Paul D. Hastings, Ph.D.
Lab Director
Ph.D.
Email: pdhastings@ucdavis.edu
I am a developmental psychologist and Professor of Psychology, past Chair of Psychology, and past Interim Dean of the School of Education at the University of California Davis. Prior to moving to UC Davis, I completed my studies in Canada at McGill University (B.S.), the University of Toronto (M.A., Ph.D.) and the University of Waterloo Ontario (post-doc), and then worked at the National Institute of Mental Health intramural program (Bethesda, Maryland) and Concordia University (Montreal, Quebec). My graduate research focused on studying parents and parent-child relationships, and the relationship contexts of children’s lives – families, peers, communities and cultures – continues to be core parts of my current research. In most of my work, I examine how relationships and life contexts function together with mechanisms of neurobiological regulation to shape adaptive and maladaptive development from early childhood into early adulthood.
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Rashmi Risbud
B.S. Neuroscience, Physiology and Behavior (NPB), UC Davis
M.A. Psychology, San Diego State University
Email: rrisbud@ucdavis.edu
I am a graduate student in the Psychology program. My research interests are primarily focused on the role of emotion regulation in healthy development in children and adolescents and the prevention of mental illnesses through studying physiology and children’s socialization. I have worked in other areas of developmental psychology as well as caregiving research in the past. In my free time, I enjoy ocean swimming, painting, and hiking with my dog. Please feel free to contact me via email if you’d like to learn more!
Vincent Chávez
B.A. Psychology, UC Riverside
Email: vchav@ucdavis.edu
I am a graduate student in the Psychology program. My research interests focus on studying self-regulation (e.g., emotional, physiological, and behavioral) in health, stress arousal, and health disparities among youth. I am particularly interested in better understanding their interactive influence among youths’ cardiac health over time through a developmental-sociocultural lens. I hope my work can empower individuals to take an active role in their health and well-being (e.g., adaptive coping and regulation skills, healthy food choices, stress management). In my free time, I enjoy trying new coffee shops and spending quality time with my mini-goldendoodle, Canelo.
Priyanka Pandey
Ph.D. Economics, University of Chicago
Email: pripandey@ucdavis.edu
Currently, I am a PhD student in Human Development. Originally from India, I came to the US to pursue a doctorate in economics at the University of Chicago. After completing my doctorate, I worked for over two decades, initially as an assistant professor of economics at Penn State University for 3-4 years before moving to international development at the World Bank. After my two children grew up, I decided to return to school to pursue my research interests in the emotional and mental wellbeing aspects of human development and their intersections with economics and education. Outside of work, I like spending time with family and friends, and coming up with easy vegan recipes.
Marissa Hendrickson
B.A. Psychology, University of Rochester
Email: mhendri@ucdavis.edu
I am a Psychology PhD student in the Developmental area. My research interests focus on school-aged children who experienced substantial early-life stress and how those events shape their physiology and subsequent socioemotional adjustment. In particular, I am most drawn to how social competencies and functioning and the ability to build and maintain a social network can act as a form of resilience against the lasting psychophysiological impacts on adult health & well-being. Aside from work, I can be found trying out a new hobby every other week! Though I will always enjoy hands-on crafting, reading, video gaming, and taking care of my two kitties and houseplants.
JUNIOR SPECIALISTS
Judy (Jinghuan) Xiong
B.S. Psychology and Human Development, UC Davis
Email: jhxiong@ucdavis.edu
I graduated from UC Davis in Spring 2025 with a B.S. in Psychology and Human Development and minors in Statistics and Neuroscience. I’m currently a junior specialist at the HERD lab. My research interest focuses on the risk factors that influence children’s socioemotional and brain development, and the mechanisms underlying them. I’m also interested in the effects of early-life adversity and factors that can buffer children from the negative effects of early experience and enhance their resilience. In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing the piano, and picking up new hobbies.
RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
Christa Iwers
Email: cliwers@ucdavis.edu
My name is Christa Iwers and I am an undergraduate student at UC Davis majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior with a minor in Psychology. In my free time I love to swim, collage, go on walks, draw, and hangout with my friends and family
Liyba Amer
Email: lamer@ucdavis.edu
My name is Liyba Amer! I am a psychology and comparative literature double major. In reference to psychology I am currently interested in the inheritance of tramam betweeteen parents and children. Outside of school I love doing things with my hands, my favorite hobby right now is crocheting but I also do sewing, embroidery, and painting. I also love going out with friends and hate having free time, so I try to keep my schedule as packed as possible with activities! I am also obsessed with my cat, Olive!
Hilary Benavidez
Email: hfbenavidez@ucdavis.edu
My name is Hilary Benavidez and I am majoring in both Psychology and Human Development. In my free time I love to go on runs as well as long hikes, trying different acai bowl shops, and going on spontaneous trips.
Meshawn Ware
Email: mmware@ucdavis.edu
I graduated UC Davis in Spring 2025 with a B.A. in the Psychology department. As well as working as a research assistant in the HERD lab, I am the lab manager for the Mosley lab, ran by Ariel J. Mosley. I am hoping to learn as much as I can over the next year doing lab work to ready myself for Grad school applications. My research interests involve how identity is shaped by media consumption in childhood and adolescence, as well as what role models are available to young kids on tv and in movies. In this realm, I’d really like to examine the social influence of the animated shows kids are consuming and how that shapes their development. In my free time, I enjoy reading fantasy novels and going out to the movies.