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 an Assistant Specialist 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. 

Postdoctoral Scholar: Dr. Andrew Chang

Dr. Chang is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the School of Education at the University of California, Riverside. He received his Ph.D. in Special Education with a minor in Quantitative Methods from Vanderbilt University and his M. A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on language and literacy development and intervention for students with learning difficulties and disabilities, particularly those from historically underserved backgrounds. He is also interested in evidence-based and culturally and linguistically responsive literacy practices, reading assessment and measurement, and research synthesis and meta-analysis. 

Visiting Scholar: Dr. Minhye Lee

Dr. Lee is a Fulbright Visiting Scholar in the School of Education at the University of California, Riverside for the 2026–2027 academic year. She is an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at Daegu National University of Education in South Korea. Her research focuses on the theoretical and practical integration of motivation and self-regulated learning (SRL). Specifically, she investigates how learners' self-efficacy, task cost perceptions, agency, and academic self-control interact to drive learning behaviors and outcomes, spanning from cognitive/neuroscience frameworks to classroom-based interventions. At FLAME Lab, she contributes to meta-analytic and theoretical work to build evidence-based, motivation-grounded learning supports for diverse learners.

Staff: Dr. Ashley M. Miller

Dr. Miller is a staff researcher. She received her Ph.D. in Social/Personality Psychology from the University of California, Riverside in June of 2025. Prior to her doctoral training, Ashley worked as a researcher in multiple psychology labs at the University of California, Riverside, where she also earned her M.A. and B.S. in Psychology. Her research examines regulation profiles related to procrastination and poor academic performance, with a focus on cognitive, personality, affective, motivational, and behavioral factors. She is also interested in how buffering factors, such as social support, reduce students’ risk for poor academic outcomes.

Sarah Reiley

Sarah is a PhD candidate in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology at Michigan State University. Her research focuses on classroom talk as it relates to adolescent language and literacy development, technology integration, motivation, and linguistically diverse learners. Sarah also works as a literacy curriculum consultant and teacher trainer in bilingual schools. She previously taught middle and high school social studies and humanities in New York City and Buenos Aires.

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. 

Zhong Cao

Zhong Cao is a first-year doctoral student at the School of Education, University of California, Riverside. She earned her M.A. in Human Development and Education from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education and her B.A. in Educational Science from the University of California, Irvine. Based on her previous research experience, she developed research interests in language and literacy development, reading motivation, and evidence-based interventions for students with learning difficulties. She is particularly interested in how cognitive, motivational, and situational factors influence literacy development and is dedicated to designing interventions that create equitable learning opportunities for diverse student groups in need. 

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. 

Ryan Han

Ryan Han was a former undergraduate researcher at FLAME lab. She received her B.A. in Psychology & Education at UCR in 2026 and is currently studying Educational Counseling to pursue her M.Ed at USC. Many of her undergraduate experiences were 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.