Graduate Students
Sooyhun Cho
Co-Graduate Lab Lead
Soohyun Cho is a Ph.D. candidate in English at Michigan State University, specializing in crime fiction, scientific approaches to literature, disability studies, and digital humanities. Her current project focuses on the intersection of disability studies and popular culture studies, exploring the tradition of detectives with non-normative minds.
Mitch Carr
Co-Graduate Lab Lead
Mitch Carr is a 2022 Masters candidate in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures, studying in the Critical Studies and Literary Pedagogy cohort. Mitch worked as an undergraduate research assistant from 2018 until 2020, and now works as a graduate lab lead. During his undergraduate research experience he presented at MSU’s University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF), where he won first place in 2019 for his presentation titled, “Comparison in Finding Aesthetic Pleasure in Poetry” researching the reading patterns between english and non-english majors. Connect with Mitch on LinkedIn
Undergraduate Students
Jacob Phillips
Professional Assistant: The Pleasures of Poetry: A Cognitive Study of Reading Sonnets Literary Lead
Jacob is a sophomore at Michigan State University majoring in English with a focus in popular culture studies. Outside of class, he is a member of the MSU Fencing club. After graduation, he hopes to attend a graduate program and eventually become a professor of English or work in advertising.
Grace Bonnema
The Role of Narrative Listening in Music Perception Co-Lead, Creativity and COVID
Grace Bonnema is currently a sophomore in the Lyman Briggs College majoring in Human Biology and minoring in Bioethics and Cognitive Science. Outside of the DHLC, she is also a member of Tower Guard and CHAARG.
Tushya Mehta
The Role of Narrative Listening in Music Perception Co-Lead, Creativity and COVID Co-Lead
Tushya Mehta is a sophomore pursuing a double degree in Biology (LBC) and German with a minor in Sustainable Agricultural and Food Systems. He is also part of the Tower Guard and the E-Board for the Holmes Hall Government. He is a ULA for Calculus 1 at Lyman Briggs College and also volunteers as a German instructor for the Community Language School at MSUCAL. He is also going to be doing an independent study on the Neurobiological basis of Music and Narrative processing.
Mackenzie Baum
The Role of Narrative Listening in Music Perception
Mackenzie Baum is a junior at Michigan State majoring in English. Mackenzie, a native of Mason, Michigan, enjoys reading, writing and spending time with her family. She aspires to live abroad in her future.
Natahsa De Souza
The Role of Narrative Listening in Music Perception Co-Lead
Natasha De Souza is a third year student at Michigan State majoring in English and Psychology with a minor in Cognitive Science. This is her second year with the DHLC. This past year, she participated in a poster presentation about the enculturation of music with fellow Music and Narrative members at University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF). After graduation, she hopes to pursue further education in order to become a psychologist.
Akanksha Kapur
Professorial Assistant: The Pleasures of Poetry: A Cognitive Study of Reading Sonnets Literary, Attention & Jane Austen: An fMRI Study of Close Reading Co-Lead, COVID-19 and Creativity Co-Lead
Akanksha Kapur is a sophomore at MSU double majoring in Human Biology and Physiology with a minor in Bioethics. After graduation, Akanksha hopes to enter medical school and continue her education.
http://linkedin.com/in/akanksha-kapur-365ak
Kat Murray
The Role of Narrative Listening in Music Perception
Kathryn Murray is a sophomore majoring in Elementary Education with a specialization in English. She is a part of the Urban Educators Cohort Program. Once she graduates, Kat plans to teach first or second grade in an Urban school district.
Nikita Nambiar
The Pleasures of Poetry: A Cognitive Study of Reading Sonnets, Literary Attention & Jane Austen: An fMRI Study of Close Reading, COVID-19 and Creativity
Nikita Nambiar is a sophomore at Michigan State majoring in Human Bio with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Outside of school, she’s on the board of a nonprofit that raises money for the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.
http://linkedin.com/in/nikita-nambiar-a9b264197
Jethro Sarmiento
The Role of Narrative Listening in Music Perception
Jethro Sarmiento is a junior majoring in Political Science at Michigan State University. Jethro is from Santiago, Chile.
Allison Simpson
The Pleasures of Poetry: A Cognitive Study of Reading SonnetsAllison Simpson is a second year undergraduate student majoring in English with a focus in secondary education. She hopes to be a high school English teacher after graduating from MSU. One thing she is excited about within the lab is that it is combining two of her favorite things: English and Science.
Milena Sinistaj
The Pleasures of Poetry: A Cognitive Study of Reading Sonnets, Literary Attention & Jane Austen: An fMRI Study of Close Reading
Milena Sinistaj is a second year undergraduate majoring in Human Biology through Lyman Briggs College. She hopes to become an OBGYN after graduation and plans to move to New York City where her sister lives. Milena is a proud daughter of immigrants who call Grosse Pointe, MI “home.” She loves time with friends, being on the water, and watching classical movies such as Pride and Prejudice.
Pranay Karnati
The Pleasures of Poetry: A Cognitive Study of Reading Sonnets
Pranay Karnati is an aspiring business student at Michigan State University. In his time outside of DHLC, he participates in many community service endeavors and enjoys staying active.