Department of Psychology, University of Calgary
DETERMINANTS OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT LAB
Sheri Madigan, PhD, Director, Determinants of Child Development Lab
Dr. Madigan is a Canada Research Chair in the Determinants of Child Development. She joined the Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary in 2015 and is currently directing the Determinants of Child Development Lab, a lab that is dedicated to conducting research on the multidimensional influences that shape children's developmental trajectories. Dr. Madigan is a principal-investigator on several research projects on children's development supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program, and the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation.
Anh Ly, MA, Senior Research Associate
​Anh is a doctoral student in medical anthropology at the University of California, Riverside. She is happy to be back in Calgary where she completed her previous graduate studies and where she formerly worked as a Research Coordinator/Associate on several Aboriginal health projects for the Department of Family Medicine and Alberta Health Services. Her current research interests include: anthropology of infectious disease, global health and governance, colonial medicine, science and technology studies, and ethnography of Southeast Asia.
Carole Lunney, Research Associate
Carole is a research associate in the Determinants of Child Development Lab. Her passions are data analysis, data management, and data dissemination. In her previous role at the National Center for PTSD, her work focused on the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder on functioning and quality of life. As a former archivist for the National Longitudinal Studies program, she is always happy to share her enthusiasm for public data with others.
Marissa Nivison, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Marissa Nivison is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Calgary’s Determinants of Child Development Lab. She completed her PhD in developmental psychology at the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on the legacy of early caregiving experiences-- specifically in how parent-child relationships and child maltreatment influence wellbeing and adult attachment across the lifespan. Her research is funded by an Eyes High Fellowship through the University of Calgary.
Gizem Keskin, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Gizem Keskin is a postdoctoral researcher at the Determinants of Child Development Lab. She completed the Psychological Science PhD program at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. Her research examines family dynamics, caregiver-child interactions, and the emotional development of both caregivers and children across childhood and adolescence at multiple time scales (second-to-second, day-to-day, year-to-year) from a dynamic systems perspective.
Elizabeth Al-Jbouri, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Elizabeth Al-Jbouri is a postdoctoral researcher with the Determinants of Child Development Lab. Elizabeth completed her PhD in Child and Youth Studies at Brock University before joining the University of Calgary. Her work focuses on youth screen time and digital technology use and its implications for mental health, interpersonal relationships, and overall well-being. Under the supervision of Dr. Sheri Madigan and Dr. Ross Neville (University College Dublin), Elizabeth works primarily with the All Our Families and Growing Up in Ireland projects.
Camille Mori (she/her), MSc, Graduate Student, PhD Candidate (Clinical Psychology)
Camille’s curiosities include the psychosocial factors that impact human development, lifespan psychology, inclusive and multidisciplinary practices in mental health, and clinical mechanisms of change. Camille’s research investigates the association between exposure to sexual content and PSB, and the outcomes of a locally delivered PBS-intervention. Her research is funded by a SSHRC doctoral scholarship.
Jessica Cooke (she/her), MSc, Graduate Student, PhD Candidate (Clinical Psychology)
Jessy (she/her) is completing the third year of her PhD in Clinical Psychology at the University of Calgary. Her research focuses on understanding how caregiver adversity, caregiver-child attachment relationships, and caregiving behaviours influence child development and risk for psychopathology. Her research is funded by an Alberta Innovates Graduate Studentship in Health Solutions and a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship.
Rachel Eirich, MSc, Graduate Student, PhD Candidate (Clinical Psychology)
​Rachel is a graduate student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Calgary. She is interested in examining the role of screen time on children's socioemotional development, as well as how technology can interfere with caregiver-child interactions and attachment relationships. Rachel currently holds funding through an Isaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship as well as a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council scholarship.
Jenney Zhu, MSc, Graduate Student, PhD Candidate (Clinical Psychology)
Jenney holds a Bachelor of Arts, Honours Specialization in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario and a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from the University of Calgary. Her research interests broadly focus on the implications of adverse childhood experiences for health outcomes across the lifespan. Additionally, her research focuses on identifying psychosocial pathways that account for the intergenerational transmission of risk from parents' adverse childhood experiences to their children's mental health concerns.
