Meet the Lab – Learning and Brain Development Lab

Meet the LBD Lab

Dr. Julie Markant is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Tulane University. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in Child Psychology from the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota. Prior to coming to Tulane, Dr. Markant completed postdoctoral training in the Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences at Brown University.

Dr. Markant’s research focuses on mechanisms that link the development of selective attention and efficient learning during infancy and early childhood. Her work takes a bidirectional approach by investigating 1) the role of developing attention control in promoting more effective learning and 2) the role of prior learning and experience in shaping our ability to efficiently orient to meaningful information. This research is grounded in a developmental perspective and the understanding that multiple biological and contextual factors contribute to change in these processes over time. Dr. Markant therefore aims to understand how both neurobehavioral mechanisms and individual experience contribute to variability in attention and learning outcomes. To address these questions Dr. Markant’s research emphasizes behavioral and eye tracking methods but has also incorporated genetic, MRI, and fNIRS measures.

Svetha is a fifth year School Psychology Ph.D. student from West Palm Beach, Florida. She earned her B.S. in Psychology from University of Central Florida in 2017, taught English in Cartagena, Spain, and then earned her M.A. in Human Development from University of Maryland, College Park. Before coming to Tulane, she was involved in various research projects that examined different aspects of children’s cognitive development, such as working memory in children with ADHD, the neurodevelopment of language and memory using EEG methods, and the effects of cognition and scaffolding in early science education. Svetha’s current work focuses on how preschool-aged children pay attention to and learn from contextual information using eye-tracking and behavioral methods.

Brooke is a third-year Psychological Science Ph.D. student with a focus in Brain, Cognition, and Developmental Science from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She earned her B.S. in Psychology from Louisiana State University , where she engaged in several labs exploring neurocognitive mechanisms of attention and memory using eye-tracking, behavioral, and EEG methods. After LSU, she served as the Lab Manager for the Learning & Brain Development Lab and earned her M.S. in Psychological Science from Tulane University, where her research focused on the development of attention biases during infancy. Currently, Brooke studies the development of selective attention during infancy, focusing on how familiarity and reward shape attention mechanisms. Using eye-tracking and behavioral methods, her work aims to better understand how early attention supports learning and how these mechanisms change across infancy.

Aditi is a 1st-year School Psychology PhD student, originally from Chennai, Southern India. She completed her BSc (Honors) and Post-graduate Diploma in Psychology from Ashoka University, India. During her undergraduate degree, Aditi was closely involved with developmental research at her home university and the LBD Lab, which shaped her interests in how early caregiving shapes early childhood development. Her Capstone thesis qualitatively explored firsttime motherhood from developmental, cultural, and feminist lenses, propelling her towards a PhD to understand how children and their caregivers reciprocally influence each other’s development. Working with young school children after her time at Ashoka University, Aditi became curious about how school psychologists bridge gaps between home and school to ensure young people’s social, emotional, scholastic, and cognitive development is enhanced. Her current work integrates these perspectives by exploring how variables such as caregiving quality and attachment influence the development of attention mechanisms during infancy.

Kayla is our Lab Manager from Knightdale, North Carolina. She attended The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she earned a B.S. in Psychology in 2023. Throughout her time at UNC, she was heavily involved in the research in the Psychology and Neuroscience departments which primarily focuses on Child Imaging Research on Cognition and Life Experiences (CIRCLE Lab). Kayla is interested in cognitive and socioemotional mechanisms that may influence overall developmental outcomes in children and adolescence with consideration to early adverse experiences.

Emma is our Recruitment Coordinator from Nashville, Tennessee. She joined the lab as a research assistant in Fall 2022, before graduating from Tulane with a B.S. in Psychology and Neuroscience and a minor in Teaching, Learning, and Training. She joined the LBD Lab because of her interest in learning and intelligence and her desire to work with children. During her undergraduate career, Emma was involved in the Newcomb Scholars program and the Tulane Neuroscience Association. In the future, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in School Psychology.

Shanae is a senior at Tulane from Newton, Massachusetts. She is majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Gender Studies and Public Health and hopes to use her education to help lessen the burden of health disparities in medicine. After graduation, she hopes to go to medical school and pursue a career in women’s health. She joined the lab because of her interest in neuroscience and working with children. In her free time, Shanae is involved in multiple on-campus groups, including Tulane Peer Health Educators, Peer Wellness Representatives, and her sorority.

