Meet the Team
The passionate minds behind McMaster Baby Lab. We combine expertise in psychology, neuroscience, and technology to unlock the secrets of early development.
🔬
Principal Investigator
Then
Gabriel (Naiqi) Xiao, PhD
EST. 2020.01
Principal Investigator, Associate Professor, University Scholar
Face Perception
Eye-Tracking
+3
Active
Research
👋
🎓
Postdoctoral Researchers
Then
Benjamin Sclodnick, PhD
EST. 2024.09
PostDoc (co-supervised with Drs. Bruce Milliken and Hongjin Sun)
👋
Then
Jesse Pazdera, PhD
EST. 2024.09
PostDoc (co-supervised with Drs. Laurel Trainor, Mel Rutherford, Lauren Fink, and
Louis Schmidt)
Computational Modeling
Auditory Perception
+2
Active
Research
👋
Then
Wei (Vivian) Fang, PhD
EST. 2020.09
PostDoc & former PhD student
Emotional Development
Face Perception and Emotional Expression
+2
Active
Research
👋
🧠
Graduate Students
Then
Anagha Vinod
EST. 2022.09
PhD student; Research assistant; Undergraduate thesis student
functional brain connectivity
Infant beat perception
+2
Active
Research
👋
Then
Carie Guan
EST. 2022.05
PhD candidate
Face Race Perception
Perceptual biases
+2
Active
Research
👋
🛠️
Research Staff
Then
Michelle Hines
EST. 2023.01
Research Assistant; Undergraduate thesis student; Undergraduate research student
Eye Tracking
Face Perception
+2
Active
Research
👋
Then
Rebecca Yip
EST. 2024.01
Lab manager; Undergraduate research student; Undergraduate thesis student
Face Perception
Eye Tracking
+2
Active
Research
👋
Then
Yang Pan
EST. 2025.01
Research Assistant; Undergraduate research student
Research Stimulus Preparation
Computational Research Tools
+1
Active
Research
👋
🌱
Undergraduate Students
Then
Alsana Amrenova
EST. 2025.01
Undergraduate research volunteer
👋
Then
Aneesha Sharma
EST. 2026.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Anh Bui
EST. 2025.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Ashlynn (Jia-Yi) Ng
EST. 2026.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Carly Angel
EST. 2026.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Claire Zhou
EST. 2025.05
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Cole Cameron
EST. 2024.01
Undergraduate thesis student; Undergraduate research student
Face Perception
Eye Tracking
+1
Active
Research
👋
Then
Cristina Banducci
EST. 2026.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Daniel Bondarev
EST. 2025.01
Undergraduate thesis student; Undergraduate research student
Face Perception
Eye Tracking
+2
Active
Research
👋
Then
Daniel Lee
EST. 2023.05
Undergraduate thesis student; Undergraduate research student
Face Perception
Eye Tracking
+3
Active
Research
👋
Then
Emilia Kasprzak
EST. 2025.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Hannah Menhel
EST. 2026.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Huy Tran
EST. 2025.09
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Jacqueline Ahmad
EST. 2025.09
Undergraduate research student
Face Perception
Eye Tracking
+3
Active
Research
👋
Then
Jessica Barron
EST. 2024.05
Undergraduate thesis student; Undergraduate research student
Emotional Recognition
Parenting
+3
Active
Research
👋
Then
Jessica Mou
EST. 2025.01
Undergraduate research volunteer
👋
Then
Joonmin Lee
EST. 2024.09
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Kaila Huynh
EST. 2026.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Marcie O'Callaghan
EST. 2025.01
Undergraduate thesis student; Undergraduate research student
Emotional Perception
Temperament
+3
Active
Research
👋
Then
Maria Dondas
EST. 2025.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Marina Chen
EST. 2024.09
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Mehr Jaggi
EST. 2026.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Melinda Zhou
EST. 2025.09
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Nimra Atiq
EST. 2025.01
Undergraduate thesis student;Undergraduate research volunteer
Face Perception
Eye Tracking
+1
Active
Research
👋
Then
Pavithra Vijaykumar
EST. 2025.09
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Sheza Jamil
EST. 2025.09
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Sophia Stapleton
EST. 2026.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Sreyoshi Pramanik
EST. 2025.09
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Susie Young
EST. 2026.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Then
Zaina Gohar
EST. 2025.01
Undergraduate research student
👋
Lab News 🗞️
🏆
Carie
Guan
has been awarded the 2026 Summer Program Fellowship by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)!
