People
Current Team
Andrew J. Fuligni, Ph.D.
Director
Andrew is a Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. He also is Co-Executive Director of the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent. Receiving his Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at the University of Michigan, he was a recipient of the American Psychological Association’s Boyd McCandless Award for Early Career Contribution to Developmental Psychology, a William T. Grant Faculty Scholars Award, a FIRST award from NICHD, and he is a Fellow in the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science.
Francesca De Geronimo
Doctoral Student
Francesca is a doctoral student in developmental psychology. She is interested in understanding how biological and social processes interact to shape developmental trajectories during adolescence. Her research focuses on the role of pubertal development in influencing behaviors and mental health.
Jasmine Hernández
Doctoral Student
Jasmine is a doctoral student in developmental psychology. She studies cultural and environmental influences on behavior and brain development during adolescence. She utilizes multimodal methods (e.g., behavioral, fMRI) to investigate prosocial and risk taking behavior in youth from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
Ann Nguyen
Administrator
Ann keeps things running smoothly here in the Lab and beyond. She is known for her management skills, insights and grace under pressure. Ann additionally serves as the Center Administrator for the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent and is a lifelong UCLA Bruin.
Hugo Sanchez Hernandez
Postdoctoral Fellow
Hugo is a postdoctoral researcher interested in the interplay of culture and socioeconomic status (SES) in influencing emotions and health. His work aims to inform a better understanding of how emotions are managed across the social hierarchy and how they impact the health and well-being of ethnic minority students transitioning to higher education.
Ava Trimble
Graduate Student
Ava is a doctoral student in developmental psychology. She is interested in how adolescents’ interpersonal relationships such as romantic relationships and friendships contribute to long-term socioemotional development and psychological well-being. Her research also aims to examine the influence of diverse ecological contexts on relationship processes.
Victoria Guazzelli Williamson
Postdoctoral Fellow
Victoria is a postdoctoral fellow researching social cognitive development—how young people develop an understanding of themselves and others—and its links with internalizing psychopathology. She is particularly interested in identifying social mechanisms of risk and resilience among marginalized (e.g., low status and Latine) youth. Read more about her work on her website.
Kai Mitchell-Reiss
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Kai is a fourth-year psychology major at UCLA. He is interested in the intersection between social and developmental psychology. Outside of the lab, he can be found in the mountains, at a coffee shop, or running.
Samantha Pinsky
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Samantha is a fourth year Human Biology and Society major. She joined the lab to gain hands-on experience studying how different influences contribute to children’s growth and well being. In her free time, she enjoys watching romantic comedies and going out for hot fudge sundaes at McDonald’s with friends.
Lota Uyanwune
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Lota is a third-year Psychobiology major and Film & TV minor. She is interested in the interaction between environmental, social and biological systems on psychological health and development. Outside the lab, she enjoys hiking, watching films, and side-questing.