Lab Members

AD&D Lab 2025 Spring Social

LAB DIRECTOR

Dr. Nichole Lighthall is an Associate Professor of Psychology in the Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology Ph.D. program. She also serves as the Interim Associate Dean for Research and Facilities in the UCF College of Sciences and a Faculty Fellow with the UCF Office of Research. She holds a B.A. in psychology from the UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in gerontology from the University of Southern California. Before coming to UCF, Dr. Lighthall completed her postdoctoral training at Duke University in the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, with a postdoctoral fellowship from the Duke Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development. The goal of her research program is to develop a neural model of decision processing that can be used to identify age-related vulnerabilities and pathways to compensation. She is particularly interested in how age-related changes to cognitive and affective components of decision making impact decision processing and quality. Dr. Lighthall is also a Co-Director of the Scientific Research Network on Decision Neuroscience & Aging, Executive Committee member for the Florida Consortium on the Neurobiology of Cognition, director of the UCF Learning & Longevity Research Network participant registry for Orlando-area older adults, and member of the Global Young Academy (2023 inductee).

**Dr. Lighthall is currently considering PhD student applicants for Fall 2026 admission cycle (GRE not required).  Applicants must apply to the UCF Human Factors & Cognitive Psychology Ph.D. program. 

Courses Taught:

• Cognitive Psychology (undergraduate): EXP 3604 (formats: F2F, MM, W)
• Motivation & Emotion (undergraduate): EXP 3304 (formats: MM, W)
• Neuroanatomical Basis of Psychological Function (graduate): PSB 6348 (formats: F2F)
• Neuroimaging Design and Analysis Methods (graduate): PSB 6352 (formats: F2F)

phone: 407-823-2216

email: nichole.lighthall@ucf.edu

POSTDOCS

Shensheng Wang is a postdoc in the Adult Development and Decision Lab. Born and raised in Tianjin, China, Shensheng received his B.S. from Nankai University and his Ph.D. from Emory University, where he worked with Dr. Philippe Rochat on infant perceptual development. Shensheng’s research interests broadly lie in humanness perception, which encompasses both attributing human characteristics to nonhuman agents (e.g., anthropomorphism) and denying human traits to others (e.g., dehumanization). In collaboration with Dr. Nichole Lighthall, Shensheng is interested in examining neurocognitive processes that might underpin trust-related decision-making in aging and the extent to which these processes manifest differently in social and nonsocial contexts. Shensheng’s ResearchGate

 

DOCTORAL STUDENTS

Jordan Schotz is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in the Human Factors and Cognitive Psychology (HFC) program. He holds an M.A. in HFC from UCF and a B.A. in Psychology from Webster Vienna Private University. He aims to answer the question, “How are perceptions of trustworthiness and trust behavior influenced by the valence of visual cues across varying degres of humanness?” His research uses economic decision games and a set of facial stimuli he co-created (VAFSS) to dissociate the effect of human-like visual cues from human mind perception in social contexts. VAFSS provides visual representations of over 300 UCF students that range from photographs to cartoon-ized virtual representations, as well as accompanying demographic and social characteristics. After graduation, he plans to teach in academia at a liberal arts institution and improve access to research opportunities. Jordan’s LinkedIn

 

PROJECT COORDINATORS

Lindsay Conner is a project coordinator for the Florida consortium to reduce misinformation and exploitation in Alzheimer’s Disease (FL Dept. Health 22A10) and Characterizing and modulating neurocognitive processes of learning to trust and distrust in aging (NIH R01-AG072658) studies. Originally from Florida, she studied neuroscience at University of Miami, followed by a Master’s program in Biomedical Imaging at University of California, San Francisco. Her previous research delved into mapping the influence of age-related changes in functional recruitment and structural brain integrity on episodic memory and value processing across adulthood. In particular, Lindsay is interested in applying neuroimaging methods (e.g., task fMRI, rs-fMRI, MRI, DTI, PET) toward identifying biomarkers of cognitive decline and potential compensatory mechanisms across healthy aging relative to the early development of Alzheimer’s disease. Lindsay’s ORCiD Lindsay’s ResearchGate

Samantha Tyler is a Fall 2024 UCF Burnett Honors College graduate. She earned a Bachelor’s in Psychology, with a minor in Music. During the Summer 2024 semester, she received the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship from UCF and presented a poster at the UCF Summer Poster Showcase. In the future, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology to further her understanding of the field of psychology and get more hands-on experience. Her interests include sleep research, as well as social, developmental, and personality psychology. Samantha’s LinkedIn

Jordan Sammarco is a graduate of UCF and the Burnett Honors College with a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences. She spent two years in the Classification and Decision Lab as a lab manager and conducted an honors thesis utilizing VR meditation and fNIRS. Her research interests include functional neuroimaging and the development of preventative interventions for neurological disease. She plans on pursuing a post baccalaureate training program followed by a Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience.

Samantha Tun is a second-year medical student at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. In 2021, she graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. in Neuroscience and Behavior and a minor in East Asian Languages and Culture. Before matriculating to med school, she worked as a research associate in the Fredericks Lab at Yale University for two years, investigating how advanced neuroimaging techniques can be used to understand how Alzheimer’s disease spreads across brain networks. Her interests at the Adult Developmental and Decision Lab include utilizing multimodal neuroimaging to better understand brain networks and understanding the neurological basis of executive function and emotional modulation.

