The Team

I'm Janet Li, a Biology and Society major in the class of 2019, and I'm currently helping out with the Parent Regulation Study! I joined the ECC Lab because I was looking for research that could be scientific and highly enjoyable at the same time, and found that through learning about children and their early cognition. Wanting to work in a pediatric field in the future, I'm come to love being around children and specifically learning about how they develop. After graduation, I hope to attend physician assistant school. Outside of classes, I like to play music (piano, viola, classical guitar), take photographs, and get to know people better. 

Hi! My name is Karen Shek and I am a Biological Sciences major (conc. Human Nutrition) and minoring in Psychology in the Class of 2019. I’m from New York City. Unlike many of my other biology majors, I am actually not pre-med, but am rather more interested in public health because I want to empower people through knowledge about their health. I heard about the ECC lab through a wonderful fellow lab member, and decided to join because I’ve worked with young children in a variety of educational programs, but I wish to learn more about how their cognition “blooms.” So far, I’ve been involved in two projects; Choice Storytelling and Social Mindfulness, and I look forward to learning more about choice! A fun fact about me would be that I have a nine year-old yellow teddy bear named ‘Cream Cheese,’ and I still adore it! Perhaps, that’s why I get along with children so well! 

Hi! My name is Regina Longley and I’m a Spanish major on the pre-medical track in the College of Arts and Sciences. I joined the ECC Lab because I love playing and learning with kids. I’ve spent a lot of time working in a daycare in my hometown and I think teaching and helping children is one of the most rewarding and entertaining experiences you can have. I hope to someday work as a pediatrician and put all of my knowledge of how kids work to great use!

Hello! My name is Zehra Jafri. I am a Human Biology, Health, and Society major in the class of 2019 that is interested in biomedical engineering, human development, research, and medicine. I joined the ECC Lab because I love interacting with children, and especially hearing their stories and discovering how their imaginations work! At Cornell I’m a part of Alpha Epsilon Delta, Cornell Undergraduate Research Board, and the Pakistani Students Association. During school breaks at home in Boston you can catch me baking desserts from all around the world, playing basketball, singing, playing the violin, and binge watching almost anything on Netflix!

Hello! My name is Rebecca Li, and I am a Human Development major, in a pre-med track in the class of 2019. I joined the ECC lab, because I am fascinated by the exponential growth that occurs during early childhood. I enjoy spending time with children, and I devote much of my time throughout the summer and school year to work with children in classrooms, hospitals, and pregnancy crisis centers. I love exploring new places, especially the scenic areas of Ithaca!  

Hi, my name is Aliza Adhami and I am an HBHS major. I joined the ECC lab because I am fascinated with how young minds develop. I love working with children because their curiosity sparks so many different ways of learning, both for themselves and for us as researchers! On campus, I am involved in cultural clubs and advocacy, as president of the Pakistani Students' Association, advocacy chair for SAC, and a member of the Human Ecology Dean's Advisory Council. I am currently working on the Imagination Fluency project and am very excited to see some interesting results and future directions involving resilience. 

I am Lucie in the class of 2019, majoring in Human Biology, Health and Society. I joined the ECC lab because early childhood cognitive development has always intrigued me, especially after I took the Early Childhood and Infancy class. Through examining the development of early executive function, we are able to better understand how choices are made since a young age. One fun fact about me is that I have been to around 15 different countries.