Our Team

Lab Director

BoKyung Park, PhD

Dr. BoKyung Park is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS). Her primary research field is social, cultural, and affective neuroscience, with a focus on how culture shapes what people think of morality, others’ minds, and emotions. Prior to joining BBS at The University of Texas at Dallas, she received her PhD from Stanford University in affective science and worked as a postdoc researcher in the Psychology Department at Boston College.

Graduate Students

PhD Students

Uan-Luen Hseih

Uan-Luen is a third-year PhD student in the psychology program and her research interest lies in the topic of how different cultural backgrounds play a role in making social decisions and the neural mechanism behind it. She enjoys reading books and watching movies in her free time.

Jinny Han

Eun Jin Han (Jinny) is a second-year PhD student at UT Dallas. She earned a master’s in social psychology. Her main research interests are culture, social class (SES), and moral judgments by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Specifically, she wants to examine if different brain activities are involved when people with distinct cultural/social class backgrounds make judgments of others who engage in moral or immoral behaviors. Aside from her research, she loves working out and doing yoga in her spare time.

Amrita Kaushik Telidevara

Amrita is a first-year PhD student. She recently graduated with her bachelor’s degree in cognitive science and psychology from UT Dallas. She is primarily interested in studying how cultural differences influence social cognition and decision making. In her free time, she enjoys painting, photography, and listening to music.

Lab Manager

Valerie Smith

Valerie recently graduated from UT Dallas with her master’s in applied neuroscience and cognition. Her primary research interests are in both the biological and psychological factors affecting emotion and social decision-making, and how these processes interact with culture, socio-economic background, prosocial behavior, and morality. She hopes to pursue a PhD eventually and continue in research. In her free time, she enjoys baking, fashion, and discovering new music.

Lab Associates

Post-Graduate Research Assistants

Swathi Vepachedu

Swathi is a PhD student in the field of industrial and organizational psychology at North Carolina State University. Her current research interest is in the field of justice, morality, behavioral science, public policy and cultural differences. Through her research, she hopes to reduce the scientist-practitioner gap in the social sciences field and inform public policies that may have a positive impact on the vulnerable groups of a society. Swathi is a plant aficionado and loves DIY home projects.

Lauren Nguyen

Lauren recently graduated with a major in biology and a minor in education. After graduating, she hopes to pursue higher education and continue working in the field of research and education. Her research interests include exploring how cultural and socio-economic differences affect people’s decision-making and perception of others. In her free time, she enjoys working out, baking, and spending time with her dogs.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Zaina Khan

Zaina is currently a junior majoring in neuroscience, with plans to attend medical school after completing her degree. Her research interests include studying how the effects of growing up in multicultural settings as children can affect their perceptions as adults. In her free time, Zaina enjoys drawing line portraits and reading fictional novels with extra details.

Diego Bayona

Diego is currently a sophomore majoring in psychology at UT Dallas and has plans to attend medical school after graduation. His research interests include decision-making, culture, and perception. In his free time, Diego enjoys playing tennis and watching soccer.

Grace Ornelas

Grace is a sophomore at UT Dallas and is majoring in psychology and double minoring in neuroscience and criminology. She plans to pursue a higher education in the field of psychology research after graduating from UT Dallas. Her interests include the influences of culture and socio-economic status on morality, judgment, and decision making, especially as it pertains to criminology. In her free time, she enjoys working out, drawing, reading, and spending time with friends.

Seher Hasan

Seher is a freshman in neuroscience, and plans to attend medical school after finishing her degree. Her research interests include the effects of growing up with continuous access to and extended exposure to social media during adolescence on interpersonal relationships in adulthood. Her hobbies include journaling, going on nature walks, and taking pictures of her cat, Brownie.

Ankita Bhardwaj

Ankita is a junior double majoring in psychology and business administration. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, she plans on attending a graduate program specializing in clinical psychology. Her research interests include examining the impact of diverse cultural upbringing on decision making and perception in adulthood. In her free time, Ankita enjoys reading, baking/cooking and exploring restaurants and cafes in the area.