
Our Director
Ece Demir-Lira, Ph.D.
Director - Development, Experience and Neurocognition Lab
Assistant Professor - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences/Pediatrics

Dr. Demir-Lira received her PhD from the University of Chicago and completed her postdoctoral work at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. Her research program is aimed at understanding how early environmental and biological factors interact in predicting children's academic outcomes - in both typically-developing children and children with atypical developmental trajectories. Her work leverages a diverse array of methods, including naturalistic parent-child observations, experimental designs and neuroimaging methods (MRI, fMRI and fNIRS). Representative publications can be viewed on GoogleScholar.
Email: ece-demirlira@uiowa.edu
Phone: 319-467-0376
Office: PBSB 275
Résumé/Curriculum Vitae: demirlira_cv_aug22.pdf
Research Coordinator
Laura Evans

Graduate Research Assistants
Ying Li

Email: ying-li-1@uiowa.edu
Paige Nelson

Paige is a PhD student in the individualized training program, with a focus in developmental science. She is interested in studying plasticity in the developing brain and specifically neurocognitive development in children born premature. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with friends and family.
Email: paige-nelson@uiowa.edu
Francesca Scheiber

Francesca is a Ph.D. student in the clinical psychology program. She is interested in studying socioeconomic differences in early childhood experiences that influence children’s academic, cognitive, and socioemotional outcomes. In her free time, she enjoys time with family and friends, travel, and yoga.
E-mail: francesca-scheiber@uiowa.edu
Ashby Martin

Email: ashby-martin@uiowa.edu
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Sabrina Brown

Sabrina is a neuroscience major with a minor in gender, health, and health care equity. She is planning on going to graduate school and pursuing a career in neuroscience research. In her free time, she enjoys reading and listening to music.
Hayley Bassett

Isabelle Farmer

Callahan Morton

Callahan is a sophomore pursuing her B.S. in Psychology with a minor in French. She is interested in studying maternal and infant mental health. She plans to go to graduate school for Psychology. Callahan can’t imagine not working with children! She loves spending time with family, babysitting, reading about the brain, and baking when she isn't studying. She is overjoyed to be a member of the DEN Lab!
Isabel Goetz

Isabel is an undergraduate at the University of Iowa pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology. She is on the pre-med track and hopes to attend medical school for neurology or neurosurgery. Isabel has been volunteering with people of all ages for as long as she can remember and is excited to continue this passion at the D.E.N. lab. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, listening to music, baking, hanging out with friends and family, participating in outdoor activities, and playing with her three dogs and cat.
Paras Bassuk

Talia Halleck

Bedoor Alasfoor

Collaborators
We also have many wonderful research collaborators:
- Bob McMurray (University of Iowa)
- Kelli Ryckman (Indiana University)
- Dan Tranel (University of Iowa)
- Allison Momany (University of Iowa)
- Lane Strathearn (University of Iowa)
- Amy Conrad (University of Iowa)
- Jing Jiang (University of Iowa)
- Ilaria Berteletti (Gallaudet University)
- Tilbe Göksun (Koç University)
- Aylin C. Kuntay (Koç University)
- Susan C. Levine (University of Chicago)
- Susan Goldin-Meadow (University of Chicago)
- Steve Raudenbush (University of Chicago)
- Steve Small (University of California - Irvine)
- James R. Booth (Vanderbilt University)
Graduates of the DEN Lab
We are proud of and miss our RAs who graduates from the DEN and went on to accomplish bigger and better things!:
- Haley Laughlin (PhD Student, University of Houston)
- Nateshia Wilson (Doctorate of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennesse)
- Raquel Gomez (Doctorate of Medicine, Stony Brook University)
- Julianne Maxwell (PhD Student, Indiana State University)
- Sam Clingan-Silverly (PhD Student, University of Iowa, College of Education)
- Megan Schumer (Research Technician Associate, University of Michigan, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology)
- Annamaria Iarrapino (Masters Student, Chicago School of Psychology)
- Emily Sones (Masters in Counseling, University of Iowa)
- Alexis Potocki (Recruiter, Motion Recruitment)
- Andrew O'Neill (Digital Marketing Specialist, Clickstop Inc.)
- Shania Enriquez (Direct Support Professional, Independent)
- Stephanie LeBlanc