People

Dr. Caroline Hornburg, an Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Science at Virginia Tech, is the director of the Learning and Development Lab. Dr. Hornburg is also the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Virginia Tech. Dr. Hornburg received her Ph.D. in May 2017 under the direction of Dr. Nicole McNeil in the Cognition Learning and Development Lab at the University of Notre Dame.  Following her Ph.D., she completed two years of postdoctoral training in the Cognition and Learning Lab at Purdue University.

Jing Chen is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Child and Adolescent Development Program. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Psychology at Northeast Normal University and Southwest University in China, respectively. Her previous research concentration focused on creativity, cognition, semantic network and cognitive neuroscience. And currently, she is dedicated to exploring how children utilize digital media and AI-Child system in fostering children's creativity and active learning, as well as investigating the underlying cognitive mechanisms.

Maegan Colbert is a third-year Ph.D. student at Virginia Tech, studying Human Development and Family Sciences with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Development. She earned her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from Vanderbilt University and B. A. in English and Spanish from McDaniel College. Previously, she served public school students in pre-K through 12th grade as a speech-language pathologist, where she developed an interest in the role of language and metacognition in the development of other cognitive skills. In the Learning and Development Lab, she explores metacognitive development, with an interest in supporting development in typically developing children and children with disabilities.

Isabel Valdivia is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Human Development and Family Science, Child & Adolescent Development concentration, program. She graduated from Pontificia Universidad Católica, Chile, where she majored in Biology. After that, she taught in a high school as part of Teach for Chile, part of the Teach for All network. Hoping to know more about the learning process, she went to Harvard University and got a M.Ed. in Mind, Brain, and Education. She then opened a PK-12 charter school in a rural area of Chile meant to serve low-income students and prepare them to succeed in college by achieving academic excellency and developing socioemotional skills. Being a former Vice Principal in that school led to broadening her interest from practice to research in order to better understand how executive functions interplay with emotions throughout the learning process in childhood and adolescence.

Raelene Ambrose is a sophomore majoring in Human Development. Her interest in the lab stemmed from her passion for working with children and learning more about cognition and its impacts on childhood development. After graduation, she plans to enter a graduate Speech-Language Pathology program. 

Kayleigh Burton is a junior studying Psychology and Human Development, with a minor in Adaptive Brain and Behavior. She joined the lab because she is interested in the learning and development of children and adolescents. In the future, she hope to become a Clinical Psychologist, and work with many individuals, including children and adolescents.

Lauren Falk is a senior majoring in Human Development and minoring in Adaptive Brain & Behavior and Disabilities Studies on a pre-health track. Her interest in joining the lab stemmed from her desire to conduct meaningful research and learn how adolescent cognition functions and can be supported to benefit child development. After graduation, Lauren hopes to continue her studies in graduate school to pursue a degree in occupational therapy.

Ella Goldstein is a junior majoring in Human Development with minors in Language Sciences and Psychology. She is from Ocean Grove, New Jersey, on the Jersey Shore. She wanted to participate in the Learning and Development Lab at Virginia Tech due to her interest in working with children and the study of human behavior. After graduation, Ella plans to attend graduate school and hopes to become a Mental Health Professional.

Sydney Howard is a junior majoring in Human Development and Family Sciences with a minor in Disabilities Studies. She has long been passionate about working with children, especially those who are neurodivergent or have learning disabilities. Her interest in psychology, human services, and helping kids reach their full potential, particularly those on the autism spectrum who are often overlooked and face challenges in higher education, has driven her academic and career goals. Currently, she works as an aide for a family whose daughter has a rare condition that presents similarly to autism. After graduation, Sydney plans to pursue a graduate degree in Human Development and Family Sciences or Psychology and continue supporting neurodivergent children.

Jessica Lalwani is a junior majoring in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and minoring in Sociology and Adaptive Brain Behavior. She wanted to participate in the Learning and Development Lab at Virginia Tech due to her interest in cognitive development and childhood development. After graduation, Jessica hopes to attend graduate school on an occupational therapy track.

Lily Soukup is a junior majoring in Early Childhood Development & Education with a minor in Psychology. She's from Chesterfield, Virginia right outside of Richmond. Lily has a love for working with children of all ages and plans on continuing that passion after graduating. She's interested in the function of children's brains and how that affects their behavior.

Reena Vasudevan is a senior double majoring in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and Human Development with a minor in Adaptive Brain and Behavior. She joined the Learning and Development Lab because the work the lab does aligns with her interests in working with children and understanding how science can directly influence and improve education. 

Jalyn White is a senior majoring in Human Development. Her future plans consist of attending medical school after graduation and pursuing a career in pediatric medicine. Her interests in working with children drew her to volunteer in the lab in hopes to better understand children's cognitive development and gain experience with research.

Shelby Wiegel is a senior Psychology major with a minor in Adaptive Brain and Behavior. She wanted to participate in the Learning and Development Lab because of her interest in developmental psychology and her passion for working with children. After graduation, Shelby plans to attend graduate school to pursue a degree in school psychology.