Sarah’s research is concerned with understanding how the autistic mind processes and represents information, with a particular focus on implicit mentalizing. She’s especially interested in how these cognitive differences might affect other aspects of cognition and mental health in autism, and in autistic cognition in the Fragile X Premutation and Broader Autism Phenotype. Most recently, she’s begun investigating factors that can modulate mentalizing.

Katherine’s research aims to understand social and emotional difficulties experienced by individuals with genetic syndromes associated with intellectual disability and autism. She researches how differences in social cognitive development, as well as sensory processing, may underpin social and emotional functioning in these groups.

Ceci joined the lab in Sept 2017 and completed her PhD in 2023. Her research interests are in social communication and its underlying neurocognitive mechanism, with vocal communication (e.g., laughter) as the main focus.

Read more about Ceci Qing Cai@UCL.

James joined the lab in 2024 after completing an MSc in psychological sciences at UCL. His research interests are in novel applications of experience sampling methodology, and how mental health interventions can be adapted for people with co-morbid developmental conditions. James holds a doctorate in analytic philosophy and previously worked in policy and mental health roles.

David joined the lab and started his PhD in June 2019. His studies focus on ethical, co-designed, and personalized technologies that may assist autistic individuals who have sensory, attention, and mental health issues. He is a tenured Fulbright Scholar & Specialist (2024-2027).

Nevin began her PhD in September 2022, focusing on the theory of mind in autistic individuals. Her research specifically explores the relationship between mentalizing and mental time travel (episodic memory and episodic future thinking) from a self-projection perspective.

Gillian joined the lab in 2021 for her MSc thesis where she explored the relationship between implicit mentalising and autistic traits in women with the fragile x premutation. She completed her MSc in psychological sciences at UCL in September 2022 and has continued to work as a research assistant in the Developmental Diversity Lab. Currently, she works on the lab’s intergroup bias project and serves as the coordinator for Autism@ICN.

Anushay joined the lab in September 2020 whilst studying for her MRes Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology, jointly between UCL and Yale University. Anushay has now started a PhD at the University of Oxford but still works as a research assistant in the lab. Anushay’s research interests understanding child development across different cultures, factors that might be affecting it, and devising culture-specific ways to support children’s holistic development through the educational system.

Imogen joined the lab in 2020 for her MSc thesis, exploring how deception detection abilities differ between neurotypical and autistic populations and the effect this may have on bullying. She has stayed on in the lab to work as a research assistant, having enjoyed her time as a master’s student so much! She currently is assisting David Ruttenberg on the SensorAble project.

Maryna joined the lab in 2017 as an MRes student. Maryna’s research interests are in individual differences in implicit mentalizing in autistic people. Maryna also heads up the intergroup-bias project.

With a background in IT systems analysis, research participation and co-design, Ellie contributes detailed new insight, ideas and questions for autism research. In particular, Ellie is interested in how neuroscience may be utilised with situational adjustments to facilitate autism inclusion in the workplace and in education.

Ishita joined the lab in 2017 as a research assistant and completed her PhD in 2023. She is now writing her experiments up as papers so still collaborates with the DevDivLab. She studies how deception abilities change throughout development and are related to mentalizing, bullying and mental health.

Ruihan joined the lab in Sept 2018. Ruihan’s research interests are in the construction of mentalizing and its relationship with potential socio-cognitive factors.

Masters Students
Yiran Du
Dylan Hung
Erin Lim
Saruta Uersilapasarst
Andrew Wong
April Ye
Venice Yip

BSc students
Joan Komasiak

PhD
Ruihan Wu (UCL 2024; now Birkbeck post-doc)
Ceci Qing Cai (UCL 2023; UCL postdoc)
Ishita Chowdhury (UCL 2022; now Lecturer at University of Surrey)
Roser Cañigueral (UCL; now in California)
Cathriona Cantio (Odense, Denmark; now clinical psychologist)
Idalmis Santiesteban (Birkbeck; now Lecturer at University of Liverpool)

Research assistants
Hannah Partington (now clinical psychology trainee, RHUL)
Beth Jones (now PhD student, University of Surrey)
Malwina Dziwisz (now clinical psychology trainee, IoP)
Flora Thiebaut (now clinical psychologist)

MRes
Cheryl Deng (now PhD student)
Ezrie Samuel
Breanne Kearney
Caitlin McDonald
Tikal Catena
Maryna Nosyk
Sun Rui
Annabel Walsh
Johanna Finnemann

MSc/MSci
Bryn Davies
Lauren Evans
Rong Ma
Beichen Meng
Jenell Ong
Javonne Porter
Yutang Sun
Michele Thompson
Cici Xiao
Rachael Berger
Arthur Chambers
Lili Frelaux
Terry Hin
Shraddha Kakadiya
Cassandra Lee
Agnes Peter
Kosh Vohra
Yuhan Deng
Lucy Heap
Emily Hewett
Catherine Hill
Gillian Hughes
Tina Markandaier
Ozzie Ozturk
Valentina Rabajille
Claire Wang
Megan Wang
Maddie West
Paula Barea Arroyo
Zoe Bird
MarieClair Breen
Regina Cauz
Oonagh Coleman
Sophie Graci
Imogen Krell
Manon Michelotti
Sam Schofield
Matilda Steele
Christine Yi
Manying Chiu
Sinan Erturk
Marina Geer
Rachel Heath
Hannah Partington
Roisin Perry
Mollie Skinner
Sophie Pendered
Paridhi Agarwal
Christina Griva
Beth Jones
Karen Leow
Ciara Rafter
Katia Rosenbaum
Nicole Yu
Tamzyn Cupido
Freddy Chiu
Zahra Ahmed
Romina Sanchez-Hernandez
Denise Gerber
Sofia Luz
Stephanie Ingram
Catherine Etchells
Catherine McManus
Michele Burns
Zainab Al-Noor
Melissa Stockbridge
Gemma Morant
Helen O’Reilly

BSc/iBSc
Grey Zhuge
YG Woo
Malgorzata Braszka
Gabriele Kurpyte
Maddie Sanz
Clara Lim
Eleanor King
Verity Wilkinson
Devorah Coniston
Emily Hausman
Reina Popat
Sarah Johnson
Ade Owolabi
Megan Fisher
Hannah Roche
Karolina Jankowska
Gabriella Worth
Suman Saha

Placement/visiting students & interns
Blessing Akintayo
Amy Han
Sarah Liu
Shimo Liu
Siyan Meng
Devangana Prasad
Eoin Williams
Ning Li
Siyan Meng
Zimo Wang
Yuxi Xiong
Lucie Vigreux
Enya Chan
Lina Erilli
Ria Badiani
Hannah Kin
Zuzana Nikodemova
Begum Arin
Olivia Dziwisz
Mizuki Tojo
Ensar Acem
Claire Zhang
Katy Unwin
Lizzi O’Mahony
Melanie Brun
Julian Rellecke
Katie Tupper
Rosannagh Rogers