UCLA

Jessie Chang is a second-year transfer majoring in Psychology and minoring in Philosophy. Besides editing for the URJP, Jessie is also a research assistant in the Social Minds Lab at UCLA and currently working on the Psychology departmental honors project with Dr. Efren Perez on how ethnic identification can affect people’s sympathetic perception of protestors.

Annika Ekenstam

Annika Ekenstam (she/her) is a first year student at UCLA pursuing a degree in Cognitive Science with a potential second major in Spanish. From Thousand Oaks, CA, she’s stayed close to her roots, but has aspirations to travel and study abroad. Annika intends to contribute to research at UCLA and continue her education in a PhD program following graduation. Further, she is interested in a career in either research or cognitive behavioral therapy. Apart from academics, she enjoys running, lifting, hiking, crafting, and spending time with her family, friends, and Labrador Retriever, Primrose.

Sarah Harris

Sarah Harris (she/her) is a junior year transfer student at UCLA originally from Orange County, California. As a psychology major, she is deeply engaged in research regarding developmental and clinical psychology, with a particular interest on mental disorder development in adolescents. After graduation, she hopes to either pursue a masters or PhD in clinical psychology.

Naima Kahl

Naima Kahl is a first-year Cognitive Science major and Ethnomusicology minor from Thousand Oaks, California. Outside of URJP, she is a member of the UCLA Scattertones A Cappella group and Afrikan Student Union, cultivating her passion for music performance and activism. She hopes to attend graduate school after college and pursue a career in global research, studying the cultural implications of ancestral trauma in underrepresented communities worldwide. She also enjoys traveling to new places, eating good food, and singing with friends.

Dahlia Kirov

Dahlia is a 4th year undergraduate student majoring in psychobiology and minoring in applied developmental psychology. She currently works as a peer health educator and health literacy specialist under the Health Education and Resource Team at the Ashe center, as well as a clinical and research assistant at a child OCD program under UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric hospital. Outside of URJP, Dahlia is the finance director for the Association of Students in Child Development, a writer for Morning Sign Out, and a newsletter contributor for Psi Chi. She hopes to pursue a career in clinic child psychology and work closely with families to promote their mental wellness.

Maggie Li

Maggie (she/her) is a first-year Psychology major. Outside of URJP, she volunteers at the Companion Care Program at UCLA Health. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school and conduct research related to learning strategies for Autism. A fun fact about Maggie is that she can remember all her friends’ birthdays.

Loretta Lye

Loretta is second-year from Singapore double-majoring in Psychology and Economics. Deeply intrigued by human social behaviour, Loretta strives to explore the applications of behavioral insights to public policy so as to guide populations and individuals in making the most optimal decisions. Outside of URJP, Loretta is a research assistant at the Social Minds Lab (UCLA) and Group for Persuasion and Evaluative Processes (NUS). The rest of her time is spent drawing silly caricatures and watching terrible movies.

Monica Ni

Monica is a first year undergraduate psychology major at UCLA with a passion for understanding the complexities of the human mind. Outside of academics, she enjoys baking and mentoring peers, combining her passions for creativity and community.

Siobhan Nelson

Siobhan (she/her) is a second-year Psychology major. Outside of her position on URJP’s editing team, she is involved as a member of the psychology honors society, Psi Chi, and also as an undergraduate research assistant at a social skills treatment program for children at the Semel Institute. She also works with UCLA’s Cluster program as a peer mentor and liaison between students and faculty in her position as a Peer Research & Writing Specialist. After graduation, she hopes to attend graduate school and conduct research related to developmental and clinical psychology. In her free time, she enjoys reading, running, and listening to music.

Shea Ridl

Shea Ridl (she/her) is a first-year cognitive science major from Washington, DC. Apart from editing as a part of URJP, she is involved with Copy for the Daily Bruin and Club Tennis. She enjoys reading, photography, and learning about psychology!

Jessica Sanders

Jessica Sanders (she/her) is a second year Cognitive Science major from Sacramento, California. Outside of URJP, she is a research assistant at the UCLA Language Acquisition lab, a volunteer for ACE free clinic, and a member of Pages for Pediatrics creative design committee. After she graduates she hopes to pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology, specializing in anxiety and depression disorders. In her free time she enjoys hiking, figure skating, and dance!

