Our lab research assistants are inquisitive and hard-working students from the Columbia University community. Please see below for brief biographies of our RA team.
Amy Cao
Amy Cao is a second year Master’s candidate pursuing a degree in Social-Organizational Psychology at Teachers College. With a strong foundation in business and an evolving focus on psychology, she is interested in the intersection of DEI, Positive Psychology, innovation, and organizational consulting.
Her primary interest lies in understanding how to foster employee and organizational flourishing while optimizing efficiencies, a focus she actively applies in her research work. Beyond her professional pursuits, Amy enjoys yoga, exploring New York City's vibrant culinary scene, and hiking with her corgi.
Ani Kai Hadley
Ani is a junior at Columbia College studying biology and Jewish Studies. Within BRL, Ani is particularly interested in the more social psychology focused studies, such as how consumers respond to company values. After graduation, Ani plans on pursuing a doctorate in biology. In their free time, Ani enjoys walking around the city, cooking, and spending time with loved ones.
Aria Simon
Aria Simon is a sophomore at Barnard College studying Neuroscience, Statistics, and Economics. She is passionate about the intersectionality between business and healthcare, pursuing a career in finance. At the Behavioral Research Lab, she uses her proficiency in R Studio, Excel, SQL, and Java to perform statistical analysis of the data. In her spare time, she loves to sing (check out Columbia Nonsequitur A Cappella) and explore the beautiful parks in New York City!
Cenker Camci
Cenker is a junior in Columbia College studying Psychology and Econ-Math, originally from Turkey. Outside the classroom, he serves as the International Student Coordinator for CC & SEAS, and co-chairs the International Student Advisory Board. He is interested in economic thinking and decision-making, with an emphasis on how our social identities regulate and influence our decisions.
Vienna Sparks
Vienna Sparks is a sophomore at Barnard College of Columbia University studying Biophysics, Economics, and Mathematics. Vienna is inspired by the intersection between entrepreneurship, biotechnology, and economics and is currently pursuing a career in finance. At the Behavioral Research Lab, she uses her skills in Python, Excel, and financial modeling to form key results of data. Previously, Vienna lived in Bangkok and likes to spend her free time exploring new places and trying new foods.
Matt Turanchik
Matt Turanchik is a rising Junior at Columbia School of General Studies where he studies Psychology. Here, he hopes to gain a thorough understanding of cognition and behavior as he pursues his questions in social psychology. Before joining the BRL, Matt worked at Learning Life in Washington D.C., where he delved into the field of political psychology and focused on questions surrounding social media and shifts in democracy, political perspectives, and polarization in the United States. Outside of psychology, Matt teaches and directs theater in Northern New Jersey, where he originally is from.
Melody (Yuan-Pei) Fang
Melody (Yuan-Pei) Fang is a junior at Barnard College majoring in Cognitive Science and Economics. Joining the lab as a Columbia Undergraduate Business Scholar, Melody works with Professor Kristen Lane focusing on information processing and sharing in online socializing spaces. Her research interests include decision architecture, perception, and consumer behavior in the gamified and social digital world. Outside of decision science, Melody enjoys playing volleyball, podcasting about the brain, and testing out new Taiwanese recipes.
Muna Ali
Muna Ali is a junior in Columbia College majoring in Anthropology. She is interested in qualitative research methods, having previously conducted such research at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Outside of the BRL, Muna enjoys exploring NYC's bustling food scene, watching Arabic language TV shows, and snapping photos of her loved ones on her film camera.
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