Jackson Hewitt, Graduate Student (Clinical Psychology)
Jackson is a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Calgary. He recently graduated from the University of British Columbia with a major in psychology. He is interested in the mechanisms underlying the intergenerational transmission of psychological risk. Specifically, his interests include the parent-child relationship and its short and long term impact on psychological and interpersonal functioning, attachment styles and developmental processes.
Haneen Salama, Research Assistant
Haneen is a student in her fourth and last year of Bachelor of Science majoring in Psychology. She will graduate with an embedded certificate in Mental Wellbeing and Resilience and an Honours degree in Spring 2024. Haneen is interested in child development and psychopathology. In the future, she hopes to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology.
haneen.salama@ucalgary.ca
Glorianna Sin, Research Assistant
Glorianna is a research assistant in the Determinants of Child Development Lab with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Cellular, Molecular, and Microbial Biology. Her research interests include understanding the biopsychosocial factors that impact resilience, wellbeing, and psychopathology. Glorianna aspires to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology.
Alanna Kaser, Research Assistant
Alanna is a recent graduate from Dalhousie University with a BSc in Psychology, minor in Health Studies, and a Certificate in Science Communication and Leadership. She is excited to be back in Calgary working on the ACEs hub project given her broad research interests in child development and psychopathology, as well as in knowledge translation supporting youth mental health. In the future, Alanna plans to pursue graduate studies in clinical or school psychology.
Leslie Obol, Strategic Communications and Knowledge Mobilization Specialist
Leslie (she/her) joins the University of Calgary’s Determinants of Child Development Lab from Amiskwacîwâskahikan, Treaty 6 territory. With a masters in design and a PhD in education, her experience intersects communications, curriculum development, and community engagement. Leslie is passionate about building and sharing creative and responsive processes and products to support the well-being of children, families, and communities. She is excited to help build the lab’s research impact through meaningful knowledge mobilization and communications.
Student Volunteers
Han Yu (David) Li
David is in the second year of his Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Having previously studied Biological Sciences, he plans to finish his undergraduate degree in the spring of 2025 with honours. David is particularly interested in identifying determinants of childhood development outcomes in media. Outside of school, David works with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder as a specialized behavioral aide. In the future, David plans to pursue graduate studies in Clinical or Educational Psychology.
Sarah Tayyab
Sarah (she/her) is a third-year Bachelor of Arts Psychology student. She plans to finish her undergraduate degree in Spring 2025 with honours. Her research interests include socio-emotional development in relation to caregiver-child attachments. In the future, Sarah plans to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology with a focus on development.
Cindy Hong (she/her)
Cindy is a third year Bachelor of Arts student majoring in Psychology. She is planning on finishing her undergraduate degree with a minor in Sociology and an Embedded Certificate in Mental Wellbeing and Resilience in 2025. Her interests include child development, mental health, and parent-child attachments. Cindy plans on attending graduate school for School Psychology in the future.
Danny Bury (he/him)
Danny is a 3rd year psychology major with ambitions to study clinical psychology in grad school. He has broad research interests in psychology and neuroscience, including factors that contribute to the maintenance and development of mental health and well-being, the origins of consciousness, and the structure and function of self and identity.
Aditi Ilangovan (she/her)
Aditi is a fourth-year Bachelor of Science student majoring in Psychology, aiming to graduate in the spring of 2026. Her research interests include child development, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and ADHD. Aditi aspires to continue her education with graduate studies in Clinical or School Psychology.
Abby Marsh (she/her)
Abby is a third year Bachelor of Arts in Psychology student at the University of Calgary. She plans to complete her undergraduate degree with Honours in 2026. Her research interests include resilience, attachment, and the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences across the lifespan. In the future, Abby hopes to pursue graduate studies in Clinical or Counselling Psychology.
