Lab Members – STAR Lab

Meet the Lab!

Deena Skolnick Weisberg is Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Villanova University. In addition to directing the STAR Lab, she is a co-director of the Galapagos Education and Research Alliance (GERA). She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from Yale University and received postdoctoral training at Rutgers University and at Temple University. Her research interests include imaginative cognition, scientific reasoning, and the intersection between them. Her work has been published in a variety of scholarly journals, including Science and Cognition, and has received funding from the Templeton Foundation and the National Science Foundation. Learn more about Dr. Weisberg here.

Graduate Students

Rebecca Mason graduated with honors from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana in 2021, earning her B.A. in Psychology and Spanish. She is broadly interested in studying prejudice, with past research focusing more specifically on race and gender. Her current interest is the effect of gender prejudice on children’s media. Outside of work and class, she finds joy by playing video games, singing, and spending quality time with her cat Marigold.

Natalie Kita graduated from Saint Peter’s University in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and English. She is broadly interested in the aspects of media that are most impactful to information processing and decision making. Currently, she is working to identify factors in climate literature that motivate readers to observe environmentally conscious behaviors. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature, experiencing new cultures, and cooking for her loved ones.

Ethan Anabel graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. He aspires to become a clinical psychologist working with children and young adults. He is interested in the role of social connections as they relate to the development of anxiety and depression. Currently, he is investigating how transportability and identification with characters in literature, TV, and movies relates to differences in personality, beliefs, values, and other characteristics. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, playing soccer, and reading fantasy and science fiction.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Lauren Polito is a Nursing student with an intended minor in Global Health. She is from Basking Ridge, NJ, and she hopes to become a Nurse Practitioner. At Villanova, she is involved with SNAP and Special Olympics. In her free time, Lauren enjoys crocheting, sewing, and spending time with friends.

Ashlyn Latham is a Chemical Engineering major with an intended minor in psychology. She is from Easton, MA. At Villanova, she is involved with Special Olympics and is a member of the Honors Program. In her free time, Ashlyn enjoys spending time with friends and family, going on sunset drives, listening to country music, and volunteering.

Brooke Gonzalez is a psychology major and education minor from Maryland. She is involved with RUIBAL, a tutoring club at Villanova, and is interested in working with children within the educational field in the future. In her free time, she enjoys listening to country music and playing with her two dogs.

Katie Van Dusen is a Neuroscience major concentrating in Cognitive Science, with minors in Psychology and Business, from Highland Park, IL. She plans to attend graduate school to become a child development researcher and influence education policies. At Villanova, she is involved with Special Olympics and GreeklLife. In her free time, Katie loves reading, volunteering, hanging out with her dog, and spending time at the beach with friends.

Kojo Yankah is a Neuroscience major on the premed track with an intended minor in Biomedical Engineering. He is from Takoradi, Ghana. At Villanova, he is on the Intramural Soccer team and a member of the Global Medical Brigades. He is also a student in the Honors Program. In his spare time, he enjoys watching TV shows, browsing the internet, and designing websites.

Emma Stecher is a Psychology major with minors in Latin American Studies and Political Science, from San Francisco, California. She hopes to pursue graduate work in clinical or counseling psychology to one day become a licensed family therapist, connecting more people with mental health resources. At Villanova she is a member of the Honors program and is involved with groups such as POWER, the Latin American Student Organization, the McNulty Institute, and Greek life. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, designing Pinterest boards, and following her local sports teams.

Tara Krishnan is a nursing major from Issaquah, WA. She hopes to receive further training and become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. At Villanova University, she is a member of the Blue Key Society, Nursing Without Borders and the South Asian Multicultural Organized Student Association. In her free time, Tara enjoys listening to music, dancing, painting, and volunteering.

Golibe Okoli is a psychology major on the pre-med track. She hopes to become a gynecologist or pediatrician. At Villanova, she is a member of the Villanova International Students Organization, the African and Carribean Villanovans, and the Campus Activities Team. In her free time, she enjoys going out to eat with friends, a good nap and watching TV shows.

Joshua Coogle is a Psychology major from Ocala, FL. He plans to be able to go on to law school to study to become an attorney. At Villanova, he is involved with VUTC and RA. In his free time, Joshua enjoys spending time with friends, going on adventures, and playing video games.

Sydney Sears is a psychology major and Spanish minor from Oceanport, New Jersey. She is on the Women’s Club Soccer team and is also a part of Special Olympics and POWER. She is interested in child or school psychology as a future career path. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going to the beach, and listening to country music.

Pepper Ritchey is a psychology major with minors in sociology and counseling, from Bethlehem, PA. At Villanova she is a Division 1 swimmer and has interest in becoming a child or sports psychologist. In her spare time she enjoys reading, traveling, volunteering with animals and spending time with friends.

Lexie Reidinger is a Psychology major from West Chester, PA. Her academic interests lie in the humanities, with a particular focus on the intersection between psychology and philosophy. At Villanova, she is involved with the campus radio station (WXVU), as well as Villanova’s own comedy club. When she’s not at school, she can be found at a local concert, doing stand-up, or huddled on her couch watching 1980’s B-movies.