 

Ailliy Garcia is a fourth-year transfer student at UCF pursuing a degree in Biomedical Science with a certificate in Anthropology Global Health. Her research interests include cognitive neuroscience & neurocognitive disorders. She is currently working as a research assistant on the Florida consortium to reduce misinformation and exploitation in Alzheimer’s Disease project. Ailliy has plans on attending medical school to become a neurosurgeon.

 

Kat Montgomery is a third-year psychology student. His research interests include the complexities of human connection. Specifically, how individuals interact, build relationships, and influence each other. After graduating, he plans on pursuing a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling and pursuing his research interests by exploring play therapy.

 

Macey Murphy is a junior at UCF majoring in psychology on the clinical track. Her research interests include a broad range of topics in psychology such as etiology of human behavior and psychopathology. After graduation, Macey plans to obtain a post-baccalaureate position before pursuing a Ph.D in clinical psychology. She is currently working under doctoral candidate Maggie Doheny on a project that analyzes decision making with an in-person partner versus a virtual partner on Zoom.

Gaby Jimenez is a second-year undergraduate student in the Burnett Honors College majoring in psychology and minoring in cognitive sciences. Her research interests include cognitive psychology and neuroscience, with a focus on how cognitive processes- such as memory and decision-making- evolve across the lifespan and are impacted by neurodegenerative diseases. After graduating, Gaby plans to pursue a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology.

Christian Yam is a 3rd year psychology student at the University of Central Florida. His research interests include developmental psychology, technology/internet addiction, and the development of preventative measures and interventions for these issues. After graduating, Christian plans to pursue graduate school to gain further research and clinical experience.

Haley Flynn is a third-year psychology major at UCF. Her research interests include psychopharmacology, notably the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of psilocybin on healthy individuals and those with substance use disorders. She plans on pursuing a Ph.D. in psychopharmacology after graduation.

Camila Coronado is a third year undergraduate student with a background in biochemistry, majoring in Clinical Psychology. Their research interests include developmental psychology from a neuroscience approach, neuroplasticity, and how certain external outputs are able to alter neural pathways within a brain, affecting cognition. She plans on pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience after graduation.

Sophia Sakakibara Capello is a senior undergraduate student at the University of Central Florida majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Neuroscience and minoring in Cognitive Sciences. She is a Burnett Honors Scholar and is currently completing her honors thesis on the factors influencing the attribution of consciousness to AI. Her research interests include embodied cognition, social cognition, consciousness modeling, human-computer interaction, and evolutionary neurobiology. She aims to pursue a Ph.D. in Cognitive Sciences after graduation.

Amanda Rodriguez is a third year undergraduate student at the University of Central Florida. She is a psychology major on the clinical track with a minor in crime, law, and deviance. Her research interests include how environmental factors, trauma, and genetics influence the development of psychological disorders that impact cognition. After graduation she plans on pursuing a Master’s and PsyD in either clinical or forensic psychology.

Yauna Taylor is a senior at the University of Central Florida, majoring in Psychology on the General Track. She has served as a teaching assistant for a psychology capstone course, helping students transition into a career after college. Her research interests include decision-making, cognitive psychology, and mental health. After graduation, she plans to pursue medical school, with a goal of specializing in dermatology.

Grace Smith is a freshman in the Burnett Honors College majoring in Molecular and Cellular biology with a minor in Genomics and Bioinformatics. Her research interests include cellular function, degenerative diseases, and genetic mutations. After graduating she plans to receive her MD/Ph. D in Genetics and go into clinical research.

Matthew McGovern is a senior majoring in psychology with a minor in statistics. His interests include computational approaches to modeling human cognitive processes, such as perception, decision-making, and inference. After graduating, he plans to pursue graduate programs in cognitive psychology/science with a computational focus.

Ava Niles is a senior Psychology student on the clinical track. Her research interests focus on the cognitive processes and mental health factors related to deviant behavior. After graduating she plans to pursue higher education. Ava’s LinkedIn.

Katelyn Lopez is a junior majoring in psychology on the clinical track with a minor in Biology and Human services. Her research interests involve mental health and the neurobiology of trauma, specifically PTSD. She hopes to work with first responders such as veterans, fire fighters and law enforcement officers in the future. After graduation she plans on attending medical school to become a physician, with a specialty in psychiatry or emergency medicine. Katelyn’s LinkedIn.

Mykayla Bland is a junior majoring in biology pre-health with a minor in sociology. Her research interests include medical decision making as well as adult cognitive development. She plans to further her education post-graduation by getting her master’s degree in the science of anesthesia. In the future she aspires to obtain her CAA and work as a certified anesthesiologist assistant.

Chiara Popp is in her final year majoring in Psychology. She is currently in the process of completing her Honors Undergraduate Thesis. Her research interests include factors that contribute to deviant behavior, with a focus on childhood trauma. With a background in law enforcement in Germany, she plans to attend medical school to bridge psychology and medicine, addressing trauma’s effects on both mind and body.

Brady Robertson is a third-year student at UCF pursuing a degree in Neuropsychology with a minor in Biomedical Sciences. His research interests are in neurological disorders and decision making. After graduating, he plans to enter into a medical program to hopefully enter into pediatric care.

Rylie Thibideau is a senior at the University of Central Florida majoring in psychology on the neuroscience track. Her research interests include cognitive psychology and neurological disorders. After graduating, she plans to pursue her Ph.D. in Clinical Neuropsychology.