Research Assistant

Ayan is a research student in Dr. Jennifer Ryan’s Lab. She obtained her HBSc in Psychology at the University of Toronto. Ayan is broadly interested in development across the lifespan. Specifically, she is investigating the influence of clinical conditions on eye movement in younger adults. In the Ryan Lab, Ayan works on experiments using online eye-tracking platforms to understand aspects of cognition and mental health.

PhD Student

Ziming is a PhD student co-supervised by Drs. Jennifer Ryan and Donna Rose Addis. Utilizing innovative methods like eye tracking, natural language processing, and computational modeling, Ziming aims to uncover the intricate temporal interdependencies between gaze fixations and memory narratives. In addition to his primary research, Ziming is also interested in how lifetime story narratives transform and evolve over extended periods, such as throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Outside the realm of science, Ziming enjoys engaging in strategy games, honing his culinary skills, playing soccer, and spending quality time with his golden retriever.

Research Assistant

Isabel is a Research Assistant at the Ryan Lab. She is in the fourth year of her HBSc at the University of Toronto, studying Psychology and Biology. Isabel is most interested in memory encoding and retrieval strategies, such as unitization, and how they play a role in mediating cognitive decline. She has a special love for fMRI and MRI, and is excited to explore new tools like the eye-tracker. She is also excited to learn about the role of previous knowledge and the impact of eye-movements on memory and cognition through her projects this summer.

Research Assistant

Lily is a Research Assistant in Dr. Jennifer Ryan’s Lab. She earned her MA in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University in 2024, following her BA in Psychology and History of Science from Johns Hopkins University in 2021. Her undergraduate research involved temperamental dimensions in pediatric anxiety disorders, while her graduate research focused on cognition and first episode psychosis, as well as the cognitive and clinical characteristics of untreated schizophrenia in an aging population. Presently, Lily’s research interests are broadly rooted in forensic psychology. She is interested in studying the accuracy of memory recall in the context of eye-witness testimony, as well as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Research Assistant

Jacky is a Research Assistant in the Ryan lab. After earning his BCom in Finance & Economics from University of Toronto, he pursued a career in capital markets before deciding to pursue his current HBSc degree in Psychology & Neuroscience. He is currently collaborating with Dr. Ryan and Dr. Leonardelli on a project exploring the role of memory in the workplace. Their research focuses on how memories influence organizational culture and identity, shape peer interactions, affect employees' readiness to embrace change, or impact the perceived effectiveness of leaders.

PhD Student

Geneva is a PhD student at UofT and the RRI being co-supervised by Drs. Björn Herrmann and Jennifer Ryan. She completed her BSc at York University in the Specialized Honours in Psychology program. Geneva is interested in researching how vision, listening, and cognitive processes integrate at the behavioural and neural level, with the aim to promote healthy aging. Her research involves eye-tracking, fMRI, behavioural testing, and computational models. Outside the lab, Geneva is either buried in the latest hot novel, starting a crochet project that will never be finished, or biking around Toronto's nature trails.

Graduate Student

Jessica is a graduate student at the University of Toronto supervised by Dr. Jennifer Ryan. She completed her BA in Psychology at York University where she explored her research interests by working with populations across the lifespan. She later spent two years working as a lab manager in a lab focusing on infant pain. Ultimately, after exploration in research with both infants and adults, she was drawn toward research on memory and aging. Jessica is interested in psychosocial factors and their influence on memory, as well as developing strategies to improve memory functioning in older adults. For her graduate research, she is currently evaluating specific strategies and exploring how psychological disorders/symptoms affect the ability to use these strategies to improve memory.

Graduate student

Michelle is a PhD student supervised by Dr. Jennifer Ryan at the Rotman Research Institute. She completed her HBSc in Human Biology at the University of Toronto, where she developed a strong interest in cognitive neuroscience, particularly the roles of memory, learning, and attention, through functional neuroimaging research. She is currently interested in using eye-tracking methods to better understand memory, including the potential for eye movements to serve as biomarkers of individual differences and their relationship to neural dynamics and environmental complexity. Outside the lab, you can find Michelle practicing her martial arts skills or café hopping in search of the best matcha in the city.