Dr. Michelle Greene, is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at Barnard College. Her research integrates machine learning, experimental psychology, and cognitive neuroscience to understand the processes enabling rapid visual perception. Greene earned her Ph.D. in Cognitive Science from MIT in 2009, followed by postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and Stanford University. 

Dr. Pei-Ling Yang (Illinois '25) is a postdoctoral researcher for the Visual Cognition Lab. Her research focuses on how visual systems extract meaning and function from scenes. She uses behavioral experiments, machine learning algorithms, and computational models to investigate scene understanding.

Gillian Rosenberg (Princeton '25) is the Lab Manager for the Visual Cognition Lab. She brings a computational background to cognition research in vision and language. Prior to working for the BVCL, she conducted linguistics research at the Leibniz Center for General Linguistics in Berlin. She has also worked on projects related to AI policy.

Sundari Ruth (Barnard '26) studies Psychology. She joined the Visual Cognition Lab summer of 2025. Her research in the lab focuses on object information detection and utilizes EEG. In her free time, she enjoys sailing, reading, and volunteering as an adult leader for her local scout organization.

Vivian Gao (Barnard '27) studies Cognitive Science and Economics and joined the Visual Cognition Lab after her freshman year. She researches semantic complexity’s effects on ERPs, designs experiments in PsychoPy, conducts EEG studies, and analyzes data. She also edits chapters, creates graphics, and designs practice questions for the lab’s textbook. Outside academia, she enjoys cooking, jiu-jitsu, and dancing, a passion of 15 years.

Mehek Isharani (Barnard '28) studies Computational Biology. She is interested in applying computational tools to biological and real-world problems. She enjoys listening to music, playing badminton, and exploring new restaurants across NYC.

Skylar Stadhard (Barnard '27) is studying  Neuroscience & Applied Mathematics and has been a member of the Visual Cognition Lab since the summer of June 2024. Her research in the lab focuses on scene recognition and utilizes applications like Matlab, Python, PsychoPy, and EEG. Skylar is interested in combining disciplines like neuroscience with computer science and math. In her spare time, Skylar enjoys reading and exploring NYC.  

Calistee Vigil (Barnard '29) is studying Neuroscience and Mathematics. She is a research assistant in the Visual Cognition Lab. Her research integrates computational modeling and neuroimaging to investigate the organizing principles and mechanisms of information processing within visual perception. Her broader academic focus involves a cross-disciplinary examination into the nature of human systems and thought.

Olivia Huang (Barnard ’28) studies Visual Arts and Biological Anthropology. She is interested in Media Design, Human-Computer Interaction, and visual perception, with a particular focus on how people process and respond to visual information in digital environments, such as how interface design, visual attention, and interactive media influence our brain and the way we perceive and understand images. She is also interested in understanding the general mechanisms underlying brain–behavior evolution, with a particular focus on human neural and behavioral variation, as well as the neural foundations of tool use and social behavior. In her free time, she enjoys photography, playing tennis, exploring restaurants in NYC, and listening to K-pop music.

Vanessa Zhou (Barnard '29) joined VCL in fall 2026 and is studying Cognitive Science and Philosophy. She is interested in how perception constructs meaning and is curious to explore how the brain retrieves semantic information from scenes. Her other academic interests include philosophy of mind, cognitive linguistics, HCI and recently, AI safety and policy. She enjoys visiting museums and taking long walks in the city.

Lara Tuncer (Barnard ’28) is studying Psychology and Economics. She is a research assistant in the Visual Cognition Lab. Her interests include social and cognitive psychology, particularly the ways people process and perceive information shape their interpretations, decisions, and behavior. She is also interested in how these processes operate in increasingly digital environments. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, playing backgammon and card games, and trying different cuisines.