Hi! I’m a cognitive scientist working with Dr. Tamar Kushnir at Duke and Dr. Tao Gao at UCLA. I am interested in the unique minds that underlie human rationality and intelligence. I draw insights and methods from philosophy, psychology (cognitive, social, and developmental), and artificial intelligence to explore the nature and origins of human intentional actions and agency. My current research focuses on the social-cognitive mechanisms of intention and commitment. When my mind wanders, I love reading novels, visiting cafés, and playing with my cat, Piggy!

Dr. Meltem Yucel is a post-doctoral fellow in Psychology & Neuroscience and a member of the Early Childhood Cognition laboratory. She received her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology at the University of Virginia. She is also a fellow in the International Max Planck Research School on the Life Course (LIFE Academy). Prior to attending the University of Virginia, she received her B.A. in Psychology from Ozyegin University in 2015. Meltem is interested in children’s social and moral development, specifically focusing on how and when children become moral beings.
Website: www.meltemyucel.com