Current lab members

Kate Nussenbaum
she/her
Assistant Professor
katenuss@bu.edu

Kate is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. She is interested in understanding how learning, memory, and decision-making systems change and shape adaptive behavior across development. Kate received an Sc.B. in Cognitive Neuroscience from Brown University, an MSc in Experimental Psychology from the University of Oxford, and a Ph.D. in Psychology from NYU. She completed postdoctoral training at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute before returning to her home state of MA to launch the lab in 2025. When not doing research, she enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and watching TV, though these days her hobbies have been supplanted by tending to a demanding new roommate.

Ipek Obek
she/her
Lab Manager
iobek@bu.edu

Ipek recently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied Cognitive Science with a concentration in computation and cognition, and minored in Data Science and Computational Neuroscience. She is broadly interested in how we learn from our experiences, make decisions, and form judgments, as well as how these processes can be formalized through computational models of the mind. She is also deeply interested in the intersection of psychology and computer science and is concurrently pursuing a Master’s in Computer Science. When not in lab, she likes to kickbox, watch (very old) movies, explore the city, and travel to new ones.

Chang Yuan (Karen) Chen
she/her
PhD Student
karencyc@bu.edu

Karen is a Ph.D. student in the Brain, Behavior, and Cognition program. She is interested in understanding the computational mechanisms of mood dynamics, and how they can guide adaptive learning and decision-making across development. Karen received her BA in Psychological and Behavioral Sciences from University of Cambridge and an MRes from UCL, where she also completed a research placement at Yale University. Outside of research, she is usually trying to train her cat to do tricks, cooking, or climbing!

Luis R. Alvarez
he/his
PhD Student
lralvare@bu.edu

Luis is a Ph.D. student in the Brain, Behavior, and Cognition program. His research focuses on the strategies people use to make choices across different contexts, and on how learning shapes those strategies. In his current work, Luis combines computational modeling with behavioral experiments. Outside the lab, he enjoys trying out new recipes and exploring Boston.

Zhixin (Jennifer) Fu
Undergraduate research assistant
zhixinf@bu.edu

Jennifer is an undergraduate student in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University, where she is pursuing a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Advertising. Her academic interests lie at the intersection of cognitive psychology, user experience, and applied behavioral research. Before joining BU’s research community, Jennifer worked on market and consumer behavior projects at Ipsos and BrainCo, where she explored how data and neuroscience can inform more human-centered technologies. When not in the lab or class, Jennifer enjoys drawing, gossiping, and binge-watching long-haul TV shows while having ice-cream.

Irene Zheng
Undergraduate research assistant
zhengyr@bu.edu

Irene Zheng is a junior at Boston University pursuing a dual degree in Psychology and Public Relations. She is interested in exploring how sociocultural factors influence the expression of mental disorders throughout the lifespan. She wants to pursue a Master’s degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology after graduation and work with adolescents and young adults. In her free time, she enjoys going to concerts and listening to K-pop music.

This could be you!
Wildly Happy and Intellectually Inspired Researcher

Please see the join page to learn about opportunities in the lab.