashdot, der Spiegel, la Repubblica, Baranya Ma, Epoch Times, Babr.ru and around the blogosphere

Scientific American (July 2005)
Reaching in the dark: How babies learn that unseen toys don't just vanish

Daily Camera (7/13/05)
Peek-a-boo more than a game: Study suggests babies need to learn concept of object permanence
pdf version (It's free to register w/the Daily Camera to see the article on their website, or you can just view the pdf without registering.)

Colorado Matters, Colorado Public Radio Interview (3/4/05, 8/22/05)
Research on Infant Intelligence: Yuko Munakata, director of the Cognitive Development Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder, tells about a recent study, involving hundreds of babies, designed to assess infant intelligence.

Denver Post (12/13/04)
A middle ground on babies' smarts

Daily Camera (6/9/04)
Babies', children's brain power studied at CU: Researchers in center are exploring the foundations of knowledge
pdf version (It's free to register w/the Daily Camera to see the article on their website, or you can just view the pdf without registering.)

CU Press release (6/24/03)
CU Prof Works With Children To Understand How Knowledge Develops In Humans

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