DR. MOIRA DILLON

I study infants’ and children’s precocious knowledge about the world, from the objects and places in it to the people and animals that act on those objects and move through those places. I ask how that knowledge derives from our evolutionary inheritance and how it forms the basis of uniquely human cultural and intellectual achievements. In doing so, I use my expertise in human commonsense to improve machine commonsense, creating AI that will better understand us and that we can better understand.

moira.dillon@nyu.edu

MOHIT MUKHERJI

I graduated from Temple University in May 2022 with a B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy. As an undergraduate, I worked in the Research In Spatial Cognition (RISC) lab, where I studied how people think about feedback loops. My research interests lie in the development of logical thinking. I’m also interested in learning more broadly about cognitive architecture, modularity, and the relationship between language and thought. Outside school, I enjoy running, watching soccer, and (sometimes) making music.

mohit.mukherji@nyu.edu

Shannon Yasuda

I graduated from Yale University in 2020 where I studied Computer Science and Psychology. While at Yale, I was a research assistant in the Yale Social Robotics Lab where I conducted research on perceptions of agency in social norm-violating robots. After graduating, I worked in the Yale Cognitive and Neural Computation Lab where I studied physical event perception before working in the Lab for the Developing Mind as a Lab Manager, studying agency perception in infants and machines. Now as a PhD student in the same lab, I am interested in studying infants, children, adults, and machines to better understand the “software” in the human mind that dictates our perceptions of and behaviors within the physical and social worlds. I am especially interested in how our perceptions of agency develop, and how we can use multidisciplinary approaches to study cognition.

shannon.yasuda@nyu.edu

Jacob Martin

I earned a B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan in 2021. After several years working in the non-profit sector, I returned to academia with the goal of pursuing a PhD. My research interests focus on social interaction and its underlying cognitive processes, with an emphasis on systematically characterizing these processes using computational methods. Outside of research, I enjoy reading and exploring the diverse neighborhoods of New York City.  

jm11706@nyu.edu

Charlotte Chanezon

I am a senior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Public Health. I love being around children; even though, as adults, we feel like we are in a position to teach them everything about the world, I think they can teach us a lot more. At LDM, I am eager to learn more about child development and learning mechanisms in a hands on manner and explore the research world as it is a career path that interests me. In my spare time, I enjoy playing music, drawing, walking around the city and spending time with my friends. 

cac10108@nyu.edu

Heloise Robertson

I am a junior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Child Adolescent Mental Health Studies. I enjoy working with children as an educator, and specifically love teaching young kids how to read, or how to write their own stories. I aim to develop a deeper understanding of cognitive and social development, as well as how an environment can influence how infants learn, and I hope to apply my knowledge when I tutor students in the future. In my free time, you will find me wandering the city, hanging out with my chinchilla, and drawing. 

hsr3636@nyu.edu

SEÁN REILLY

I’m Dr. Dillon’s son, and I’m interested in math, astronomy, geology, tennis, and cooking. When I’m not participating in developmental research studies, you can find me developing! I spend my free time at the skate park, doing activities, on the subway, or at a museum. I speak English and French!

Réalta Reilly

I’m Dr. Dillon’s daughter, and I’m interested in talking, singing, and playing. When I’m not participating in developmental research studies, you can find me developing! I spend my free time at the skate park (with my brother and his friends), at the play gym, at the playground, or at the library. I speak English and French!