Rachel Barr, Ph.D.
Director
Dr. Barr was trained as a developmental and clinical psychologist in New Zealand. Since 2001 she has been director of the Georgetown Early Learning Project. The ELP shows that babies, toddlers and young children pick up information from a variety of sources, from television, from books, from computers, from touchscreens, from siblings, and across contexts. There are still many open questions about how babies and young children learn and remember.
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McCall Booth, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr. Booth received her Ph.D. from Indiana University and is a postdoctoral researcher who researches various social and psychological effects of media and digital technologies on relationships—from that of romantic partners to the parent-child dyad. Some of her earliest research experience was centered on infant media use, and she is continuing this work as a researcher for the CAFE Consortium.
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Doug Piper
Doctoral Candidate
Doug is a Psychology Ph.D. candidate with a concentration in Human Development and Public Policy. He works on projects exploring children’s relationships with screen media. This work builds on his experiences at the Temple Infant and Child Lab, where he also supported the Playful Learning Landscapes Action Network and its Play Everywhere Philly project. Doug is a graduate of the University of Michigan with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and music. While at U-M, he studied language learning through digital media with Dr. Twila Tardif.
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Emily Kramer
Ph.D. Student
Emily is a first-year Psychology Ph.D. student with a concentration in Human Development and Public Policy. Her research interests focus on exploring parent-infant interactions through technology and play, and she is currently involved in the PLAY Project and Eye Tracking Study. Emily earned her B.S. in Cognitive Science from UC Davis, where she researched mental rotation through puzzle play under the guidance of Dr. Lisa Oakes. Before starting her Ph.D. program, she was the lab manager of the Cornell Play and Learning Lab under Dr. Marianella Casasola.
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Layla Stroer
Lab Manager
Layla graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. in Psychology. She is currently working as a lab manager and primarily works on our Eye-tracking Project. In the future, Layla hopes to continue her studies through earning a Ph.D. in developmental psychology. She is interested in learning more about how children form thoughts, beliefs, and morals based on their surroundings and perceptions of the world.
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Ila Harvey
Data Collector
Ila is currently working as a data collector and research assistant in the lab, with a primary focus on our Eye Tracking Project. She earned her B.S. in Integrative Neuroscience from Binghamton University, where she researched visual development and attention under the guidance of Dr. Peter Gerhardstein. Ila is particularly interested in children’s perceptual and cognitive development, with a focus on how early experiences and environments shape learning, memory, and attentional processes.
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Rebecca Cockroft
Data Analyst
Rebecca Cockroft graduated from Georgetown University with a B.S. in Mathematics. She will graduate with an M.S. in Data Science and Analytics in May of 2023. Currently, she is the data analyst for CAFE Consortium.
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Anisha Kumar
Anisha Kumar is a junior at Georgetown University studying neurobiology in the College of Arts and Sciences on the premed track. She is currently working on the PLAY project and the Cognitive Flexibility project. After graduating, Anisha hopes to attend medical school.
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Simran Chaudhry
Simran is a senior at Georgetown University majoring in Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences on the premed track. She is currently working on the CAFE consortium project and the Cognitive Flexibility project. After graduating from Georgetown, Simran hopes to pursue a career that combines her interests in clinical psychology and early adolescent development, particularly focusing on spreading mental health awareness amongst children.
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Julia Butler
Julia is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences at Georgetown University. She is currently working on the CAFE consortium project and PLAY project and helps run the ELP website and social media. After graduating, Julia hopes to pursue a career that combines her interests in psychology, law, and educational policy.
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Phoebe Chartock
Phoebe Chartock is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences pursuing a major in Psychology and minors in Women's and Gender Studies and Theater and Performance Studies. She is currently working on the CAFE project and the Children's Museum project. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Psy.D. and become a clinical psychologist specializing in counseling for domestic violence and sexual trauma survivors.
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Madison Loughlin
Madison Loughlin is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences planning to major in Psychology and minor in Journalism. She is currently working on the CAFE Consortium project and the Eye Tracking project. After graduating, Madison hopes to pursue a PhD in counseling psychology or an MSW degree.
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Sara Pizzini
Sara Pizzini is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Psychology and minoring in Spanish and Business Studies. She is currently working on the PLAY and Connect to Baby projects. After graduating from Georgetown, she plans on pursuing a PhD or PsyD in clinical psychology, with a particular emphasis on developmental psychopathology.
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Julia Manuali
Julia Manuali is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Psychology and minoring in Disability Studies. She is currently working on the Eye-Tracking and Connect to Baby projects. After graduating from Georgetown, she plans on pursuing a Ph.D. or Psy.D. and becoming a clinical psychologist specializing in counseling individuals who are struggling with eating and anxiety-related disorders.
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Natalie Alfonso Alcaide
Natalie is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Linguistics. She is currently working on the Eye Tracking project and the CAFE Consortium project. After Georgetown, Natalie plans to pursue a career that combines her interests in linguistics, psychology, and education. She hopes to become an educator or a speech-language pathologist.
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Lana Kim
Lana is a sophomore at Georgetown University studying Human Science in the School of Health. She is currently working on the Eye-Tracking Project. After completing her studies at Georgetown, she hopes to attend medical school and pursue research regarding pediatric diseases and treatment development.
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Avanthika Suryadevara
Avanthika is a sophomore in the School of Health at Georgetown University majoring in Health Care Management and Policy. She is currently working on the Eye Tracking project. After Georgetown, she hopes to attend medical school and become a pediatrician, combining her passion for child development, medicine, and helping others.
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Mary Kate Vowells
Mary Kate is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in Psychology and minoring in Art. She is currently working on the PLAY project and the Cognitive Flexibility project. After graduating next May she hopes to pursue either a master's degree or a PsyD in clinical psychology.
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Glendi Herrera
Glendi Herrera is a junior at Georgetown University studying Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is currently working on the Connect to Baby project. In the future, Glendi hopes to continue her studies by earning a Ph.D. in developmental or clinical psychology. Glendi hopes to be a therapist and work with children and adolescents.
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Lauren Amodio
Lauren is a Junior in the College of Arts and Sciences at Georgetown University majoring in Psychology and on the pre-medical track. She is currently working on the PLAY project. After graduating, Lauren hopes to attend medical school and train as a Psychiatrist.
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Caslin Sisk
Caslin is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences double majoring in Psychology and Economics and minoring in Disability Studies. She is currently working on the Connect to Baby project. After graduating next May, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D in clinical psychology with a focus in developmental psychopathology.
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Anna Vernacchio
Anna is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences studying Psychology and Classical Languages. She is involved in the Connect to Baby project as well as a meta-analysis on the effects of digital media on early-childhood socio-emotional development. After graduating in May, Anna is hoping to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology, specializing in pediatric neuropsychology.
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