REGINA LAPATE
Principal Investigator
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara. I earned my PhD in 2015 under the mentorship of Richard J. Davidson at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I studied the neural correlates of successful emotion regulation, as well as the function of conscious awareness in emotion. In 2017, I was awarded an NIH postdoctoral fellowship to examine the representational properties and causal role of lateral prefrontal function in emotion with Mark D'Esposito at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2018, I co-edited the 2nd edition of The Nature of Emotion: Fundamental Questions with Davidson, Fox, & Shackman. [cv] [e-mail]
JINGYI WANG
Postdoctoral Scholar
Jingyi received her Ph.D. in 2020 under the mentorship of Helen Barbas at Boston University. Her graduate work in neuroanatomy identified novel pathways connecting the hippocampus, amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex in rhesus monkeys, and delineated the contributions of this network for emotional memory, motivation, and the representation of internal states. In the LEAP Neuro lab, Jingyi is investigating how the frontal pole interacts with cingulate cortex and amygdala during emotion regulation, as well as the impact of amygdala function on hippocampal temporal coding. [cv] [email]
JOANNE STASIAK
Graduate Student
Joanne is a fourth-year graduate student in the Cognitive Neuroscience area. She received a B.A. in Psychology at Adelphi University, then worked as the lab manager at Temple University's SAN Lab where she studied social influences of self-regulation and metacognitive emotional recall. In the LEAP Neuro lab, she is currently using psychophysiological measures to understand how individuals become aware of their emotional responses, as well as the neural mechanisms involved in emotion perception. She is also interested in examining how one's social environment influences the recognition of one's affective experiences and regulatory ability. [e-mail]
MENGSI LI
Graduate Student
Mengsi is a fifth-year graduate student in Cognitive Neuroscience. She received her bachelor’s degree in Engineering and then earned her Masters in Psychology at Zhejiang University, China, where she investigated emotional memory formation. Mengsi is interested in the neural underpinnings of emotion and emotional memory in complex real-world episodes. In the LEAP Neuro lab, she is investigating the boundaries of emotional sequence learning and how they relate to individual differences in trait affective disposition. Mengsi hopes that her work will improve people’s wellbeing and sense of interconnectedness. [e-mail]
NADEZHDA BARBASHOVA
Graduate Student
Nadezhda (Nadu) is a second-year graduate student. She received an MA in Linguistics at the University of Tübingen, where she was a research assistant in two language and cognition labs. For her thesis, she designed a decision-making experiment investigating the ‘foreign language effect’, a phenomenon in which people experience less fear and accept more risk when using a second language. This area of research sparked her curiosity about the bidirectional influence of cognition and affective processing. Nadu is currently interested in examining how cognitive strategies may modulate the fear response and how fear states are modulated by time horizons. [e-mail]
SYDNEY FORTNER
Lab Manager
Sydney graduated with a B.A. in Neuroscience and Anthropology from Dartmouth College in 2024. During her time as an undergraduate, she completed an honors thesis using fMRI and neuropsychological measures to explore one of the first cases of developmental prosopometamorphopsia (D-PMO), a disorder resulting the distorted perception of faces. In the LEAP Neuro lab, she helps explore the temporal coding of emotional experiences. In the future, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in experimental neuroscience, and is particularly interested in consciousness, perception, and temporality. [e-mail]
CHRISTINA VILLANUEVA
Lab Manager
Christina graduated with a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences from UCSB in 2023. Christina is interested in better understanding the neural correlates of symptoms associated with neurocognitive disorders, and she hopes to apply this knowledge in a clinical setting to investigate new ways to improve treatments for those disorders. In the future, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience to continue to study the complexities of the human brain.
ALANNA LEE
Undergraduate Researcher
Alanna is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Cell and Developmental Biology with a minor in History of Art and Architecture. She is interested in emotional regulation and how emotions impact behavior and decision-making, especially in mood disorders. Currently, she assists Dr. Jingyi Wang in researching how emotional events influence our perception of time. After graduation, Alanna plans to pursue a graduate degree in neuroscience.
