Dr. Jing Tian
Jing Tian, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Fordham University. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University in 2018 and her B.S. in Chemistry & Psychology from Peking University in 2013. Dr. Tian’s research centers on the cognitive, motivational, and socio-cultural factors shaping children’s learning of mathematics.
Post-Docs
Siyi Liu
Siyi is a postdoctoral fellow at the CoDE lab. He holds a B.S. and Ph.D. from Beijing Normal University and Peking University, respectively. His research focuses on math development, specifically the development of conceptual knowledge in math learning. Additionally, he is interested in using computational methods to address research questions.
Graduate Students
Beenle Han
Beenle is a first-year PhD student in the Applied Developmental Psychology program. She completed her B.A. in Psychology at the University of British Columbia and her M.A. in Cognitive Science in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research broadly explores mathematical learning and performance across different age groups. Specifically, her interests focus on how children learn and understand rational numbers, and on the factors that influence students’ understanding of perceptual and conceptual knowledge. In her free time, she enjoys reading, swimming, and exploring different coffee spots.
Jiia Liu
Jiia is a first-year PhD student in the Applied Developmental Psychology program. She completed her B.S. in Applied Psychology at the Central University of Finance and Economics in China and her M.A. in Human Development Research and Policy at New York University. She is interested in two major lines of research: understanding the cognitive foundations of STEM achievement and combining cognitive evidence with technology to design effective educational interventions. In her free time, Jiia enjoys going to concerts and exploring new restaurants.
Research Assistants
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Expected Graduation: May 2028
Aamna Basra
Aamna is a psychology and philosophy major. Her research interests include children’s mathematical development, spatial thinking, and learning outcomes. In the future, she hopes to explore how systemic and societal inequalities affect childhood development.
Samantha Epp
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Expected Graduation: May 2027
Samantha Epp is a psychology and biology major on the pre-law track. She is interested in researching childhood development and cognition to better understand the ways children experience and make sense of the world around them. Through research, she hopes to contribute to a greater understanding of children and help support their well-being and development.
Lili Todorinova
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Expected Graduation: May 2028
Lili is a psychology major and a French minor. Her research interests include the ways in which parental involvement and socioeconomic background can affect learning and the development of children and adolescents. Lili hopes to pursue graduate school for clinical psychology.
Victoria Klimaszewski
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Expected Graduation: May 2028
Victoria is a biological sciences major with an interest in child development and medicine. In the future, she hopes to become a pediatrician, where she can combine her passion for science with her interest in working with children. She is also particularly interested in making scientific information more accessible and understandable to young children and their families.
Undergraduate Senior Research Assistant
Expected Graduation: December 2026
Skylear Wylie
Skylear is a double major in psychology and theology enrolled in the pre-law program. She is interested in research focused on how the environment affects children's learning and development. In the future, she hopes to combine the knowledge of psychology with the law to pursue a career helping the community and its members.
Previous Lab Members
Lab Managers
Ashley Bontempo: Ashley has continued on to pursue her Ph.D. in Communication at The Ohio State University.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Shreya Patel: Shreya is now a Registered Behavior Technician at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
Nhi (Evelyn) Pham: Nhi now works with Dr. Selin Gülgöz in the Social Thinkers Lab on her senior honors thesis.