Our Team | Movement & Learning Lab

Lab Director

Dr. Elizabeth Wakefield is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Loyola University Chicago and director of the Movement & Learning Lab. Dr. Wakefield earned her B.A. from Kalamazoo College and her Ph.D. from Indiana University. She continued her training as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Chicago, before joining the faculty at Loyola.

Dr. Wakefield employs behavioral and eye tracking methods to understand how children and adults process and learn through different forms of movement experience: actions and gestures. Learn more about research happening in the lab by visiting "Our Research"!

Outside interests: cooking, baking, singing, friends, and family

Graduate Students

Dr. Wakefield plans to accept a new graduate student for the 2026-2027 academic year!

For more information, please reach out to her or visit the Developmental Psychology PhD program website to learn more about the program.

Katie Mathias is a second year Ph.D. student in the Developmental Psychology program at Loyola University. Her research interests are focused on how neurotypical and neurodiverse children learn, with an emphasis on how movement and gesture support the learning process.

Outside Interests: musical theater, cross stitch, yoga, and spending time with friends, family, and her cats.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Salma Ahmad is a junior at Loyola University Chicago majoring in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience on the pre-med track. She serves as a Conflict Resolution Liaison for the SRCR office and a Peer Tutor, and is part of the Interdisciplinary Honors and Gannon Scholars Programs. Salma hopes to pursue a career in neurology, with an interest in integrating education into healthcare. She is also involved in Friends of MSF, the Honors BIPOC Coalition, and My Book Wish.

Outside interests: reading, drawing, watercolor, coffee and matcha, nature trails

Joanna Argionis is a senior at Loyola University of Chicago majoring in Psychology, and she is a proud second-generation Rambler. She is interested in attending graduate school with interests in academic psychology, social psychology, and child psychology. On campus she enjoys participating in and supporting commuter student events. Outside of Loyola she volunteers at a project supporting cancer patients which she helped co-found, at a local township food pantry, and separately at a faith-based hot meal soup kitchen helping to offset food insecurity in the Chicagoland area.

Outside Interests: music, movies, her bird Apollo, and spending time with her family

Savannah Brizendine is a senior at Loyola University Chicago majoring in Psychology and minoring in Criminal Justice & Criminology. She is interested in attending graduate school to become a school psychologist. On campus she is involved in the new Wellness Wolfpack organization and LUPA. Outside of Loyola she spends time tutoring children at a local school and volunteering at Chicago HOPES for Kids.

Outside Interests: music, creative writing, reading, volleyball, thrifting, and spending time with friends!

Lisa Gallo is a senior at Loyola University of Chicago and a Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience major. She is on the Pre-Med track and hopes to become a Neurosurgeon. She is in the Interdisciplinary Honors Program and is involved in on-campus organizations such as Neuroscience Society, AMSA, AMWA, and Brain Exercise Initiative.

Outside Interests: traveling, viola, field hockey, music, and running

Alex Hurka is a junior at Loyola University of Chicago and is double majoring in Psychology and Anthropology with a minor in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience. He is hoping to pursue either clinical psychology or forensic anthropology after Loyola. He is also part of the Interdisciplinary Honors Program and is involved with the Loyola Learning and Memory Association and Food Recovery Network.

Outside Interests: tennis, reading, art, playing and listening to music

Tia Knuth is a sophomore at Loyola University Chicago pursuing a double major in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychology. After undergraduate, she hopes to attend graduate school to become a neuroscientific researcher. At school, Tia is in the Interdisciplinary Honors Program, Neuroscience Society, and Asian Students in Action (ASIA).

Outside interests: raveling, reading, cooking, tennis, and spending time with friends and family!

Teagan Petek is a sophomore at Loyola University of Chicago majoring in Psychology and minoring in Neuroscience. She is on the pre-med track and plans to attend medical school in hopes to become a Pediatric Neurologist or Psychiatrist. She is a part of the Interdisciplinary Honors Program as well as the women's club basketball team.

Outside interests: traveling, playing basketball, and swimming.

Ryan Sweeney is a junior at Loyola University of Chicago majoring in Psychology and minoring in Spanish. He plans on attending graduate school and becoming a counselor. He is passionate about helping people and hopes to improve the lives of others through his work. At school, he is involved with Campus Programming, Psi Chi, and plays in the percussion ensemble.

Outside interests: music, bouldering, reading, traveling, and spending time with friends

Esha Thakkur is a junior at Loyola University of Chicago a sophomore at Loyola University Chicago and a Cognitive/Behavioral Neuroscience major with a Healthcare Administration minor. She is on the pre-med track and hopes to pursue a career in medicine with interests in the fields of pediatrics and neurology. She is involved in the Interdisciplinary Honors Program, Loyola 4 Chicago, and Heart for the Unhoused.

Outside interests: traveling, badminton, kayaking, music, and painting

Lab Alumni

Demiana Agaiby (2018-2019): graduate student
Laura Bottei (2019-2021): graduate student
Maddie Bowers (2023-2025):
Clark Brown (2024-2025):
Leah Curtis (2023-2025):
Erin Foy (2019-2021): graduate student
Allison Haussler (2019-2020): graduate student
Sarah Heimberg (2016-2017): veterinary assistant
Kristina Humphrey (2021-2023): research assistant
Mady Jurcev (2017-2020): medical school student
Connor Karwowski (2022-2023): research assistant
Jennifer Kavina (2021-2025):
Erick Larios-Bautista (2016-2017): medical school student
Lucy Maloni (2024-2025):
Chloe Michel (2021-2024)
Mary Nagai (2020-2022)
Dylan Nelson (2020-2021)
Kiril Nikolovski (2020-2021): dental school student
Aashi Patel (2022-2024)
Agna Patel (2020-2022)
Krupa Patel (2021-2022)
Tori Roberts (2019-2021)
Natalie Schomas (2016-2017): film freelancer
Mariana Sosa (2019-2020): graduate student
Sam Spain (2020-2022)
Sasha Stojanovich (2017-2019): assistant teacher - loyola university preschool
Emma Tumminaro (2021-2022): social work/counseling student
Sierra Webber (2021-2023): grant coordinator
Megan Weiss (2022-2023): medical school student
Gina Wrolstad (2018-2019): search coordinator and office manager - koya partners
Natalia Zielinski (2018-2021): graduate student

External Collaborators

We also have wonderful research collaborators:

Dr. Susan Goldin-Meadow (University of Chicago)
Dr. Miriam Novack (Northwestern University)
Dr. Eliza Congdon (Williams College)
Dr. Lauren Howard (Franklin & Marshall College)
Dr. Susan Cook (University of Iowa)
Dr. Kim Fenn (Michigan State University)
Dr. Mary Aldugom