Past Postdoctoral Research Fellows
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Dr. Joanne Park (Assistant Professor, Mount Royal University)
Dr. Jessica Turgeon (Assistant Professor, Université du Québec en Outaouais)
Dr. Audrey-Ann Deneault (Assistant Professor, Université de Montréal)
Dr. Nicole Racine (Assistant Professor, University of Ottawa)
Dr. Brae Anne McArthur (Director of the Psychology Clinic and Instructor, University of Calgary)
Dr. Marc Jambon (Assistant Professor, Wilfred Laurier University)
Dr. Rochelle Hentges (NIH Center for Scientific Review)
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Past Honours and Graduate Students
Julianna Park (Psychology Honours Student, University of Calgary)
Paolo Pador (Psychology Honours Student, University of Calgary)
Tashia Christie (Psychology Honours Student, University of Calgary)
Chloe Devereux (Psychology Honours Student, University of Calgary)
Ciana Anhorn (Psychology Honours Student, University of Calgary)
Logan Van Roessel (Psychology Honours Student, University of Calgary)
Walaa Taha (Psychology Honours Student, University of Calgary)
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Past Research Assistants and Volunteers
Stefanie Wang (Undergraduate Student, McGill University)
Celeste Holy (Undergraduate Student, University of Calgary)
Stefanie Wang (Undergraduate Student, University of Calgary)
Valeriya Volkova (Graduate Student, University of Calgary)
Jasmeet Khatkar (Undergraduate Student, University of Calgary)
Claire McGuinness (Masters Student, University of Calgary)
Katarina Padilla (Psychology Honours Student, University of Calgary)
Mirele Koumary (Masters Student, University of Calgary)
Idy Akpan (Psychology Honours Student, University of Calgary)
Sophia Lu (Undergraduate Student, University of Calgary)
Jaedyn Paarup (Undergraduate Student, University of Calgary)
Fatima Shah (Undergraduate Student, University of Calgary)
Simal Saeed (Psychology Student, University of Calgary)
Katie Zumalt (Graduate Student, Columbia University)
Claire McGuinness (Graduate Student, University of Calgary)
Rachel Pagaling (Graduate Student, University of Calgary)
Nina Anderson (Graduate Student, University of Denver)
Audrey Gauthier-Légaré (Graduate Student, Université Laval)
John Choi (Bachelor of Health Sciences Student, University of Calgary)
Mackenzie Beaupre
Rejimol Perika (Health Sciences Major, University of Calgary)
Vanessa Huynh (Health Sciences and Biomedical Honours Student, University of Calgary)
Elena Buliga (Graduate Student, University of Calgary)
Shanaya Fischer (Psychology Honours Student, University of Calgary)
Zoe Hodgins (Graduate Student, McMaster University)
Danae Laut (Graduate Student, University of Calgary)
Sara Lolarga (Psychology Major, University of Calgary)
Julia Poole (Graduate Student, University of Calgary)
Lea Schumacher (International Exchange Student, University of Groningen, Netherlands)
Kaleem Khan (Psychology Honours Student, University of Calgary)
Helen Wang (Health Sciences Major, University of Calgary)
2024 DCD LAB EVENT
The DCD lab members competed in the "Zooviver" challenge at the Calgary Zoo. Great job, team!
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2022 DCD LAB EVENT
The DCD lab members conquered the Arethusa Cirque trail and got to see the beautiful larches!
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2022 DCD LAB EVENT
To celebrate the hard work of the DCD Lab members, we all gathered to create our own terrariums at a plant workshop!
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2021 DCD LAB EVENT
After over a year of social gathering restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the DCD Lab Members were able to reunite for an outdoor picnic to say farewell to our beloved lab coordinator, Chloe, who is starting her graduate program in Counseling Psychology at the University of Alberta! Thank you, Chloe, for all your contributions to the lab, your lovely presence will be dearly missed!
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2018 DCD Lab Event
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Thanks to our DCD Lab Members who made it to our bowling event/goodbye party for Nina! We are wishing Nina all the best as she moves on to her next adventure and starts her graduate program in Clinical Psychology! We also wish the following students best of luck as they begin their graduate studies this fall: Claire McGuinness, Rachel Pagaling, and Katie Zumalt! Last, we say farewell to our summer graduate exchange student, Audrey Gauthier-Légaré! We will miss having you all in lab!
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2017 DCD Lab Event
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Thanks DCD Lab Members for your endless hard work and dedication to our lab! We couldn't do it without you!
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