Research Team

Graduate Students

Samantha Shang, Ph.D Student

Email: shang.x@queensu.ca

Area of research: I am a 5th year PhD candidate at the Queen's Culture and Cognition lab. I earned my B.S. in psychology from Jilin University in China and my master's in psychology from Wake Forest University in the USA. I study the "unsaid words" - How do people read between the lines? Why don't people share certain information, even with close others? I am also enthusiastic about R, stats, and cross-cultural measurement. In my free time, I love dancing salsa and hanging out with my cats, Georgia and Major Tom. I named myself "Samantha" after the AI from the movie "Her" (2013).

Claire Wei, Ph.D Student

Email: 22mc62@queensu.ca

Area of research: I am a 1st year Ph.D student at the Queen's Culture and Cognition lab. I earned my B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Gender & Feminist Studies from McGill University. I am interested in the cultural differences in parent-child interaction.. Outside the lab, I enjoy dancing, drawing, hiking, watching movies, and playing the Gu Zheng.

Matthew Peng, MSc Student

Email: m.peng@queensu.ca

Area of research: I'm a second year MSc student in Psychology at Queen's. I got my BA in Psychology with a minor in Philosophy at the University of British Columbia. I joined the Culture and Cognition Lab because I'm interested in the relationship between emotion and health across cultures, and how this relates to well-being among immigrants. Outside of the lab, I love all things art (music, movies, literature), watching basketball, and spontaneous walks.

Angele Wen, MSc Student

Email: angele.wen@queensu.ca

Area of research: I am a second-year master’s student in social psychology at Queen’s. I hold a B.A. in psychology from McGill, with minors in East Asian studies, educational psychology, and behavioural science. My research interests lie around how culture shapes relationships, including parent-child and romantic relationships. During my free time, I enjoy cooking new recipes, doing nail art, and experimenting with mixology. I am excited to embark on this new journey at Queen’s! 

Post-Doctoral Fellow

Xiaoyi (Cherie) Zhou, Post-Doc

Email: cherie.zhou@queensu.ca

Area of research: My name is Cherie, and I joined the lab as a postdoctoral researcher in the summer of 2024. I completed my PhD in cognitive psychology at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. Currently, I am involved in multiple projects that explore cultural perceptions of luck and the potential of AI to enhance psychological well-being. It's been an exciting journey! Outside the lab, I'm also interested in psychotherapy, Pilates, and board games.

Undergraduate Students

Caleb Park, Project Leader, Undergraduate Student

Area of research: I am a fourth-year Health Sciences student at Queen’s University. This is my second year working as a research assistant. I am excited to be able to expand my knowledge and understanding of the diversity of culture and how it impacts cognition. After completing PSYC 100, I became very interested in culture and how it impacts our development, emotions, and judgement. I also became very fascinated with learning how culture can impact one’s mental health. I am planning on pursuing a career in healthcare (possibly as a psychiatrist). I am a big fan of soccer and enjoy watching and playing it whenever I get the chance! I also love trying new recipes, meeting new people, and working out at the gym.

Kaiwen Tee, Undergraduate Student

Area of research: I’m a third year Psychology (BScH) student! As an immigrant myself, I am really interested in studying how different cultures/upbringing affect one’s cognitive processes and cross-cultural interactions. I enjoy spending time with my friends and re-watching sitcoms in my spare time!

Hillary Andru, Undergraduate Student

Area of research: I am a second-year Health Sciences student with an interest in psychology. Growing up in a very multicultural area has made me curious about cultural differences and similarities, especially in the way we make decisions and interact with others. I love my schoolwork, but in my spare time, I enjoy volunteering, journaling, swimming, and dancing. This is my first year in the lab and I am excited to learn lots from the team!

Natalie Yang, Undergraduate Student

Area of research: My name is Natalie, and I’m in my 3rd year majoring in Psychology and minoring in French! My research interests include developmental, social & clinical psychology. As a Chinese Canadian, I am particularly interested in the intersection of individualism and collectivism and its influence on this group of individuals. In the future, I hope to become a psychologist to serve Asian-Canadian children & teenagers in the mental health field. I love dancing, playing musical instruments, and spending time with friends! 

Emily Liu, Undergraduate Student

Area of research: My name is Emily, and I am a second-year Psychology student, minoring in Health Studies, with a strong interest in how culture shapes cognition and development. Having navigated my own identity through a multicultural lens, I am particularly intrigued by how cultural factors influence decision-making and attitudes. I look forward to contributing to the Culture and Cognition Lab, where I can explore the intersection of culture and psychological processes while developing my research skills. Outside of my studies, I enjoy music, literature, and traveling—activities that connect me with diverse perspectives, enriching my academic journey. Here is the fun fact: I’m passionate about discovering and exploring different cultural traditions!

Naomie Chen, Undergraduate Student

Area of research: My name is Naomie, and I’m a fourth-year Psychology student at Queen’s. Growing up between Chinese and Canadian cultures and being bilingual in English and Chinese has given me a unique perspective and sparked my curiosity about the role culture plays in shaping identity. I’m especially interested in how these influences affect children’s development. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time in nature, going for walks by the water, and playing video games in my downtime.

Nicole Herring, Undergraduate Student

Area of research: I am a fourth-year Psychology student completing my thesis in the lab under the supervision of Dr. Ji! My research interest is mainly social psychology, and I am very excited to learn about cultural differences in perceptions of luck. This is my first year in the lab, and I am looking forward to completing cross-cultural research. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with friends, exercising, and trying out new recipes!

Nadya Kalsi, Undergraduate Student

Area of research: My name is Nadya Kalsi, I am a fourth year psychology student here at Queen’s. Throughout my undergrad, the topics that have stuck out to me always involved the exploration of cultural differences, and it amazed me how almost each construct could be discerned across cultures. I joined this lab as somebody who has had a major interest in cross-cultural comparisons and the underlying cognitive mechanisms that are developed through culture. Outside of the lab, I love to dance, read, work out, sew, and hang out with my friends and family!

Stella Spadafora, Undergraduate Student

Area of research: I am a third-year Arts student majoring in Psychology and minoring in Linguistics. This will be my first year working as a research assistant in the Culture and Cognition Lab, and I am excited to develop hands-on research skills that will benefit my future studies. I am very interested in sociolinguistics and understanding how variations in language and culture influence human cognition, including decision-making and behavior. Beyond my studies, I enjoy running, volunteering, reading, and spending quality time with my family.

Charlotte Szuty, Undergraduate Student

Area of research: My name is Charlotte Szuty, and I am currently in my third year of Psychology and Linguistics at Queen’s University. I am interested in cultural differences in mental health etiology and the efficacy of mental health treatments. After my undergraduate, I hope to pursue a Masters in either Clinical Psychology or Speech Language Pathology. This is my first year with the Cultures and Cognition Lab, and I am excited to develop my research skills and learn more about the field! Outside of the lab I enjoy hand embroidery, hiking, and my 2 cats!