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Dr. Denise Werchan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Irvine. Her research examines how early experiences, including caregiving, the home environment, and biological changes around birth, shape infant attention, learning, and self-regulation, and how these early patterns set the foundations for cognitive and emotional health across the lifespan. Her lab combines behavioral, neural, and physiological measures with scalable remote methods, such as webcam-based eye-tracking, to study development in children's everyday environments and across a broad range of families. The goal of her work is to inform translational science and policy to improve the lives of children and their families.
Before starting at UC Irvine, Dr. Werchan received her PhD in Cognitive Science from Brown University and completed postdoctoral training at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City. When she's not in the lab, she enjoys hiking, picking up new hobbies, and spending time in nature and with her family.
Nataly, who's friends call her Gia, is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UC Irvine majoring in psychology. She’s always been fascinated by psychology and its connection to community. Outside of the WILD Lab, she balances her love for psychology by working in other campus research labs that study pregnancy and prenatal development. When she's not analyzing data or getting crafty with scrapbooking, she normally explores the performing arts and creative writing.
Ally is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UC Irvine. She is majoring in psychology with a minor in film and media studies. As a babysitter, she enjoys working with children and providing a safe space for them to learn and grow. She understands how important it is to support children as they undergo different stages of development that will forever influence them. She is excited to be a research assistant for the WILD Lab and work with her team to learn more about child development! In her free time, she enjoys producing music, crafting, and spending time with her loved ones!
Faylen Bush is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UC Irvine finishing his B.A. in psychology. He is a member of the School of Social Ecology Honors Program and will be working on his honors thesis in the WILD Lab. His research interests center around attachment, resilience and how early childhood adversity affects development across the lifespan. What he hopes to learn from his time in the WILD Lab is how to conduct research not from a deficit perspective but to find solutions to the problems faced by vulnerable populations.
Carolee is a fourth-year biological sciences major at UC Irvine pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. Through her work at the Therapeutic Riding Center of Huntington Beach, she developed an interest in supporting neurodiverse youth through equine-assisted therapy. She hopes to use her knowledge of animal care to better understand how the bond between children and animals can support children’s development and well-being. She believes that both children and animals may not always be able to advocate for themselves, and she hopes to be an advocate for both. For fun, she enjoys traveling, going to festivals, and trying new matcha spots.
Bianca is an undergraduate student pursuing a B.A. in psychology atCalifornia State University, Long Beach. Her research interests center on neurodevelopment, brain-behavior relationships, and the sociocultural factors that shape cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric outcomes for children and families from marginalized communities. Bianca hopes to obtain her Ph.D. in clinical psychology and pursue a career in pediatric neuropsychology to engage in inclusive and translational research. Outside of research, Bianca is passionate about mentorship and increasing representation in psychology. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting with new bakes, going to cafes, and spending time with friends and family.
Chris Flores is a post-baccalaureate student at UC Irvine. He earned his bachelor’s degrees in cognitive science and psychology at UC Santa Cruz, go slugs!! He is interested in the psychological and neural processes underlying decision-making and substance use disorder. He hopes to pursue a career in academia, as a professor at a research-intensive institution. In his free time, he likes to be outside running, climbing, hiking, and swimming at the beach.
Melanie is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UC Irvine pursuing a B.S. in public health sciences with a minor in psychology. She became interested in how children learn, build confidence, and adapt to their environments while working with children as a swim instructor. She’s especially interested in how early experiences and caregiving environments shape cognitive and emotional development. She hopes to pursue a career in medicine working with children and families. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, trying new coffee shops, going to the beach, and spending time with friends and family.
Valentina is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.A. in psychology at UC Irvine. Before joining the WILD Lab, she gained research experience at Saddleback College, where she collaborated with a research team to examine the effect of grit, cognitive well-being, and anticipated academic success in community college students. Through this experience, she developed a broader interest in how individual experiences and environmental factors influence cognitive development and well-being across the lifespan, which she looks forward to exploring through her work at the WILD Lab.