Raymond Shao

Raymond (he/him) is a third-year psychology and (linguistics + CS) double major from San Jose, CA. His interests are in development, particularly language acquisition and cognitive development. Apart from URJP, Raymond is also a research assistant in the Language and Cognitive Development lab. After graduation, he hopes to pursue a PhD in Developmental Psychology or Psycholinguistics.

Chloe Zhu

Chloe Zhu is a fourth-year psychology and sociology double major. Outside of URJP, she is a research assistant at UCLA Social Minds Lab. After graduation, she plans to take a gap year and then goes to graduate school for social sciences. In her free time, she likes to listen to music and go to the theater.

Yumna Battisha

Yumna (she/her) is a fourth-year Psychology major at UCLA from the Bay Area. After graduation, she plans to pursue a master’s degree focusing on substance abuse-related areas. Outside of URJP, she is the Co-Director of Design for FAST and works with Team Awareness Combatting Overdose (T.A.C.O) to help raise awareness surrounding substance abuse. In her free time, Yumna enjoys discovering new coffee shops and traveling, and photography.

Nysa Lilani

Marketing and Finance

Leil Cheng

Leil Cheng (she/her) is a second year undergraduate student majoring in psychobiology. She is from San Mateo, California in the Bay Area. Leil is broadly interested in developmental psychology, but hopes to narrow down her research interests in the future and is open to exploration. In her free time, she can be found drawing, reading, and playing board games.

Chealsea Dong

Headshot and bio coming soon! 

Christie Fok

Christie Fok is a second-year Psychology major with plans to minor in Digital Humanities. In addition to her role in URJP, Christie is an active member of the Life Science Students Association, where she helps organize fundraising initiatives and workshops to support Life Science students. She also serves as a student researcher for the UCLA Communications Department and contributes to Frida’s Project, a student-led study examining acculturative stress among students of color. In her free time, Christie enjoys exploring new sweet treats and kayaking.

Christina Lee

Christina Lee (she/her) is a second year Cognitive Science major from Burbank, California. As she continues her studies at UCLA, she plans to pursue a Specialization in Computing. Outside of URJP, Christina currently serves as an Internal Board member for Creative Labs on the Design team, in addition to her position at the UCLA Asian American Studies Center where she does website management and design. After graduation, Christina hopes to break into the field of UI/UX design.

Brandon Melamed

Brandon (he/him) is a third year Psychology major and Brain and Behavioral Health minor from Los Angeles. Outside of URJP, he has been involved in the UCLA Learning Assistants Program as well as various clubs at UCLA’s Hillel. After graduating he plans to attend graduate school to become a clinical psychologist. In his free time, he can be found playing piano or guitar, listening to music, or playing (and losing) IM volleyball games with his friends.

Robin Murphy

Robin Murphy (she/her) is a second year Cognitive Science major with a specialization in computing. She is an out-of-state student from Connecticut. Outside of URJP, Robin is a data journalist for the Daily Bruin and DataRes. Besides marketing, she is interested in the intersection of humanities and tech.

Willow Reyes

Willow Reyes (she/her) is a second-year Psychobiology major. Outside of URJP, she serves as a Peer Advisor for Samahang Pilipino Advancing Community Empowerment, where she provides holistic and academic support to community college students. In her free time, she enjoys creating digital collages, singing, dancing, and exploring new restaurants. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career as a physician assistant.

Ashlyn Grace Sze

Ashlyn (she/her) is a first-year Cognitive Science major from El Segundo, CA. She is actively involved in various organizations, including serving as an Outreach Representative for Hedrick Hall, a member of Pilipinos for Community Health, Psi Chi, and the Pre-PA club. Ashlyn is passionate about exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and mental health. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in the medical field or earn a PhD in cognitive psychology to further her interest in this field. In her free time, Ashlyn enjoys singing and painting. Known for her bubbly and approachable personality, she loves meeting new people and making meaningful connections.