OUR LAB
At the heart of the UNLV Baby and Child Rebel Lab is a deep curiosity about how children understand their social world. Our research focuses on the earliest stages of social learning, investigating how infants and children recognize faces, process voices, and form social beliefs. Through our studies, we aim to answer fundamental questions about human development and provide insights that support families and educators. Explore our research, meet our team, and see how you can get involved.
Dr. Jennifer Rennels
Lab Director
Dr. Jennifer Rennels (formerly Ramsey) is a Professor in the Psychology Department at UNLV, teaching graduate and undergraduate Developmental Psychology courses.
She received her Ph.D. in psychology (developmental emphasis) from the University of Texas at Austin in 2003 and joined UNLV’s Department of Psychology faculty in the Fall of the same year.
She has published articles investigating how early social experiences influence infants' and children’s perceptions of people based on gender, race, and attractiveness. Her research provides insight into the development of biases and stereotypes and how people process information about others.
The National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development have supported her research. See Dr. Rennels’ profile on ResearchGate.
Dr. Andrea Kayl
Research Associate
Andrea Kayl graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
She is interested in developmental design and analysis, exploring the dynamic patterns of change that occur across development, and how real-world experiences and individual differences impact behavior.
She is currently helping with projects that examine these factors as they relate to infants’ preferences for faces and their ability to recognize and categorize people in their social worlds. If you have questions for Andrea, email her at kayla@unlv.nevada.edu.
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Kirsty Kulhanek
Doctoral Candidiate
Kirsty Kulhanek received her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and her M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Missouri State University.
She is currently a doctoral candidate in the Psychological & Brain Sciences PH.D. program with a developmental emphasis. The primary questions that drive Kirsty’s research interests are:
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How do perceptual experience and abilities influence the way we begin to form social biases (such as race, gender, and attractiveness biases)
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How can we reduce social biases through increased intergroup contact?
Rachel DeWald
3rd year Ph.D. Student
Rachel is a third-year graduate student at UNLV. She has worked with the Baby and Child Rebel since she was an undergraduate student. Her interests lie in expanding the research of facial perception and emotional recognition by focusing on the autistic population.
In her spare time she works with clay, and likes to make mugs and functional sculptures. She has three kids and they love to dance and do karaoke together.
Alana McDearmond
1st year Ph.D. Student
Ali is a first-year graduate student at UNLV pursuing a PhD in Psychological and Brain Sciences. She received her BS in Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research interests include the development of stereotypes and biases, and children's relationship formation.
In her free time, she likes to explore nature, embroider, crochet, and listen to music.
Kindy Insouvanh
Doctoral Candidiate
Kindy Insouvanh received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Alberta and her M.A. in Forensic Psychology from the University of North Dakota.
She is currently a doctoral student in the Psychological & Brain Sciences PH.D. program with a developmental emphasis. Kindy studies the development and impact of racial/ethnic bias in individuals with diverse backgrounds (e.g., children of all races and ethnicities and with and without developmental disabilities). Two questions guide her current research interests:
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How do children use contextual cues and personal characteristics to make decisions in social situations?
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What factors affect young adults’ reasoning about racism and ways to reduce racial prejudice and discrimination?
Alexander Peterson
3rd year Ph.D. Student
Alex is a third-year graduate student at UNLV. Having moved to Las Vegas last summer, he is pursuing a doctoral degree in developmental psychology. Alex’s research interests are in the intersectionality of early development and societal/cultural context. This includes race/ethnicity, sex/gender, education, and socioeconomic factors.
Outside of school, Alex stays busy with his two kids, a three-year old and a newborn. When there is spare time, he enjoys video games, movies, and exploring new places. One of Alex’s favorite hobbies is paleontology and probably knows way too much about dinosaurs.
Tra Bui
3rd year Ph.D. Student
Tra is a second-year graduate student at UNLV. She is interested in learning about the interactions between children and technology, especially with voice assistants.
She loves cats and currently has 5 cats back in Vietnam. She also enjoys drinking boba tea whenever she feels like it. In her free time, she will sleep or play LOL mobile and Hayday.
Alexis Rice
2nd year Ph.D. Student
Alexis is a second-year Ph.D. student in Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Her research focuses on the intersection of hypervigilance, trauma, and adulthood milestones in emerging adults.
Alexis holds a B.A. in Psychology from UNLV and serves as the lab manager for the UNLV Baby and Child Rebel Lab. In addition to her academic pursuits, she works as a Resident Assistant and Staff mentor at Tonopah residential complex at UNLV.
RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
My Tu Tran
Summer 2024 - Present
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Senior at UNLV
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Economics Major
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Minor in Math and Psychology
Karime Elizondo
Fall 2023 - Present
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Junior at UNLV
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Psychology Major
HONORING OUR PAST
Our lab wouldn't be what it is today without the dedication and hard work of our past graduate students and research assistants. These incredible individuals have contributed so much to our research, and we are proud to see them moving on to new challenges and successes.
To all our past graduates and RAs, thank you for being part of our journey. Your contributions have helped shape the future of our research, and we are grateful for the lasting impact you've made.
GRADUATES
Coming Soon
RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
Coming Soon