ANDRA VINCZE
Undergraduate Researcher
Andra is a second-year majoring pursuing a B.S. in Biology. She is interested in cognitive function and emotional responses to triggering events. In the LEAP Neuro lab, Andra assists Nadu Barbashova in her research on fear, metacognition, and cognitive control. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in healthcare.
ANNA SOFIA GUERRA
Undergraduate Researcher
Anna Sofia is a fourth-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences with a minor in Statistical Science. She is interested in brain-behavior associations, techniques that can be used to investigate them, and what those findings can reveal about the human condition. In the LEAP Neuro lab, Anna Sofia is assisting Mengsi Li in investigating the context-sensitivity of affective coloring and its implications for emotional functioning. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience.
BROOKE ROEKER
Undergraduate Researcher
Brooke is a second-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Applied Psychology. She is interested in the neural mechanisms underlying emotional regulation and how these processes shape cognitive function and behavior. Brooke is currently assisting Mengsi Li and Nadu Barbashova, observing how valenced emotional experiences influence time perception and memory. After graduation, she hopes to pursue an MD integrated with clinical neuroscience.
CURRAN HOXIE
Undergraduate Researcher
Curran is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences. He is interested in exploring the mechanisms of memory storage, as well as how neuroimaging techniques can be utilized to examine cognitive processes. In the LEAP Neuro lab, he assists Nadu Barbashova in studying how individuals sustain cognitive control in the presence of negative emotions. After graduation, he plans to pursue a PhD in neuroscience.
DENIS SHRESTHA
Undergraduate Researcher
Denis is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UCSB pursuing a degree in Pharmacology. He is interested in studying the neural foundations of emotion regulation and understanding the impact of negative affect on emotion regulation, cognition, and time perception. In the LEAP Neuro lab, Denis works with Dr. Jingyi Wang, primarily focusing on psychophysiology and the impact of specific emotional events on cognitive processes and the perception of time. After graduation, Denis plans on attending medical school.
EMILY COHEN
Undergraduate Researcher
Emily is a fourth-year undergraduate pursuing a BS in Psychological and Brain Sciences and a minor in Applied Psychology. She is interested in emotional regulation and how traumatic experiences can alter neural processes. Emily currently assists Dr. Jingyi Wang, serving as the project manager on a study examining how different emotional events impact one’s perception of time. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a PhD or PsyD in Clinical Psychology.
EMILY MI
Undergraduate Researcher
Emily is a third-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Biopsychology. She is interested in using various methodologies, including functional neuroimaging and psychophysiology, to examine biological correlates of cognitive processes. Emily is working with Joanne to assess emotional-physiological coherence. Following graduation, Emily aims to attend graduate school to study neuroscience.
ISABEL WAITE
Undergraduate Researcher
Isabel is a second-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Biopsychology. She is broadly interested in how varied forms of screen interaction affect emotional responses and overall mental health. In the LEAP Neuro lab, Isabel is assisting Mengsi Li in her research exploring context-sensitivity of affect dynamics and neural mechanisms of emotion-temporal integration. After graduation, Isabel plans on attending physician assistant school.
JOY SUN
Undergraduate Researcher
Joy is a third-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences and a minor in Applied Psychology. She is interested in the neural underpinnings of emotion-cognition interactions. In the LEAP Neuro lab, Joy is assisting Mengsi Li in exploring how dynamic emotional experiences are temporally encoded, employing both behavioral and neuroimaging techniques. In the future, she hopes to pursue a PhD in neuroscience or clinical psychology.
LUCAS CHOI
Undergraduate Researcher
Lucas Choi is a third-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Biological Sciences with a minor in Speech-Language Sciences & Disorders. He is interested in emotional regulation and memory storage methods. He is assisting Mengsi Li in her research on context-sensitivity of affect dynamics and neural mechanisms of emotion-temporal integration. After graduation, Lucas hopes to attend medical school and pursue psychiatry.
