REGINA LAPATE
Principal Investigator
Dr. Lapate is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), where she directs the LEAP Neuro Lab. Her research program investigates the neural mechanisms underlying emotion-cognition interactions, with a focus on cognitive control, temporal memory, and adaptive emotion. Dr. Lapate received her PhD from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she worked with Richard J. Davidson, and completed an NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship with Mark D’Esposito at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2018, she co-edited the second edition of The Nature of Emotion: Fundamental Questions. Dr. Lapate received the Association for Psychological Science Rising Star Award (2021) and was named a Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences (2023) and a UC Hellman Fellow (2024). Her lab’s research is currently funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the US Army Research Office, the Hellman Fellows Program, and the Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Foundation. [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]
SYDNEY FORTNER
Lab Manager
Sydney graduated with a B.A. in Neuroscience and Anthropology from Dartmouth College in 2024, where she conducted a case study on early-emerging prosopometamorphopsia (PMO), a disorder characterized by distorted facial perception. In the LEAP Neuro lab, Sydney investigates how emotional life events shape temporal memory and examines how the hippocampus encodes time through neural pattern similarity drift. She intends to pursue a PhD in experimental neuroscience, focusing on communication, perception, and temporality.
PARKER BARANDON
Lab Manager
Parker graduated from UCSB in 2025 with a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences. He is interested in emotion regulation, social cognition, intergroup relations, and philosophy of mind. In the LEAP Neuro Lab, he examines the role of emotion in motor control and temporal memory. After his time as lab manager, he hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in social neuroscience.
CHRISTINA VILLANUEVA
Lab Assistant
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 fourth-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.
BENJAMIN SCHAFFER
Undergraduate Researcher
Ben is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Biopsychology. He is interested in neuropharmacology and neurodegenerative diseases. In the LEAP Neuro lab, Ben assists Sydney Fortner in investigating the neural mechanisms and cognitive factors underlying emotional memories and time perception. After graduation, Ben plans to attend medical school to pursue neurology.
BROOKE ROEKER
Undergraduate Researcher
Brooke is a third-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 Sydney Fortner, observing how valenced emotional experiences influence time perception and memory. After graduation, she hopes to pursue an MD integrated with clinical neuroscience.
COHEN FERRARI
Undergraduate Researcher
Cohen is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Biology. He is interested in the biological basis of psychological disorders and how emerging technologies can reveal the physical mechanisms behind conditions traditionally understood through behavior. In the LEAP Neuro lab, Cohen assists Dr. Jingyi Wang in studying how changes in emotion affect temporal memory using both fMRI and TMS. After graduation, he plans to attend medical school and is considering a career in neurosurgery.
CURRAN HOXIE
Undergraduate Researcher
Curran is a fourth-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 Mengsi Li and Sydney Fortner on the Life of Memories project, exploring the temporal dynamics of real-life emotional memories. After graduation, he plans to pursue a PhD in neuroscience.
HARLEEN DHANDA
Undergraduate Researcher
Harleen is a fourth-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences with a minor in Educational Studies. She is interested in the development of substance use disorders among adolescents, and investigating evidence-based interventions. In the lab, Harleen works alongside Joanne Stasiak to examine the naturalistic processing and regulation of positive emotions. After graduation, Harleen aims to work with adolescents as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), and hopes to attain a Ph.D. in the neuroscience of addiction.
JOY SUN
Undergraduate Researcher
Joy is a fourth-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.
KATHERINE RETZER
Undergraduate Researcher
Katherine is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences with a minor in Anthropology. She is interested in applying functional neuroimaging and psychophysiological methods to investigate why and how cognitive functions are affected following trauma and in stress-related disorders. In the LEAP Neuro Lab, she assists Dr. Jingyi Wang in researching how emotional events influence temporal memory through experimental fMRI and TMS sessions. After graduation, she intends to pursue a PhD in Cognitive Psychology.
LUCAS CHOI
Undergraduate Researcher
Lucas Choi is a fourth-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.
MADISON PEARCE
Undergraduate Researcher
Madison is a 4th year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Biopsychology. She is interested in the research and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. In the LEAP Neuro Lab, she assists Jingyi in investigating the relationship between emotion and temporal memory. After graduation, she intends to pursue medical school.
MEGAN PAU
Undergraduate Researcher
Megan is a fourth-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.
MELINA ZACHOU
Undergraduate Researcher
Melina is a third-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences with a minor in Applied Psychology. She is interested in how dynamically shifting emotional and cognitive states shape perception and behavior, and how these processes relate to mental health outcomes. In the LEAP Neuro Lab, she assists Jingyi in examining the temporal interaction of memory and emotion, focusing on how people process emotional information and make decisions using fMRI and TMS. After graduation, Melina plans to pursue graduate education in clinical psychology.
NATALIE ZEBLEY
Undergraduate Researcher
Natalie Zebley is a second-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences. She is interested in the neural mechanisms and psychological functions of conscious awareness, emotion, and emotional regulation. In the LEAP Neuro Lab, she is assisting Sydney Fortner and Mengsi Li on the Life of Memories Project, which explores real-life emotional memories and their temporal dynamics. After graduation, she plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology or neuroscience.
NIYA JAIN
Undergraduate Researcher
Niya is a second-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences and Statistics and Data Science. She is interested in neurological responses behind processing of emotions. In LEAP Neuro lab, she assists Dr. Jingyi Wang in her research on temporal distancing with negatively and positively perceived images.
SANCHITA KOPPA
Undergraduate Researcher
Sanchita is a second-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences and a B.A. in Economics. Sanchita is interested in the cognitive processes behind emotional regulation and perception, particularly in social environments. In the LEAP Neuro lab, Sanchita assists Joanne Stasiak in running MRI studies to assess physio-emotional interoception. Following graduation, Sanchita plans to pursue a graduate degree in social psychology.
SOFIA FATEEVA
Undergraduate Researcher
Sofia is a fourth-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.
SOPHIA FUNG
Undergraduate Researcher
Sophia is a fourth-year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Biological Sciences with a minor in Applied Psychology. She is interested in the neural mechanisms behind emotional regulation and behavioral conditions in individuals with autism. Sophia is assisting Mengsi Li with projects investigating the neural basis of emotions and emotional memory using behavioral, neurostimulation, and neuroimaging methods. After graduation, Sophia hopes to attend dental school and pursue dentistry, with an interest in expanding access for neurodivergent individuals.
SRUTHI SUDARSAN
Undergraduate Researcher
Sruthi is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.S in Biology and B.S in Statistics and Data Science. She is interested in the intersection between technology and medicine, specifically the use of computational and data analysis tools in neuroimaging. In the LEAP Neuro Lab, Sruthi is assisting Mengsi Li and Sydney Fortner in studying the emotional and temporal dynamics of real-life memories. After graduation, she hopes to attend medical school and pursue a career in pediatric neurology.
Alumni
Lab Managers
RUNAN WANG
Undergraduate Researchers
CLAIRE HERNANDEZ
ANNA SOFIA GUERRA
DENIS SHRESTHA
COOPER EMERY
REBECCA LITTLE
EMILY COHEN
YUYUE (FRANCES) JIANG
SUKARI LINDE-GOODFELLOW
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
ISABEL SCHUMAN
JESSICA HERBERT
JULIA PRATT
LEELA RAY BARLOW
LAUREN ECKHARDT
RACHEL GURARIE
MIA JEFFERY
JASON ZIPEROVICH
TAYLOR LI