Dr. Candice Mills, Director

Candice Mills is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at The University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Mills earned a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude in cognitive neuroscience, from the University of Florida, and a PhD in developmental psychology from Yale University.

Dr. Mills’s research examines how children learn from others. Her research incorporates methods and theories from developmental, cognitive, social, and educational psychology, with participant populations spanning from early childhood through adolescence and adulthood. Her previous research has been published in professional psychology journals as well as discussed in national resources such as the New York Times, Scientific American Mind, and National Public Radio.

See Dr. Mills’s Curriculum Vitae.

Natalie Quintero, M.S.
Doctoral Student

Joined in Fall 2021. Natalie’s research interests include caregivers’ explanations to children, developmental changes in children’s science knowledge, and science learning. She aims to explore individual differences in caregiver explanations to children about science. Outside of the lab, Natalie enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family.

Yilin Liu, M.A.
Doctoral Student

Joined in Fall 2023. Yilin graduated with her B.S. in psychology from the University of Arizona and pursued her M.A. in social science with a psychology track at the University of Chicago. Yilin is interested in children’s learning experiences. She wishes to explore how children’s learning and thinking processes are shaped by the information provided by their parents, precisely, the qualities of the information. Yilin loves road trips, learning various instruments, and designing educational comics.

Joined in Summer 2018 as an undergraduate, Fall 2020 as a graduate student. Anthony’s interests include scientific skepticism, epistemology, and science learning. Anthony plans to earn a PhD and pursue a career in academia, to do research and teach in the interest of helping end the replication crisis in psychology. He is also interested in being involved with science communication. Anthony’s experiences in the Think Lab will help him develop the skills to become a scrupulous researcher. You can learn more about him here: https://anthonyjose.ph/

Graycen Runyan
Master’s Degree Student

Joined in Summer 2023. Graycen is a master’s student in the Psychological Sciences Program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas Tech University, with a minor in Spanish. With a research background in relationship dissolution’s impact on future marital success, she aims to apply her knowledge toward a Ph.D. in developmental psychology.

Faith Crighton
Undergraduate Student

Joined in Summer 2023. Faith is double majoring in psychology and child learning and development. She plans on earning a PhD in clinical psychology after graduating from UTD. During her time in the Think Lab, Faith hopes to learn more about how children evaluate and apply information. In her free time, Faith enjoys baking, going to concerts, and doing makeup.

Nimra Ali Shah
Undergraduate Student

Joined in Summer 2023. Nimra is a second year undergraduate studying Psychology. Her interest in working with children stems from her time volunteering in STEM programs. During her time with the Think Lab, she hopes to be able to connect how current advancements in technology impacts cognitive development within children. In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading, and camping.

Raj Mitra
Undergraduate Student

Joined in Summer 2023. Raj is pursuing a double major in Psychology and Neuroscience. He is intrigued to learn about the cognitive processes of youth and how children learn effectively during his time working at the Think Lab. For fun, Raj likes to read, write, walk, and game.

Christy Thomas
Undergraduate Student

Joined in Spring 2024. Christy is majoring in psychology. She plans to attend medical school and specialize in psychiatry or pediatrics. During her time with the Think Lab, she hopes to learn more about how children’s cognitive explanations develop and change based on the people around them. In her free time, she likes to read, write, and cook.

Jasha Dela Cruz
Undergraduate Student

Joined in Spring 2024, Jasha is majoring in Psychology. She plans to pursue a PhD in cognitive psychology. Working with children made her interested in the field of education, and she’s curious about the factors involved in their learning process. In her free time, she loves to make bracelets and listen to music.

Jaza Malik
Undergraduate Student

Joined in Spring 2024. Jaza is majoring in Healthcare Studies. She plans on attending medical school and pursuing a career in pediatrics. During her time with the Think Lab, Jaza hopes to leverage her experiences as a behavior therapist for children to deepen her understanding of how children think and perceive their surroundings.

Raven Bacchas
Undergraduate Student

Joined in Spring of 2024. Raven is double majoring in psychology and child learning and development. She plans on earning her PhD in Clinical, Clinical-Community, or Counseling Psychology with a concentration in child/adolescent psychology after graduating from UTD. While at the Think Lab, Raven hopes to learn more about how child development research can be more accessible, inclusive, and meaningful to diverse and underrepresented families. In her free time, Raven enjoys crocheting, playing video games, and learning new languages.

Dev Nanda
Undergraduate Student

Joined in Summer 2024. Dev is majoring in Healthcare Studies. After graduating, he plans to attend medical school. He hopes to learn about the inner cognitive processes of children such as their evaluation of various sources of information during his time with the Think Lab. In his free time, Dev enjoys playing sports, guitar and doing calisthenics.