Lab Members – STAR Lab

Meet the Lab!

Deena Skolnick Weisberg is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Villanova University. In addition to directing the STAR Lab, she is the 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 scientific thinking and reasoning in children and adults, the development of imaginative cognition, and the roles that the imagination plays in learning. 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

Gabriel Nguyentran graduated with High Honors from the University of California, Merced in 2020, where he earned a B.S. in Cognitive Science and a minor in Psychology. He is broadly interested in the importance of reading and story content on early development. Outside of lab and class, he enjoys watching movies, playing video games, and hanging out with friends.

Laura Hardner graduated with honors from Thiel College in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Counseling, Social, and Cognitive Developmental Psychology, with a minor in English and a certificate in Theology. She is broadly interested in the scholarship of teaching and learning and hopes to one day teach psychology at the undergraduate level. In her free time, she loves to read, play video games, and practice the ukulele.

Alexis Ulmanis earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Wake Forest University in May 2018. She lived in Boone, North Carolina for two years working in a psychiatric treatment facility for youth with trauma before seeking a graduate degree in Psychology at Villanova University. She is interested in understanding the circumstances for healthy child development as well as how adversity can lead to abnormal development in otherwise healthy individuals. In her free time, she enjoys painting, snow skiing, and home improvement projects.

Sarah Krull graduated from Northern Kentucky University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a dual minor in English and Honors. During undergrad, she served as a student researcher on multiple studies and acted as the secretary for the local Psi Chi chapter. In her spare time, she enjoys (often decades-old) fiction and cuddling her (literal) scaredy-cat.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Sarah Bazata is a Psychology and Sociology double major from New Canaan, CT. She hopes to ultimately earn her Ph.D. in Child Psychology. In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her friends and family (especially her three-year-old labradoodle!), exercising, and listening to music. At Villanova, she is a member of Community Outreach of Villanova (COV) and Greek life.

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.

Casey Smith is a Psychology major with minors in Counseling and Business. She is from Long Island, NY. She plans to pursue additional education in the field of psychology and ultimately hopes to become a child psychologist. In her free time, Casey enjoys watching the sunset at the beach and spending time with friends, family, and her pets. At Villanova, Casey is involved in Psi Chi, Relay for Life, NOVAdance, Special Olympics, Operation Smile, Best Buddies, and STRIVE.

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.