Catherine is a senior at Tulane University from Houston, Texas. She is pursuing a Public Health major, as well as a Strategy, Leadership & Analytics minor. On campus, Catherine is involved in the Health Equity Fellowship and Tulane Peer Health Educators. In her free time, she loves rock climbing, reading and finding new coffeeshops. Post-graduation, Catherine intends to pursue a career as a medical doctor. She is currently interested in pediatric work, which drew her to the LBD lab.

McKenzie is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a junior at Tulane University. She is currently majoring in Neuroscience. Her interest in pediatrics and neuroscience are what led her to join Dr. Markant’s lab. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her younger siblings, trying new foods, and hanging out with friends!

Emma Crawford is a junior at Tulane University from Hammond, Louisiana. She is currently pursuing majors in both Neuroscience and Spanish, and joined Dr. Markant’s LBD lab because of her interest in research and working with families. Emma is currently an assistant secretary of her sorority and is involved in other organizations on campus such as Tulane University Service-Dog Training and Tulane University Neuroscience Association. In her free time, she enjoys making and drinking coffee and exploring new spots in New Orleans. After graduation, she plans to continue to medical school in pursuit of becoming a clinician.

Annabelle is a junior from Birmingham, Alabama. She is double majoring in Psychology and Cognitive Studies. She joined the LBD Lab due to her passion for working with children and helping them learn & thrive! On campus, Annabelle is involved in the Alpha Phi Omega national service fraternity, her sorority, and Club Ace, a hip hop dance club. In her free time, she enjoys singing, dancing, and gaming. After graduating from Tulane, Annabelle hopes to pursue a PhD in developmental psychology and continue doing research.

Júlia is a senior at Tulane from Brasília, Brazil who is double majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience. At Tulane, she is one of the program directors for ACEing Autism, a co-founder of the Brazilian Student Association, and she volunteers at the Children’s Hospital of New Orleans. During her free time, she enjoys going on walks in Audubon Park and exploring New Orleans with friends. Her passion for child neuropsychology led herto discover and join the LBD Lab. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a PhD and eventually become a pediatric neuropsychologist!

Alison is a senior at Tulane University from Greenwich, Connecticut. She is double majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience. She is a member of the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, Psi Chi, the Tulane Neuroscience Association, and is the Supplemental Instructor for a section of Cellular Neuroscience. In her free time, she enjoys baking, trying new cafes, and walks outdoors while listening to music. She is especially interested in psychosocial factors contributing to stress and clinical disorders. After graduation, she looks to pursue a Ph.D. in neuropsychology.

Celina is a sophomore at Tulane from New Orleans, Louisiana. She is majoring in Psychology, with minors in Studio Art and Social Work. Celina loves dancing, making art, and hanging out with the campus cats. She is passionate about supporting others and giving back to the New Orleans community. After graduating, Celina will pursue further education to become a mental health therapist.

Sameeha is a sophomore at Tulane University from Mandeville, Louisiana, majoring in Exercise Science. She is also minoring in Sociology, which led to her interest in joining Dr. Markant’s lab to see the relationship between psychology and sociology, along with her interest in being able to work with children. In her free time, Sameeha enjoys playing pickleball, drinking coffee, painting, and baking. After graduating from Tulane, she hopes to attend medical school to pursue a career in orthopedic sports medicine.

Lana is a junior from Metairie, Louisiana, majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Public Health. She joined the LBD Lab to explore her passion for childhood development and to engage directly with the New Orleans community through research. At Tulane, she is a Newcomb Scholar and an active member of the Muslim Students Association and the Synthetic Biology Club. Outside of academics, she enjoys photography, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school with an interest in pediatrics.

Gabriel is a junior at Tulane University from Los Angeles, California. He is double majoring in Psychology and Philosophy. On campus, he is involved in the Psi Chi Honors Society in Psychology, the Phi Sigma Tau Honors Society in Philosophy, and the Just Dance Club. In his free time, Gabriel enjoys running, reading, and spending time outdoors. After graduation, he hopes to pursue a doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

Nemat is a sophomore at Tulane from Scotch Plains, New Jersey, double majoring in Neuroscience and Cognitive Studies. She’s passionate about pursuing a career in medicine with a focus on global health equity. Nemat joined the LBD lab because she’s fascinated by how early experiences shape who we become. Outside of the lab, she’s involved in Science Olympiad, mentors for Women and Youth Supporting Each Other, and loves musicals. She is super excited to explore her interests in child development and community engagement!

