Dr. Raheleh Saryazdi is the director of the CHAT Lab. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Trent University Durham GTA and an Affiliate Scientist at KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network. She is also a member of the Trent Centre for Aging and Society, Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA-Team 17), and AGE-WELL (Canada's Aging and Technology Network). Dr. Saryazdi received her PhD in Psychology at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Dr. Craig Chambers, and she completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Jennifer Campos at KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute prior to starting her position at Trent University.

Katia Perry is a Master of Science student in Psychology at Trent University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Psychology from Carleton University and is currently working under the supervision of Dr. Saryazdi. Her master’s thesis will examine intergenerational interactions between children and older adults.

Cameron Hart is a Master of Science student in Psychology, specializing in Interdisciplinary Aging Studies. She previously earned a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Psychology from Trent University, where she developed an interest in language and memory processes across the lifespan. Cameron is very passionate about working with the aging population and is looking forward to collaborating with Dr. Saryazdi and the rest of the team!

Elora Singer is a Master of Science student in Psychology, with specialization in Interdisciplinary Aging Studies. She earned her Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology from Trent University, with double specializations in Health and Well-Being and Cognitive Behavioural Neuroscience. Her Master’s research explores the relationship between sensory, cognition, and language abilities in older adults.

Mark Mc Kenzie is a Master of Science student in Applied Modelling and Quantitative Methods (AMOD) at Trent University. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Computer Science and works as an IT Client Services Analyst at Trent. His research interests include Natural Language Processing (NLP) and its applications in understanding language and cognition. Mark is excited to contribute his skills in data science and technology to the CHAT Lab’s collaborative work and is eager to learn through his work with Dr. Saryazdi.

Sabina Kapoor is a fourth-year Bachelor of Science (BSc) Honours student in Psychology at Trent University Durham, specializing in research methods and data analysis, and health and well-being. Her current thesis explores intergenerational conversations between younger and older adults, with a particular focus on the South Asian community. Beyond academics, Sabina is actively involved in student government and is passionate about student advocacy, leadership, and sports. She brings a strong commitment to community engagement and is excited to contribute meaningfully to the field through both research and leadership. Sabina is proud to be part of this dynamic team and looks forward to creating lasting impact.

Logan Pomeroy is an undergraduate student in the BAH Honours in Psychology program with a specialization in Health and Well-Being. Logan's goal is to become a licensed psychotherapist. Logan is passionate about helping others and excited to contribute to research that will further our understanding of aging and dementia.

Yugant Haresh Soni is a first-year Master’s student in the Applied Modeling and Data Analytics (AMOD) program. Yugant is currently a research assistant in the lab working on Natural Language Processing methods as well as programming experiments. He is excited to collaborate with Dr. Saryazdi and eager to gain invaluable experience working in the CHAT lab.

Colin Doyle is a third-year undergraduate psychology student specializing in research methods and data analysis, currently volunteering as a research assistant in the CHAT lab. Upon completing his bachelor’s degree, he aspires to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology. Through his work with Dr. Saryazdi, he hopes to gain valuable experience with virtual reality that will aid him in pioneering new therapies and diagnostic tools, as well as integrating virtual reality into his future clinical practice.

Luke Walker is volunteering as a research assistant in the CHAT Lab. Luke is completing his Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Psychology and is thrilled to be working in a lab environment with prestigious colleagues and collaborators. In his spare time, Luke can often be found hiking or scuba diving. 

Danielle Garland is a research practicum student in the CHAT lab. She is a mature student currently completing her Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Psychology at Trent University. She is a certified Personal Support Worker with extensive experience working with older adults. During her time here at Trent, Danielle has gained a passion for human development to which she credits Professor Jesiqua Rapley. As a mother, Danielle has been inspired by Dr. Saryazdi’s accomplishments in the field and is enthusiastically looking forward to learning from Dr. Saryazdi. Outside of Trent, Danielle enjoys sailing, hiking, and painting!  

Elizabet Villas is a driven and ambitious person who's pursuing a Computer Science Bachelor's degree with a specialization in Software Engineering and Data Analytics. Starting University at the age of 16, her motivation comes from her love of technology. Elizabet is currently a research assistant in the lab and looks forward to collaborating with Dr. Saryazdi while gaining valuable experience in the CHAT lab.