Lian Lewis

I am a currently a sophomore with a psychology major and minors in professional and technical writing and neuroscience. I am new to learning about sound localization and auditory science, although I was introduced to the idea in Dr. Thakkar's class and found it fascinating. Within the lab, I am interested in studying how cognitive load is related to multimodal integration, and how those findings may be applicable on a larger scope. In my free time, I like reading, listening to music, and watching movies!

Alyssa Nesseim

I am a senior, majoring in psychology and minoring in sociology at UWL. I was highly interested in learning more about neuroscience and cognitive science after hearing Dr. Thakkar speak about her work last year.  That's what inspired me to collaborate with her on research, and I'm now directing a project with Brianna to examine how reverberation differs for those with cochlear implants vs those without one. I am very interested in where this research leads and am hoping that we can publish it. In my spare time, I like to read, bake, go to the gym, and hang out with my family.

Brianna Poller

I am a senior this year, majoring in psychology with a minor in at-risk child and youth care. Last year, I enjoyed doing research in a class taught by Dr. Thakkar and am excited to have the opportunity to do research alongside her this year. My main goal is to expand my research skills for future educational endeavors and have a chance to publish research. I am excited to work together with Alyssa as we study the effects of reverberation in cochlear implants and how it affects sound localization. When I am not in school, I enjoy cooking, running, and spending time with friends and family.  

I began my freshman year at UWL this fall, and I have not yet landed on a major! I received the Eagle Apprenticeship Award this year, which granted me the opportunity to conduct under-graduate research with Dr. Thakkar. I am very grateful for this new experience, and I enjoy learning all of the ins and outs of cognitive hearing and devices along with the behind-the-scenes workings of the research lab. Outside of school, I enjoy listening to music, working out, and spending time with my friends.

I am a junior psychology major with a neuroscience minor. I am interested in all things neuroscience and hearing, so I am very happy to be working in Dr. Thakkar's lab. I hope to learn more about cognitive hearing processes, and I am excited to work on a pitch differentiation project this semester to discover the impact of bilateral hearing. My other time is often occupied with reading classic novels, hiking, or doing crafts. 

I am a junior psychology and philosophy double major here at UWL. I was very unfamiliar with auditory perception and cochlear implants at the beginning of the semester. Being part of CHAD not only gives me the opportunity to acquire research experience, but I am also learning about such a relevant field along the way! I hope my time here can contribute to Dr. T's research and the field of neural and perceptual mechanisms of binaural hearing. Outside of school I like to workout and do board sports (surf, snowboard, etc). The photo above is at my local beach back home, called Tramandaí.

Jarett graduated in May 2023 with psychology major and a neuroscience minor, but stuck around to help Dr. Thakkar on a grant over the summer of 2023. Inside the hearing lab, Jarett was interested in sound source localization and lateralization, but he was still new to auditory science and learned about new topics every day. Learning about auditory science was rewarding, especially learning about how cochlear implants work and how electric hearing differs from acoustic hearing. The progress made in cochlear implant listening comes from a variety of disciplines including audiologists, electrical and mechanical engineers, neuroscientists as well as speech and hearing disorder researchers, which he did not know before he began in Dr. Thakkar’s lab. Outside of the lab, Jarret enjoys staying active by hiking or biking around the bluffs in La Crosse and reading leisurely about non-fiction topics.

Emma graduated in May 2023 with a psychology major and a sociology minor. She moved back to Milwaukee to further her education by attending Carroll University for her master's degree in Behavioral Health Psychology. She was first introduced to sound localization in a neuroscience class with Dr. Thakkar. She enjoyed the content a lot and was a neuroscience teacher assistant the next semester. Each week in the lab, she learned something new relating to sound localization and furthered her understanding of the workings of cochlear implants. She was very honored to do her first research project within the CHAD Lab, and looked forward to understanding the deeper workings of cochlear implants and testing subjects each week. 

Mackenzie majored in psychology and music performance, graduating in 2023. Her project "Impact of Distractors on a Cognitive Task: Implications for the ADHD Population" was accepted to be presented at the 2023 Midwest Psychological Association conference in Chicago.