Ella is a sophomore from Oakland, California, majoring in Psychology and Communications with a minor in Social Work. Her passion for working with children and interest in cognitive psychology led her to join Dr. Markant’s lab, where she’s excited to contribute to research with real-world applications. On campus, she’s involved in a pre-professional service fraternity, a social sorority, and works at the Tulane Alumni House front desk. Outside of academics, Ella enjoys traveling, cooking, paddle boarding, and exploring new places with friends and family. She hopes to pursue graduate studies in psychology and research focused on children and teens.

Sara is a junior at Tulane from Millburn, New Jersey. She is majoring in Psychology with a minor in French and a Gender-based Violence Certificate. After graduation, Sara hopes to pursue a PhD and career in Clinical Psychology with a focus on developmental, pediatric, and cognitive-behavioral challenges. She joined the lab because of her interest in community-centered care and infant learning. In her free time, Sara is a member of Tulane’s Community Service Fellows, the National Leadership Honor Society, and the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.

Mia is a sophomore from San Juan, Puerto Rico majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Cell and Molecular Biology on the pre-health track. Her strong interest in neuroscience and pediatrics led her to join Dr. Markant’s lab, where she is excited to contribute to research focused on learning and attention development. On campus, she is involved in the medical and engineering pre-professional fraternities, writes for the Tulane Hullabaloo, and works for Housing and Residence Life as a desk coordinator. Outside of academics, Mia enjoys spending time with friends and family, watching movies and exploring the outdoors. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career as a physician and work at the intersection of medicine, research and patient care.

Noah is a sophomore at Tulane from Charlotte, North Carolina, majoring in Neuroscience and Spanish. Currently, he is an undergraduate tutor at the ALTC, treasurer of TU Clean, and member of Phi Delta Epsilon, and in his free time, he enjoys reading, baking, hiking, and learning new languages. He joined the LBD lab to explore his passion for early neurodevelopment and is pursuing a career in pediatric neurology after attending medical school.

Our Alumni

Former Graduate Students

Taylor Marcus, Ph.D

Taylor earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Tulane University in 2025. She previously graduated from Louisiana State University in 2018 with a dual B.S. in Biological Sciences and Psychology. Broadly, her research explores how and why we attend to and remember familiar people within our social networks. In the LBD Lab, Taylor contributed to studies with infants, children, and adults that examined the mechanisms underlying attention biases toward familiar faces. Her dissertation integrated behavioral measures, eye tracking, and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate how reward processing influences attention to self, familiar, and unfamiliar faces. She is currently a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Social Memory Lab at Tulane University, where she is continuing this work using novel behavioral paradigms and advanced fMRI analysis methods to further disentangle the roles of reward and familiarity in shaping familiar identity representations. Taylor looks forward to maintaining ties with the LBD Lab throughout her academic career, as she continues to build upon the research program she started there.

Brianna Hunter, Ph.D

Brianna earned her Ph.D. in Psychological Science from Tulane University in 2022. She earned a B.S. in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Florida in 2017 and her M.S. in Psychological Science from Tulane in 2019. Brianna’s research examines how experience shapes attention throughout development. While in the Learning and Brain Development Lab, Brianna conducted several eye-tracking studies with infants as well as online behavioral tasks with children to study attention to faces. Brianna is currently a Postdoctoral Scholar at UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain where she continues to research attention and learning during infancy. She plans to be a long-time collaborator with members of the LBDLab as she pursues a career in Academia.

Jill King, Ph.D

Completing her work in the LBDLab, Jill earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Tulane University in 2021 with her dissertation entitled “Selective attention control facilitates learning from task-relevant competing information during childhood and adulthood.” She previously earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a B.S. in Psychology from Louisiana State University in 2016. Following her graduation, Jill has transitioned from academia into an industry position. As a research scientist in the Moore Neuro-Fundraising® Lab at TCM Creative in Tulsa, Oklahoma, her research now focuses on donating behaviors. She enjoys applying the many skills she learned in the Learning and Brain Development Lab to these new challenges.

