PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Dr. Fırat Soylu
Associate Professor
Educational Psychology/Neuroscience
fsoylu@ua.edu
Barnes 1038
Dr. Soylu's academic website -> http://fsoylu.people.ua.edu
Associate Professor
Educational Psychology/Neuroscience
fsoylu@ua.edu
Barnes 1038
Dr. Soylu's academic website -> http://fsoylu.people.ua.edu
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Mona Anchan
Mona is a PhD student in the Educational Neuroscience concentration of The University of Alabama's Educational Psychology program. Having been a cellular/molecular neuroscience researcher as well as a math/science high school teacher in the past, she is very interested in developing more accessible ways of communicating scientific research to non-scientists, as well as working with educators to develop research addressing educational and instructional needs. In the program, her focus is on numerical and mathematical processing in monolinguals vs. bilinguals/multilinguals. Mona is interested in studying how encoding and retrieval processes differ between these populations, and the degree to which these processes are age- and context-dependent.
Mona is a PhD student in the Educational Neuroscience concentration of The University of Alabama's Educational Psychology program. Having been a cellular/molecular neuroscience researcher as well as a math/science high school teacher in the past, she is very interested in developing more accessible ways of communicating scientific research to non-scientists, as well as working with educators to develop research addressing educational and instructional needs. In the program, her focus is on numerical and mathematical processing in monolinguals vs. bilinguals/multilinguals. Mona is interested in studying how encoding and retrieval processes differ between these populations, and the degree to which these processes are age- and context-dependent.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Julia Leskow
Julia is a senior undergraduate student majoring in Educational Neuroscience and minoring in Food & Nutrition and Psychology. Julia is bilingual, speaking both Polish and English, and her research interests include the impact of bilingualism on development, concussions in contact & non-contact sports, magnetic resonance imaging, and mental health in the education system. During her time at The University of Alabama, she has been involved in the Honors College, the Education Abroad Alumni Association, CHAARG, and Alabama Club Gymnastics. Being from Massachusetts, she is a huge fan of Boston sports teams (especially the New England Patriots). In her free time, Julia enjoys coaching gymnastics, trying different workouts, skiing & snowboarding, traveling, and visiting her family & friends in Poland over the summer. After graduation, Julia will pursue a master's in Neuroimaging and Informatics at the University of Southern California.
Julia is a senior undergraduate student majoring in Educational Neuroscience and minoring in Food & Nutrition and Psychology. Julia is bilingual, speaking both Polish and English, and her research interests include the impact of bilingualism on development, concussions in contact & non-contact sports, magnetic resonance imaging, and mental health in the education system. During her time at The University of Alabama, she has been involved in the Honors College, the Education Abroad Alumni Association, CHAARG, and Alabama Club Gymnastics. Being from Massachusetts, she is a huge fan of Boston sports teams (especially the New England Patriots). In her free time, Julia enjoys coaching gymnastics, trying different workouts, skiing & snowboarding, traveling, and visiting her family & friends in Poland over the summer. After graduation, Julia will pursue a master's in Neuroimaging and Informatics at the University of Southern California.
Elia Harper
Elia is an undergraduate student at the University of Alabama majoring in Educational Neuroscience. She’s currently involved in research studying dyscalculia and is interested in learning more about bilingualism and non-verbal, symbolic processing. Elia is currently president of UA’s ‘Eye to Eye’ Chapter- a service organization committed to mentoring and empowering students with learning differences, secretary of Tau Sigma Honor Society, and a member of Phi Sigma Pi Honor Fraternity.
Elia is an undergraduate student at the University of Alabama majoring in Educational Neuroscience. She’s currently involved in research studying dyscalculia and is interested in learning more about bilingualism and non-verbal, symbolic processing. Elia is currently president of UA’s ‘Eye to Eye’ Chapter- a service organization committed to mentoring and empowering students with learning differences, secretary of Tau Sigma Honor Society, and a member of Phi Sigma Pi Honor Fraternity.
Raegan Windham
Raegan is currently an undergraduate student in the Educational Neuroscience BS Program.
Raegan is currently an undergraduate student in the Educational Neuroscience BS Program.
LAB ALUMNI
Brian Rivera (PhD), Research Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Brian joined the ELDEN Lab and Educational Neuroscience PhD concentration under the Educational Psychology PhD Program at UA in 2016. He completed his dissertation on fraction and arithmetic processing in the ELDEN Lab, which involved an EEG study and an online study on fraction verification, in addition to an fMRI study on arithmetic verification, and graduated in 2021.
Brian joined the ELDEN Lab and Educational Neuroscience PhD concentration under the Educational Psychology PhD Program at UA in 2016. He completed his dissertation on fraction and arithmetic processing in the ELDEN Lab, which involved an EEG study and an online study on fraction verification, in addition to an fMRI study on arithmetic verification, and graduated in 2021.
Wes Webber (PhD), Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies at the East Carolina University.
Wes completed his dissertation, an EEG study on implicit bias in mental health professionals, in the ELDEN Lab, and received his PhD degree in Counselor Education in 2020.
Wes completed his dissertation, an EEG study on implicit bias in mental health professionals, in the ELDEN Lab, and received his PhD degree in Counselor Education in 2020.
Erin O'Connor (PhD), Postdoctoral Scholar in the Center for the Study of Ethical Development at UA
Erin completed her dissertation on adult literacy in 2019.
Erin completed her dissertation on adult literacy in 2019.
Jakub Denkiewicz (undergrad RA)
Jakub volunteered as an undergrad RA in the ELDEN Lab between 2017 and 2019. He is currently a student at The University of Tennessee Medical School, on his path to become a psychiatrist.
Jakub volunteered as an undergrad RA in the ELDEN Lab between 2017 and 2019. He is currently a student at The University of Tennessee Medical School, on his path to become a psychiatrist.
Celia Somers (undergrad RA)
Celia volunteered in the ELDEN lab 2018-2019.
Celia volunteered in the ELDEN lab 2018-2019.
Jessica Boyd (undergrad RA)
Rachel Remmes (undegrad RA)
Nicholas Hayes (undergrad RA)
Alida Babcock (undergrad RA)
Erin O'Connor (PhD, Educational Psychology)
Bengisu Çağıltay (visiting scholar from Bilkent University, Ankara), PhD student at the University of Wisconsin
Rachel Remmes (undegrad RA)
Nicholas Hayes (undergrad RA)
Alida Babcock (undergrad RA)
Erin O'Connor (PhD, Educational Psychology)
Bengisu Çağıltay (visiting scholar from Bilkent University, Ankara), PhD student at the University of Wisconsin