FLAME LAB Members

Director: Dr. Eunsoo Cho

Dr. Cho is an associate professor and Eady/Henrick Chair of Learning Disability in the School of Education at the University of California, Riverside. 

Her research focuses on understanding reading development as it relates to (a) identifying cognitive, motivational, and contextual predictors of reading development, (b) developing and validating methods to accurately measure students' response to intervention (growth), and (c) designing and examining the efficacy of instructional methods for students with reading difficulties. 

Staff: Dr. Eun Ha Kim

Dr. Kim is a staff research associate in the School of Education at the University of California, Riverside.

She received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Michigan State University in 2025. Prior to her doctoral training, Eun Ha worked as an associate project officer and research assistant at Korean Educational Development Institute (KEDI). She received her M.A. in Educational Psychology from Seoul National University and a B.A. in English Education from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, South Korea. 

Dr. Kim's research focuses on examining cognitive, motivational, and social-emotional factors to promote K-12 and college students' literacy development and academic success. She is also interested in designing literacy development interventions and professional development programs incorporated with cognitive, motivational, and social-emotional components. 

Viviana Padilla

Viviana is a doctoral candidate in the School Psychology program at the University of California, Riverside, driven by a strong passion for supporting underserved and underrepresented communities. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Biological emphasis from the University of California, Davis. Viviana has worked extensively with culturally diverse populations across school, research, and clinical settings and has strived to promote inclusivity. Her research interests include using implementation science to study and encourage the implementation of culturally responsive Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs in school settings and supporting students’ mental health using a preventive lens. Viviana is currently a GAANN fellow, supporting intervention research in the areas of reading and growth-mindset. In her free time, Viviana enjoys reading, salsa dancing, cooking, and spending time with her friends and family. 

Suyeon Kim

Suyeon Kim is a Ph.D. student in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Quantitative Methods at the University of California, Riverside. She earned her M.S. in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology from the University of California, Riverside and her B.S. in Biology with a Mathematics minor from the University of Minnesota, Duluth. During her training and teaching in biology and mathematics, she developed a growing interest in learning and equity, which led her to pursue educational research. She now brings that quantitative background to education and health research, using quantitative methods to study disparities by measuring gaps, identifying what drives them, and evaluating ways to reduce them. Her main goal is to advance causal inference methods, especially by integrating machine learning and AI. She is also interested in collaborating on applied projects that use these approaches or other quantitative methods to address real-world equity questions. 

Joanne Wright

Joanne Wright is a first-year PhD student at the graduate school of education, University of California Riverside. She received her MA in Special Education and Autism from University of California Riverside, and her BFA in Interior Design From Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York. Joanne's main research interests include descriptive reading interventions for autistic children and children with special needs, in particular designing interventions based on cognitive and behavioral theories and practices. She strongly believes the amalgam of various aspects of educational approach, especially interactions and motivations, enhances learning outcomes. 

Ryan Han

Ryan Han is currently a senior at UC Riverside double-majoring in Psychology & Education. Many of her undergraduate experiences are student-centered, which stems from her love of working with youth of various age groups. Her research interests revolve around improving educational spaces for students of diverse backgrounds. This fall, she will be attending USC to earn her M.Ed in Educational Counseling.

Taylor Belk

Taylor is a research assistant currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies at the University of California, Riverside, where she is enrolled in the University Honors program. Her academic interests focus on researching effective methods of teaching and learning that support students in Special Education classrooms. Taylor aspires to become a special education teacher and is committed to promoting inclusive, evidence-based educational practices.