Claire Noonan, Ph.D

As the first doctoral student in the Learning and Brain Development Lab, Claire earned her Ph.D in School Psychology from Tulane University in 2020. She earned her B.A. in Biological Sciences from Columbia University in 2009 and her MS in Developmental Psychology from The University of Texas at Dallas in 2014. Her research interests center around face processing and early social skills during the first year of life, especially to inform prevention, early indication, and treatment in the context of maladaptive development. Claire completed her predoctoral clinical psychology internship in Infant Mental Health at the University of Denver Internship Consortium through the Mental Health Center of Denver. Following graduation, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Irving Harris Program in Child Development and Infant Mental Health at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. She is now a Clinical Psychologist at the Mental Health Center in Denver. She will forever cherish her time as a member of the LBDLab.

Research Assistants

Honors Students

Lab Staff

Mira Dixon

Bella Mainiero

Sydney Meilstrup

Alyssa Alperstein

School Psychology Ph.D. Student at the University of Florida

Maira Ansari

Psychology Master’s Student at Tulane University

Kasey Ehrenreich

Psychology Master’s Student at American University

Zoe Sanders

Research Assistant with the Neurocognitive Development Lab at the University of Maryland

Clare McIntyre

Fulbright US Scholar studying in Santiago, Chile

Makenzie Soto

Research Coordinator with the Early Social Development Lab at the University of South Carolina

Keerthana Krishnan

Masters of Public Health Student at Johns Hopkins University

Max Curl

Research Technologist at Johns Hopkins University

Nicole Miller

Research Support Specialist at the University at Buffalo

Amanda Schaller

Human Resources Generalist at Spring Education Group

Fiona McDermut

Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Student at the University of Denver

Sophia Nahabedian

Clinical Psychological Science MPS at the University of Maryland

Carsyn Olivier

Project Coordinator at University of Oregon

Roumina Adab

Medical Student at Georgetown University

Ramal Rauf

School Psychology Ph.D. student at Tulane University

Ellie Young

Medical Student at the University of Southern California

Christina Attia

Medical Student at West Virginia University

Mary Snellings Inabnett

School Psychology Ph.D. Student Louisiana State University

Dara Tucker

M.A. / Ed.S. Student at University of Delaware

Emilee Saxon

Technical Specialist at IMotions A/S

Daisy Ellis

MPH, Health Policy Student

Sydney Greenlee

Medical Scribe

Rachel Aber

Medical Student at SUNY Upstate Medical University

Jackie Kandalaft

M.S., Psychology Behavioral Health

Savannah McNair

Quality Data and Improvement Analyst at Vaya Health

Kimberly Cortez

Physical Therapy Student

Caitlin Strozewski

Veterinary Medicine Student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Anna Wood

Assistant Director of Student Philanthropy at Pennsylvania State University

Julia Nauman

Intellectual and Developmental Disability Psychology Ph.D. Student at Ohio State University

Leah Vaidya

Lab Manager at Wesleyan University

Kaitlyn Tholen

Medical Student at Louisiana State University School of Medicine

Matt Coleman

Executive Director at Giving Multiplier at Harvard University

Monica Holler

Research Assistant at Yale School of Medicine

Alyssa Cruse

Internal Medicine Resident at Emory School of Medicine

Emma Meyer

Recruitment Coordinator with the Learning and Brain Development Lab at Tulane University

Maddie Parsley

Brooke Montgomery

Psychological Science Ph.D. Student at Tulane University

Brittany Justin

Kelsey Offen

Academic Advisor at University of Colorado at Boulder

Meet the LBD Lab

Dr. Julie Markant

Svetha Mohan

Brooke Montgomery

Aditi Sridhar

Kayla Brown

Emma Meyer

Shanae Venter

Catherine MacConnell

McKenzie Mayo

Emma Crawford

Annabelle Paris

Júlia Romagnoli

Alison Sun

Celina Breaux

Sameeha Hussain

Lana Alsghair

Gabriel Levin

Nemat Iddisah

Ella Puckett

Sarah Solomon

Mia Cordero

Noah Wardy