🏆
Anagha
Vinod
won the Poster Presentation Award at the WestNIRS 2025 Conference!
🎓
Vivian
Fang
successfully defended her PhD and graduated with Excellent evaluation. She will stay as a postdoc researcher in the lab.
🎓
Anagha
Vinod
successfully defended her Master's degree and will continue in the lab as a PhD student in Neuroscience.
🏆
Our
Lab
won two McMaster PNB Postdoc Fellowship Funds (2024-2027).
🏆
Our
Lab
won Small Infrastructure Renewal Fund, McMaster University.
🏆
Carie
Guan
won Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS), again!
🏆
Anagha
Vinod
won Canada Graduate Scholarships - Master's program (SSHRC CGS-M)!
🏆
Althéa
Fratacci
has been awarded Mitacs Globalink Research Funding to visit our lab for 3 months. Althéa is currently a PhD student under the supervision of Prof. Olivier Pascalis at the Université Grenoble Alpes.
📰
Our
research
on the generality of the 'Fat-Face' illusion is featured on the cover of Vision Research! [Link]
Collaborators 🤝
🤝
Dr. Christine E. Potter
Assistant Professor
University of Texas at El Paso
🤝
Dr. Ipsita Goswami, MD, MSc
Assistant Professor
McMaster University
🤝
Dr. Kang Lee
Professor
University of Toronto
🤝
Dr. Laurel Trainor
Professor
McMaster University
🤝
Dr. Lauren L. Emberson
Associate Professor
The University of British Columbia
🤝
Dr. Linlin Yan
Associate Professor
Zhejiang Sci-Tech University
🤝
Dr. Louis Schmidt
Professor
McMaster University
🤝
Dr. Mingbo Cai
Assistant Professor
Miami University
🤝
Dr. Olivier Pascalis
Professor
Université Grenoble Alpes, LPNC, CNRS
🤝
Dr. Paul C. Quinn
Professor
University of Delaware
🤝
Dr. Sagi Jaffe-Dax
Assistant Professor
Tel Aviv University
🤝
Dr. Shaoying Liu
Professor
Zhejiang Sci-Tech University
🤝
Dr. Yu-Hao P. Sun
Professor
Zhejiang Sci-Tech University
🤝
Dr. Zhe Wang
Associate Professor
Zhejiang Sci-Tech University
Lab Alumni 🎓
🎓
Thuy Tran
(2022.05 - 2025.01)
Research assistant; Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Kelsie Lau
(2021.05 - 2025.01)
Research assistant
🎓
Senaya Karunarathne
(2022.09 - 2025.01)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Maya Mammon
(2023.11 - 2025.09)
Lab manager; Undergraduate research student; Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Derek Zhou
(2023.01 - 2025.09)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Rachel (Xinyang) Liu
(2023.05 - 2025.09)
PhD student
🎓
Ellen Troyer-O'Connor
(2023.05 - 2025.09)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Tyler Macdonald
(2023.09 - 2025.09)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Elisabeth Jonah
(2024.01 - 2025.09)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Samantha Slater
(2024.05 - 2025.09)
Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Amy Warren
(2024.05 - 2025.09)
Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Noor Daanish
(2024.10 - 2025.09)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Gursharan Kaur
(2024.05 - 2025.09)
Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Jolie Luk
(2021.05 - 2024.01)
Research assistant; Undergraduate research student
🎓
Ahmed Mohammed Saeed
(2021.05 - 2024.01)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Grant Bae
(2023.07 - 2024.01)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Anna Krasotkina PhD
(2023.01 - 2024.07)
PostDoc
🎓
Huma Ali
(2024.01 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Anushka Goyal
(2023.09 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Julia Abe
(2022.09 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate research volunteer, Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Skade Fernando
(2023.05 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Selena Li
(2022.01 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate thesis student, Undergraduate research student
🎓
Emma Resendes
(2022.01 - 2024.08)
Lab manager; Undergraduate research student
🎓
Danny Nguyen
(2021.02 - 2024.05)
