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

BS: Neuroscience, Physiology and Behavior (NPB): UC Davis
MA: Psychology: San Diego State University
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

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

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.

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

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