Madison L. Pesowski, PhD
Principal Investigator
Dr. Pesowski is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of the Fraser Valley, and is the director of the Kids in Developmental Science (KIDS) Lab. She received her PhD from the University of Waterloo and completed post-doctoral training at the University of California San Diego before joining UFV in 2022.
Alyssa Doerksen
NSERC USRA Student
Alyssa is a third-year Bachelor of Arts student, majoring in psychology at the University of the Fraser Valley. She is passionate about working with children, promoting mental health, fostering inclusivity, and conducting meaningful research. After completing her Bachelor of Arts degree, Alyssa hopes to continue to pursue these passions through a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.
Eliza Mocanu
Research Assistant
Eliza is a third-year Bachelor of Arts student at the University of the Fraser Valley. She is majoring in Psychology and is also working towards a Certificate in Communications. After completing her Bachelor of Arts degree, Eliza hopes to pursue a Masters in Clinical Psychology.
Jess Pike
Directed Study Student
Jess is a fifth-year Bachelor of Arts student at the University of the Fraser Valley, majoring in psychology. She has a passion for working with others and promoting well being. Following the completion of her degree, she hopes to pursue a masters degree in school and applied child psychology or experimental psychology.
Emilee Haas
Research Assistant
Emilee is a third-year Bachelor of Arts student, majoring in psychology at the University of the Fraser Valley. After completing her degree, she hopes to pursue a Master's degree in Counseling. The end goal for Emilee is to become a therapist and connect with children and youth struggling with mental health.
Taylor Flentge
Research Assistant
Taylor is a fourth-year Bachelor of Arts student, majoring in psychology at the University of the Fraser Valley. After completing her degree, she aims to pursue a masters degree in speech and language pathology.
Lab Alumni
Sim Kaur, Honours Thesis Student (2024-2025)
Sarah Thiessen, Directed Study Student and Research Assistant (2024-2025)
Isabella Hooge, Research Assistant (2024)
Ariel Dennison-Hardy, Honours Thesis Student (2023-2024), current graduate student at Brock University
Ekam Banipal, Research Assistant (2022-2024), current graduate student at the University of Manitoba
Sam Messmer, Honours Thesis Student (2023-2024)
Amelia Goertzen, Research Assistant (2022-2023)
Amanda Hooge, Research Assistant (2022-2023), current graduate student at the University of Calgary
Honorary Lab Members
Are you an undergraduate student who is interested in joining the lab?
Undergraduate researchers play a crucial role in our research! There are openings within the KIDS lab and there are a few ways to join:
Research assistants - As a RA you will learn about research in Developmental Psychology, help recruit participants for studies, coordinate events with the broader community, and assist with projects. Work in the lab requires a time commitment of approx. 6 hrs/week.
Directed Studies - Students may enroll in a 3-credit course (PSYC 493A or PSYC 493B) or in a 5-credit course (PSYC 495). Please see this webpage to learn more about the courses, requirements, and prerequisites.
Honors Thesis students - Students should apply for the Psychology Honors program after attaining at least 90 credits towards their degree. Read more about the Honors program here.
To apply to the lab, please send an email to madison.pesowski@ufv.ca with the following information:
a brief explanation of your interest in joining the lab
a description of any previous research experience and/or experience working with children and families
attach a resume/CV
attach an unofficial transcript
availability schedule for the term you are applying for
Alexis Smith-Flores
Lehigh University