Odelia is a second-year undergraduate student at UC Irvine majoring in public health sciences. Through her experiences with Best Buddies and her work as a Behavioral Technician, she has developed a strong interest in pursuing acareer in child psychiatry and is currently on the pre-med track. The WILD Lab allows her to further explore her interests in infant neurodevelopment and parent-child interactions while building her research and clinical skills. In her free time, she enjoys going to Pilates, spending time with friends, and trying out new cafes.
Karuna is a second-year undergraduate student studying biological sciences at UC Irvine. Volunteering to lead karate sessions for children with diverse developmental needs and helping illustrate children’s literature about neurological differences have really grown her interest in pediatrics. She is excited to join the WILD Lab and expand her knowledge of child development and how children interact with the world around them. Whenever she gets the chance, she loves going to the beach, volunteering, making ceramics, and baking!
Tiffany Ng is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UC Irvine majoring in psychology. As a research assistant in the WILD Lab, she looks forward to gaining experience in data analysis and further exploring how environmental factors can shape development. Outside of the lab, she enjoys going to the beach, reading, and spending time with friends!
Sofia is a post-baccalaureate student at UC Irvine, where she earned her B.A. in psychology in 2023. Since graduating, she has worked as a bilingual mental health counselor and volunteered with UCLA, leading community mental health workshops in rural Mexico. She currently works as a case manager serving Medi-Cal members with chronic health conditions and complex social needs. These experiences fueled a passion for studying cognitive development through a culturally-informed lens. She hopes to pursue a graduate degree and contribute to research on attention and neurodevelopment, particularly among historically marginalized-communities. Outside of the WILD Lab, she enjoys crafting, creating floral arrangements, and stargazing!
Amrit is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UC Irvine pursuing a B.A. in psychology. She is a member of UCI’s Campuswide Honors Collegium and Social Ecology Honors Program and will be completing her honors thesis project in the WILD Lab. Her particular interests in psychology center around youth cognitive and emotional development, along with how neurodevelopmental conditions develop throughout the lifespan. In her free time, she likes to explore local trails, crochet, and cook.
Mackenzie Scott is a post-baccalaureate student at UC Irvine, where she graduated in December 2025 with a B.A. in psychological science. Through her work with children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental conditions, she became interested in how parents’ experiences shape their children’s developmental outcomes, and how those outcomes can be optimized by supporting both children and their caregivers. Her ultimate goal is to integrate research and clinical practice with families affected by neurodevelopmental conditions. Outside of research, she loves to go to concerts, try new cafes, and spend time at the beach!
Sara is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UC Irvine pursuing her B.S. in psychology. She has always been an observant and analytical thinker, particularly when it comes to understanding how backgrounds and experiences influence behavior. She is also fascinated by the biological side of psychology, and this curiosity is what drew her to the field and makes her excited to be part of the WILD Lab. For fun, she enjoys horseback riding, shooting film, crafting, hiking, and swimming in rivers and lakes.
The WILD Lab officially launched at UC Irvine in 2025 and is actively growing. We are building a collaborative, intellectually vibrant community, and the people who join now will have a rare opportunity to help shape the lab's culture, questions, and direction from the ground up.
Research assistants are the heart of the lab. You will work directly with infants and families, assist with data collection and coding, and have the opportunity to learn first-hand what developmental science looks like in practice.
No prior research experience is required — just genuine curiosity about children's development and a commitment to showing up with care and reliability. RAs are eligible to receive course credit and may pursue independent research projects after their first semester.
I anticipate interviewing Ph.D. students applying for the Fall 2026 admission cycle through the UC Irvine Department of Psychology. I am looking for students who are intellectually curious, motivated by questions about how early environments shape development, and committed to rigorous and inclusive science.
Students in the lab will receive mentorship in experimental design, neuroimaging and physiological methods, advanced statistical modeling, and science communication. You will be supported in developing your own research program and in pursuing funding and career goals.
We care more about the questions you ask than the experiences you already have. If you are genuinely curious about how children develop and how science can serve them, you belong here.
Everyone in the lab is learning. We celebrate effort, normalize mistakes, and support each other through both the glamorous and the unglamorous parts of research.
Our research is guided by rigorous methods, transparent reporting, and a commitment to honesty and accuracy. Above all, we keep families at the center of everything we do.
