Meet The Lab

Zhe Wang, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Educational Psychology

My research examines the development of school adjustment in children and young adolescents, with a focus on how biological, emotional, motivational, cognitive, and contextual factors join forces to shape the diverse developmental trajectories among children.

Graduate Students

Minchao Wang

I received my Masters in Education (M.Ed.) in Developmental Sciences from Texas A&M, and was accepted in the doctoral program in Fall 2021. My research focuses on the transfer of learning and examines what is transferred, when and where it occurs, and how to evaluate the transfer by utilizing both behavioral experimental tasks and physiological measures. I am also interested in how motivation, emotions, and even sleep could influence learning.

Kyra Foley

Hiya! My name is Kyra Foley. I earned my undergraduate degree from Rollins College in 2023. I start my doctoral program in Fall 2024 in Educational Psychology program at Texas A&M University as a member of the BSID Lab. My research interests focus generally on how specific instruction impacts overall learning. Specifically, I am interested in the areas of emotions in learning, classroom intervention and structure, and the impact of multi-age classrooms.  

Xiaotong (Lucy) Yi

Howdy! I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin Madison. I started my doctoral program in educational psychology at Texas A&M University in 2023.  My research focuses on math anxiety and fraction learning. I hope to find better interventions to help students improve their math learning, specifically in their competency of fraction understanding. In my spare time, I love swimming, running and reading.  

Madelyn Molina

Howdy! I received my B.A. in Psychology and M.S. in Human Development and Family Sciences from Texas State University. I am currently a doctoral student in Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University. My research interests center on parental involvement and its relation to student academic achievement and educational attainment, with a specific focus on the Latinx population. I am particularly interested in how paternal and maternal involvement may interact with students' gender to influence educational outcomes and aspirations. 

Nan Hu

Howdy! My name is Nan Hu. I earned my undergraduate degree in Cognitive Studies and Mathematics from Vanderbilt University in December 2024 and joined the Educational Psychology doctoral program at Texas A&M University in 2025. My research interests center on how parental emotional and cognitive inputs individually and collectively impact children’s emotional, behavioral, and brain development. Additionally, I’m also interested in examining sensitivity as a distinct dimension of parental input and how it may mediate the relationship between these inputs and developmental outcomes. 

Anjalika Sachan

Howdy ! My name is Anjalika Sachan and I am a class of 2028 undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Neuroscience. Originally from Austin, Texas, I have a deep interest in the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, and education, with aspirations to attend medical school after graduation.

Audrey Shellenberger

Hi! My name is Audrey Shellenberger and I am a Psychology major from the class of 2026. After undergrad, I would like to attend graduate school in Clinical Psychology to specialize in childhood trauma, traumatic manifestations in the mind and body, and PTSD. I am passionate about the restoration of hurt humans and hope that my practice of therapy and education of future psychologists after grad school will equip the generations to come. Some of my other passions apart from psychology are birdwatching and sustainable fashion. 

Elena Cristello

Howdy! My name is Elena Cristello, and I am class of 2028 pursuing a degree in neuroscience BS. I am from Frisco, Tx and am very interested in studying cognitive psychology. My ultimate goal after undergrad is to attend med school.  

Elena Hong

Howdy! My name is Elena Hong, and I’m a class of 2027 pursuing a B.S degree in Biochemistry. I’m very interested in researching the psychological effects and various environmental factors that influence human development. My ultimate goal is to enter the medical field and specialize as a pediatrician after graduation.

Emma Grabner

Howdy! I am a class of 28 Biomedical Sciences major from Round Rock Texas. I am extremely passionate about working with children and after undergrad I hope to go to medical school to become a pediatrician. Along with working with kids I love soccer and I'm actually a youth soccer coach! 

Emma Varghese

Howdy! My name is Emma Varghese, and I am a class of 2027 Biomedical Sciences major from Houston, Texas. I am interested in the broad fields of cognitive psychology and behavioral sciences, and I hope to further my clinical and field research experience in these areas. My goal is to attend medical school after graduation and specialize in psychiatry.

Jatin Pujari

Hi! I am a class of '28 Biology major from Cedar Park, Texas. With my Biology degree, I plan to pursue a career in Sports Medicine and work with athletes. I am currently a part of the Texas A&M EMS where I work alongside EMTs to provide patient care to students at major school events. I like to play/watch sports in my free time along with watching movies as well!

Joshua Abraham

Howdy! My name is Joshua Abraham, and I am an undergraduate student from Sugar Land, Texas. I am currently pursuing a B.S. degree in Kinesiology and plan to continue with an M.S. in Kinesiology after graduation. My ultimate goal is to attend medical school in the future. I have a strong interest in the intersection of mental health and performance. In the future, I hope to conduct research on mental health in clinical settings. In my free time, I enjoy watching films (I am minoring in film studies), listening to music, and reading.

Rishi Chillara

Howdy! My name is Rishi Chillara, and I am a freshman Neuroscience (Molecular and Cellular Biology) major at Texas A&M University. I am from Frisco, TX. My ultimate goal throughout college is to attend medical school in the future. I would like to further understand the intersection between psychology and education. I love watching movies and playing video games in my free time. 

Rishika Raju

Howdy! I’m a Class of 2028 Biomedical Sciences major from Katy, TX. I’m passionate about exploring psychology and medicine, particularly how mental health and environmental/social factors shape human behavior and development. My long-term goal is to attend medical school and make a meaningful impact on my community.

Shaelyn Harrington

Howdy! My name is Shae Harrington, and I am a Junior undergraduate student from Dallas, Texas. I am currently pursuing a B.S. degree in Sociology and a minor in Womens and Gender Studies. After graduation, I plan to continue my education by pursuing my MS/PhD in sociology. My ultimate goal is to attend graduate school in the future in hopes of becoming a professor. I have a strong interest in the intersection of socioeconomic factors and their influence on lived realities, more specifically, social stratification and political and economic sociology. In the future, I hope to conduct research in this realm. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, spending time in nature, watching documentaries, and hanging out with my partner.