MEGAN PAU
Undergraduate Researcher
Megan is a third-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Biopsychology. She is interested in clinical neuroscience and how the neural networks of emotion can contribute to neurological and mental disorders. In the LEAP Neuro lab, Megan is assisting Mengsi Li in investigating the context-sensitivity of affective coloring and its implications for emotional functioning. After graduation, she hopes to pursue an MD, aspiring to become a psychiatrist.
NEELAKSHI IYER
Undergraduate Researcher
Neelakshi is a third-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Biopsychology. She is interested in exploring the various mechanisms of memory, and how different behaviors impact memory and retention. In the LEAP Neuro Lab, she works under Mengsi Li and Nadu Barbashova, studying real-life emotional memories and their neural underpinnings. After graduation, Neelakshi hopes to attend medical school with a focus on neuroscience.
PARKER BARANDON
Undergraduate Researcher
Parker is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences. He is interested in the neural basis of emotion regulation, the relationship between emotions and social behavior, embodied cognition, functional neuroimaging, theories of consciousness, intergroup neuroscience, and philosophy of mind. In the LEAP Neuro lab, Parker assists Joanne in studying emotion-motor interactions and paradoxical kinesia in Parkinson’s Disease. After graduation, he hopes to pursue a PhD in social or cognitive neuroscience.
REBECCA LITTLE
Undergraduate Researcher
Rebecca is a fourth-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Psychology and Brain Sciences and a B.A. in Communication. She is interested in utilizing neuroimaging techniques to create a better understanding of what underlies different behaviors, and has a keen interest in the clinical neuroscience aspect of abnormal psychology. In the LEAP Lab, she assists Joanne Stasiak in her research aiming to uncover the connection between motor and emotional pathways and Parkinson's Disease. Following her graduation, she hopes to pursue a PsyD or a PhD in neuroscience.
SOFIA FATEEVA
Undergraduate Researcher
Sofia is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Biopsychology. She is interested in how the brain regulates emotional experiences and how these processes relate to mental health. In the LEAP Neuro lab, she assists Mengsi Li in studying the context-sensitivity of affect dynamics and neural mechanisms of emotion-temporal integration. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school to become a psychiatrist.
SUKARI LINDE-GOODFELLOW
Undergraduate Researcher
Sukari is a fourth-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Biopsychology. She is interested in exploring the neural mechanisms and pathways involved in psychiatric illnesses. In the LEAP lab, she collaborates with Dr. Jingyi Wang to investigate how emotional events affect our perception of time. After graduation, she aims to receive her Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience.
YUYUE (FRANCES) JIANG
Undergraduate Researcher
Frances is a third-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences, a B.A. in Biology in CCS, and a minor in Applied Psychology. She is interested in affective and cognitive neuroscience, especially their connections with psychopathology. She has a broad interest in brain malfunctions in different mood and anxiety disorders, spanning from circuitry to molecular levels. She is currently assisting Dr. Jingyi Wang in investigating the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying emotion and temporal memory interaction. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology or affective neuroscience.
Alumni
Lab Managers
RUNAN WANG
Undergraduate Researchers
ARAV AGARWAL
ANA NAKAMURA
CHLOE SWOISKIN
CAMBELL INGRAM
JASMINE DIAZ
IZZY WANG
KASEY BOHNEY
JEEVIKA ADDA
REICHER BERGSTEIN
LEAH WINTER
ALANA MILLER
TORI LEVIER
ALYSSA SHISHKOV
CONNOR DING
BROOKE SCHWARTZMAN
JASON ZIPEROVICH
ISABEL SCHUMAN
JESSICA HERBERT
JULIA PRATT
LEELA RAY BARLOW
LAUREN ECKHARDT
RACHEL GURARIE
MIA JEFFERY
TAYLOR LI