Kelly Snyder
Principle Investigator
Dr. Snyder received her Ph.D. in Child Development with a minor in Neuroscience from the Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota in 2003. She is an assistant professor in the Developmental Psychology program and Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience program at the University of Denver. Click here to visit her faculty web page.

Anna Kresse
Lab Manager and Undergraduate Honors Student
Anna is a junior at the University of Denver pursuing a double major in Biology and Psychology, with an emphasis in Cognitive Neuroscience. She is particularly interested in understanding infant brain development. Her long-term plans are to attend graduate school, obtain a PhD in Clinical Psychology, and eventually become a pediatric neuropsychologist interested in the study and treatment of developmental disorders.

Yenchen Chang
Graduate Student
Yenchen received her B.S. in Occupational Therapy from National Cheng-Kung University in Taiwan and a M.S. in Occupational Therapy from Colorado State University. She is currently a graduate student in the Developmental Psychology and DCN programs at the University of Denver. Her research interests concern children's learning and early brain development, especially the development of the medial temporal lobe memory system. She is also interested in exploring external factors that may shape brain development, such as maternal scaffolding. During her spare time she loves to read, hike, practice yoga, and simply enjoy a cup of tea with friends.

Mary Ann Waugh
Graduate Student
Maryann received her B.S. in Biology from St. Michael's College in Vermont and an M.Ed. in Educational Psychology from the University of Washington in Seattle. She is currently a graduate student in the Developmental Psychology and DCN programs at the University of Denver. She is interested in the relation between behavioral development and neurobiology, and the development of memory and learning in infants.

John Garza
Graduate Student
John received his B.A. in Psychology from Reed College in 2001. He is currently a graduate student in the Cognitive Psychology and DCN programs at the University of Denver. His broad research interests are in the domains of selective attention and embodied cognition (i.e., how the body influences how one perceives and thinks about the world). In particular, he is interested in how multi-modal inputs, such as vision, proprioception, and motor programming, are integrated with functional goals and task demands (e.g., reaching for an object) to direct our attention.

For his dissertation, he will be conducting an EEG/ERP study in Dr. Snyder’s laboratory investigating how the position of one’s hand near a visual display can influence selective attention. A long-term goal of his research is to utilize these findings to develop novel therapies for patients with chronic spatial deficits from strokes or traumatic brain injuries.

Elizabeth Calkins
Undergraduate Student
Elizabeth is a sophomore at the University of Denver pursuing a double major in Mathematics and Psychology. She is interested in memory development in infants and ethnic identity in children. Her senior honors thesis will examine how ethnic identity affects children's social-emotional functioning. Her long-term plans are to attend graduate school and pursue a career working with children.

Heather Ford
Undergraduate Student
Heather is a sophomore at the University of Denver pursuing a triple major in Mathematics, Psychology, and Secondary Education. She is interested in teaching and working with children. Her long-term plans are to teach mathematics or become a social worker.

Kathyrn Lee
Undergraduate Honors Student
Katie is a junior at the University of Denver pursuing a major in Psychology, with an emphasis in Cognitive Neuroscience. She is interested in the memory development of infants, especially when children develop their first memories. Her senior honors thesis will examine the cognitive neuroscience underlying emotion and learning. She hopes to join the Peace Corps after graduation and to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.

Amanda Maurer
Undergraduate Student
Amanda is a sophomore at the University of Denver pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Spanish. She is interested in working with children and memory development in infants. Her long-term plans are to attend medical school and become a pediatrician.

Zachary Moar
Undergraduate Honors Student
Zach is a junior at the University of Denver pursuing a major in Psychology, with a focus in Cognitive Neuroscience. He is interested in the cognitive neuroscience of memory and sleep, particularly with respect to parasomnias such as REM sleep disorder and other types of abnormal sleep behavior. His senior honors thesis will examine the role of sleep in memory consolidation, and possibly differing effects of insomnia on memory. His long-term plans are to obtain a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience, and then pursue an academic career doing research and teaching at a university. In his free time, Zach enjoys climbing, camping, skiing, and dj'ing.

Nga Nguyen
Undergraduate Student
Nga is a sophomore at the University of Denver and is majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Business. She is interested in memory development in infants and loves working in the lab because it gives her an idea of how testing infants can help us learn about how the brain really works, especially the part of the brain involved in memory development. Her long-term plans are to pursue a career in Medicine, possibly Neurology, own her own business, and have a family. Her hobbies are designing clothes, reading, and playing tennis.