Emily Fyfe is the director of the LEAD Lab at Indiana University. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Her research is in cognitive development with a focus on the development of mathematics knowledge and problem solving. Her primary goal is to understand how children think and learn about math, both independently and with instructional guidance. For more information check out her CV or contact her directly at efyfe@indiana.edu.
Principal Investigator

Postdoctoral Fellows


Amanda Grenell is a postdoctoral fellow in the LEAD lab. Her research focuses on the relation between individual differences in cognitive skills, such as executive function, and science and math learning in early childhood. She is particularly interested in determining how cognition may influence the effectiveness of specific instructional approaches and materials to optimize learning.
Graduate Students

Megan Merrick is a first-year graduate student. She graduated cum laude from UC Berkely in 2018, where she primarily explored the intersection of developmental science and education. Before graduate school, she spent two years as a development psychology research coordinator at Stanford University. She is fascinated by how features of a learning environment affect educational outcomes, with a primary focus on how differing sources of feedback affect performance and motivation in mathematics.

Tongyao Zhang is a 1st year graduate student in LEAD lab. She graduated from Beijing Normal University in 2020 with a B.S. in Psychology. Tongyao is interested in children's learning process of mathematics and scientific knowledge (e.g., patterning skills), and how different factors collaborate in relevant educational processes.
Lab Manager
Collin Byers is the LEAD Lab manager. He graduated from Indiana University in 2019 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Educational Studies. He has a particular interest in cognitive, educational, and social psychology.
Contact: coabyers@iu.edu
Research Assistants

Alex Bondi is a junior majoring in human biology with a psychology minor. She is interested in childhood development and how life experiences mold personalities.


Ellie Hine is a junior majoring psychology and minoring in biology. She is also pursuing a certificate in clinical psychology. She is interested in learning about empirically supported treatments and the research on why they work. Ellie wants to attend grad school to perform these treatments and help people of all ages struggling with mental health.

Elsie Gasaway is a senior majoring in psychology. She is interested in childhood mental illness and eliminating the stigma that surrounds it.


Joules Emerson is an undergraduate junior studying developmental psychology. They're interested in childhood psychology and neurodivergency.

Kendall Vance is a junior double majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology. She is interested in working with children and plans on attending medical school.


Wenwen Du is a senior majoring in criminal justice and psychology. She’s interested in clinical psychology as it relates to drug use.
High School Interns


Lab Alumni
Former Graduate Students
Former Post-Baccalaureates
Former Research Assistants
Sabrina Ali (2021)
Summer Smith (2021)
Christian Hickman (2020 – 2021)
Bailey Gardner (2020 – 2021)
Kyler Moore (2020 – 2020)
Nathalie Plum (2019 – 2020)
Tori Vance (2019 – 2020)
Zoe Fifer (2019 – 2020)
Elizabeth Terry (2019 – 2020)
Audrey Fried (2019)
Greg Bond (2019)
Rose Salisbury (2019)
Elise Berclaz (2019)
Taylor Guba (2018 – 2021)
Alexandria Hartburg (2018 – 2019)
Kimberly Torpoco (2018)
Shelby Tow (2018 – 2019)
Alyssa Unger (2017 – 2017)
Alicia Macchione (2017 – 2019)
Bret Schreckenghaust (2017 –2018)
Amanda Nafe (2017 – 2018)
Mariah Kelly (2017 – 2017)
Mara Flynn (2017 – 2019)
Prabhjot Chahal (2017-2018)