Meet Our Team

Dr. Robert G. Alexander is a cognitive neuroscientist who directs the HFAN research group. His lab has become a model for inclusive excellence—training undergraduates, medical students, and emerging scientists through structured pipelines that are now being formalized into toolkits for adoption at other institutions. In 2022, he co-founded Expertize, Inc., a startup developing educational tools and oculomotor biomarkers of expertise. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Psychology & Counseling at the New York Institute of Technology’s NYC campus, and as Vice President for the Americas of the International Society for Clinical Eye Tracking. Dr. Alexander earned his Ph.D. in Cognitive Science from Stony Brook University, completed a postdoctoral appointment at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, and has since led cross-institutional collaborations that blend cognitive neuroscience, innovation, and mentorship at scale.

The HFAN Student Research Team

Our student research team is the heart of the HFAN research group. Students in our team don’t just assist with research; they lead it. From designing experiments and creating stimuli to analyzing data and presenting at conferences, our students shape every stage of the scientific process.

We see mentorship as a relationship, not a transaction. Our team members form lasting bonds, support one another with care and intention, and leave with more than just skills—they leave with a sense of belonging and a lifelong network of peers.

Many of our alumni continue on to successful careers in biomedicine, clinical practice, and research.

Administrative Leadership

Senior Lab Manager:

Ayesha Mulla

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Lab Manager: Simrat Renu

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Research Coordinator: Maryan Botlero

Undergraduate Biology Student

Research Coordinator: Talia Lilikakis

Undergraduate Life Science (BS/DO) Student

Research Education Coordinator: Stevie Hill

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Lab Supervisor: Briana Alcindor

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Lab Supervisor: Layla El-Rowmeim

Undergraduate Life Science (BS/DO) Student

Strategic Operations Analyst: Victoria Carrero Mendez

Masters Business Administration Student

Research Operations & Compliance Coordinator: Jana Radwan

Undergraduate Biology Student

Student Research Scholars

Zainab Faisal

Undergraduate Life Science (BS/DO) Student

Nancy Mahfouz

Osteopathic Medical Student (NYIT-COM)

Maha Naveed

Undergraduate Life Science (BS/DO) Student

Doris Prela

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Ahaylee Rahman

Undergraduate Life Science (BS/DO) Student

Edrich Silva

Undergraduate Computer Science Student

Jaelynn Wesley

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Student Research Associates

Natalia Androne

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Ananya Ginjupalli

Undergraduate Life Science (BS/DO) Student

Sanika Kumar

Undergraduate Life Science (BS/DO) Student

Audrie Saad

Undergraduate Life Science (BS/DO) Student

Emerging Researchers

Lily Barcohana

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Angelina Joseph

Undergraduate Health Sciences Student

Rebekah Ruiz

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Isabella Schlichting

Undergraduate Computer Science Student

Mahak Sharma

Osteopathic Medical Student (NYIT-Jonesboro)

Aliza Virji

Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute Undergraduate

Lyla Virji

High School Student

Vivian You

Undergraduate Computer Science Student

Lab Alumni - HFAN Afterimage

Ola Abozid

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Click to read about some of Ola's successes!

Annora Brown

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Sophia Castro

Medical Student (CUNY School of Medicine)

Kathiana Jeanty

Undergraduate Health Sciences Student

Yana Kostova

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Click to read about some of Yana's successes!

Eteri Kulieva

Undergraduate Biology Student

Amy Patel

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Click here to read about the research award Amy received, or click here to read about her conference presentation in Cyprus!

Lekhana Ramachandra

Graduate Computer Science Student

Elana Safonova

Undergraduate Health Sciences Student

Click to see a video interview with Elana!

Josey Spiers

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Click to see a video interview with Josey or click here to read about her conference presentation in Cyprus!

Aziza Swift

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Melisa Sharkly

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Jovelis Toribio

Undergraduate Psychology Student

Elisa Hossain Felix, Undergraduate Psychology Student

Evany Guerra-Solares, Undergraduate Psychology Student

Tasnia Hakim, Undergraduate NYU Student

Syeda Jannat, Undergraduate Biology Student

Masa Otovcevic, Undergraduate Computer Science Student

Milana Shigapova, Undergraduate Biotechnology Student

Sarada Navya Sri Swarna, Graduate Computer Science Student

Chakradhar Sai Valluru, Graduate Computer Science Student

Collaborators

Jessica Hautsch

New York Institute of Technology

Humanities Department

Stephen Macknik, PhD

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience

Susana Martinez-Conde, PhD

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience

See Dr. Martinez-Conde discuss the science of illusions with Neil Degrasse-Tyson and Teller (of Penn & Teller)

Stephen Waite, MD

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Director of Cardiothoracic Radiology

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