Research assistant; Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Jason Lau
(2021.11 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Juhi Shah
(2022.05 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate thesis student, Undergraduate research student
🎓
Ally Zhao
(2022.05 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Nawal Masood
(2022.05 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Simran Dhami
(2022.09 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate thesis student, Undergraduate research student
🎓
Amol Kalra
(2022.09 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate thesis student, Undergraduate research student
🎓
Sathurthika Selvanayagam
(2023.05 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Christina Kannampuzha
(2023.05 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Xintong Lyu
(2021.05 - 2024.05)
Undergraduate thesis student; Undergraduate research student; Undergraduate research
volunteer
🎓
Moreyella Kahlon
(2024.01 - 2024.06)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Jiaye Cai
(2023.11 - 2024.12)
PhD student (visiting)
🎓
Alice Cousins
(2024.09 - 2024.11)
PhD student (visiting)
🎓
Urvi Chaudhari
(2021.11 - 2023.03)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Jenny Wang
(2023.01 - 2023.05)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Faheel Ahmad
(2021.11 - 2023.05)
Undergraduate thesis student, Undergraduate Research Student
🎓
Naomi Geller
(2022.01 - 2023.05)
Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Lein Charkatli
(2022.01 - 2023.05)
Undergraduate thesis student, Undergraduate research student
🎓
Jennifer Zhang
(2022.05 - 2023.05)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Cynthia Xu
(2022.05 - 2023.05)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Sahaj Puri
(2021.05 - 2023.05)
Research assistant
🎓
Chantelle Castelino
(2021.05 - 2023.05)
Research assistant
🎓
Talia Rocca
(2022.01 - 2023.05)
Undergraduate research volunteer, Undergraduate research student
🎓
Elysha Springer
(2020.08 - 2023.07)
Research assistant
🎓
Julia Abe
(2022.09 - 2023.05)
Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Althéa Fratacci
(2023.05 - 2023.09)
PhD student (visiting)
🎓
Samantha Rutherford
(2022.10 - 2023.09)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Ariana Ladha
(2021.05 - 2023.09)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Anushka Muresh
(2021.05 - 2022.05)
Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Uzhma Nagani
(2021.06 - 2022.05)
Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Carolyn Wong
(2021.05 - 2022.05)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Leah Tackaberry-Giddens
(2021.07 - 2022.05)
Undergraduate research volunteer
🎓
Hiroshi Nitta
(2021.09 - 2022.01)
Visiting PhD student
🎓
Jing Li
(2020.09 - 2022.09)
Lab manager, Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Anna Liu
(2020.08 - 2022.09)
Research assistant, Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Kate Kyuri Kim
(2020.08 - 2022.09)
Research assistant, Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Ho Wing Chan
(2020.08 - 2022.09)
Research assistant, Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Alexia Orfalian
(2020.08 - 2022.09)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Xintong (Meg) Lyu
(2021.05 - 2022.09)
Undergraduate research volunteer, Undergraduate research student
🎓
Roshan Babadinia
(2020.09 - 2021.07)
Undergraduate thesis student
🎓
Rachel D'Ercole
(2020.09 - 2021.05)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Shreerachita Satish
(2020.09 - 2021.05)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Zhi Yi Tang
(2020.09 - 2021.05)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Ryan Tso
(2020.09 - 2021.05)
Undergraduate research student
🎓
Xiaomei Zhou PhD
(2020.11 - 2021.09)
Post-doc (Joint employment)
🎓
Yihan Qian
(2020.08 - 2021.09)
Undergraduate thesis student