Lab Director
Peggy L. St. Jacques, PhD
Dr. Peggy L. St. Jacques (she/her) is an Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience of Memory in the Department of Psychology at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. She received her Honours BSc from the University of Toronto, where she first was inspired to pursue research in autobiographical memory. During her Ph.D. at Duke University, she gained expertise in functional neuroimaging studies of autobiographical memory. Dr. St. Jacques then pursed postdoctoral training at Harvard University, where she used wearable camera technology to elicit autobiographical memories to investigate the neural mechanisms by which remembering updates memory with new information. She established her Memory for Events Lab initially at the University of Sussex in 2015, prior to moving back to Canada to join the University of Alberta in 2018. Her primary research focus is to understand the cognitive and neural mechanisms that support memory for events, including autobiographical experiences from one’s personal past and realistic experiences encoded in a more controlled setting. In particular, she is interested in how long-term representations of memory are modified via retrieval related mechanisms and the role of visual perspective. As an Indigenous scholar, Dr. St. Jacques also values equity, diversity, and inclusivity in science. One of her favourite autobiographical memories is when she visited a Balsamic Vinegar House in the Reggio Emilia area in Italy.
Post Doctoral Fellows
Claudia Morales Valiente, PhD
Dr. Valiente (she/her) received her BSc in Psychology from the University of Havana, and her MSc and PhD in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario, in London, Canada. She is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Memory for Events Lab. Her research interests include applying natural language processing approaches and statistical modelling to study memory. One of her favourite autobiographical memories is when her father took her to the Fine Art Museum of Havana as a child to see La Dama del Lago by Juan Jorge Peoli, which became one of her favourite paintings.
Graduate Students
Nilay Özdemir Haksever, MSc
Nilay Özdemir Haksever (she/her) completed her B.A. in Psychology at Yaşar University and her MSc in Cognitive Neuropsychology at Bahçeşehir University, Türkiye. She worked as a lab manager in Dr. Karl Szpunar’s Memory Lab at Toronto Metropolitan University from 2024 to 2025, before beginning her PhD in the ME Lab in Fall 2025. Her research interests include human memory and future thinking, particularly how psychological distance shapes memory retrieval and the neural mechanisms underlying it. One of her favourite memories is from her first trip within Canada with her husband, when they traveled through Algonquin Provincial Park and nearby towns during the winter.
Research Assistants
Cory Efird
Cory Efird (he/him) completed an MSc in Computing Science at the University of Alberta. His research focuses on utilizing deep neural networks to analyze human brain recordings. One of his favourite memories is feeding wild squirrels at his grandparents farm as a child.
Undergraduate Honours Students
Kinsey Peters
Kinsey Peters (she/her) is a Mi’kmaq student in her third year of the BSc (Honors) Psychology program, with a minor in Native Studies. Just beginning her research journey, Kinsey is interested in current research on memory recall and the manipulations that take place with each retrieval. One of her favourite memories is singing with her choir in the ruins of an old abbey during their tour to the UK in 2023.
Undergraduate Individual Study
Breagh Cotton
Breagh Cotton (she/her) is pursuing a BSc Specialization in Psychology. She is interested in how memories can shape personality, particularly when altered during recall. Her favourite memory is hiking Healy Pass in Banff with her partner (it’s 100% worth the climb).
Fatima Khan
Fatima Khan is a fourth-year Psychology student, who is excited to be completing an Individual Study course in the ME Lab. Her research project focuses on individual differences in culture in visual perspective. Outside of research, Fatima loves going to the gym and taking pottery classes. She also enjoys spending time with her cat (zuko), friends, and family.
Megan Loepelmann
Megan Loepelmann is pursuing her BSc Honours in psychology at the University of Alberta, and is currently taking an independent study course in the ME lab. She is interested in the interaction between attention and memory. Her favourite autobiographical memory is relaxing at the beach in Hawaii with her family.
Mohamed Osman
Mohamed Osman (he/him) is completing his final year of a BA in Psychology at the University of Alberta. His research interests focus on the relationship between visual perspective and emotional regulation strategies. One of his favourite memories is spending childhood summers at the park, staying out until sunset playing grounders and soccer, while sharing slushies with friends.
Marwan Shariff
Marwan Shariff (he/him) is a fourth year BSc specialization in Psychology student. He is interested in the reconstructive nature of memory, specifically how it can be reshaped in ways that can serve needs or perspectives. His favourite memory is going to the Copa America to watch Argentina play soccer with his friend.
Volunteers
Ruthie Astle
Ruthie Astle (she/her) is currently working on her BSc majoring in Psychology at the University of Alberta. She is very interested in learning more about how autobiographical memories can be manipulated during retrieval, and especially what neural mechanisms may have a part to play in that process. One of her favourite autobiographical memories was when she took her dog to the dog park for the first time.
Kailey Herner
Kailey Herner is currently completing her BSc in Psychology at the University of Alberta. Her research interests include memory reconsolidation and how different circumstances can evoke memory alteration. One of her favourite autobiographical memories is when she visited her best friend in the Yukon and picked wild raspberries.
Nabeeha Irfan
Nabeeha Irfan (she/her) is pursuing a BSc in Psychology at the University of Alberta. Her research interests focus on the use of memory reactivation and perspective-shifting to alter memory narratives influencing their emotional impact. One of her favourite memories is exploring the night market scene with her family in the city of Lahore in Pakistan and seeing the streets being full of life.
Reese Thurmeier
Reese Thurmeier (she/her) is currently completing a BA in Psychology and Women & Gender Studies at the University of Alberta. Reese is interested in research surrounding Social, Developmental, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Clinical Psychology. Her favorite memory includes the process of raising her cat, Rosie!
Lab Alumni
Heather M. Iriye, PhD: Postdoctoral Researcher, Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Magda Jordao, PhD: Research Fellow, University of Leeds, UK
Selen Küçüktaş, PhD: Research Consultant, Pivotal Research, Edmonton, Canada
Petra Marcotti, MSc, PhD: Associate Lecturer in Psychology, University of Essex, UK and Life Coach
Farrow Sow, MRes: PhD in Psychology, University of Waikato, New Zealand
Anna Cuff, BSc: MSc in Occupational Therapy, University of Alberta, Canada
Joey Nosko, BSc: MSc in Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Canada (co-supervision with Dr. Dana Hayward)
Shikang Peng, BSc: MA in Social Sciences, University of Chicago, USA; PhD in Psychology, University of Toronto, Canada
Victoria Pane, BSc: PsyD in Clinical Psychology, Concordia University, Canada
Shanela David, BA: MSc in Speech, Language, & Pathology, University of Alberta, Canada
Victoria Mackie, BA: MA in Counselling Psychology, Yorkville University, Canada (co-supervision with Dr. Dana Hayward)
Jenaya Therriault, BSc: MEd in Counselling Psychology, University of Ottawa, Canada
Anna Romero, BSc: MSc in Psychology, University of Alberta, Canada
Azra Panjwani, BSc: MSc in Public Health, University of Alberta, Canada
Bryton Wong, BSc: MD, University of Alberta, Canada
Maryanne Mudavadi, BSc: MSc in Human Resource Management, University of Sussex, UK
Yoko Lam, BSc: Postgraduate Certificate in Mental Health Practice, University of Sussex, UK
Chloe Fenn, BSc: Virgin Startup Lead, Virgin Startup, UK