Research Specialists
Zaynab Khan
Research Specialist
Zaynab graduated in 2022 from Columbia College with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She previously obtained a phlebotomy certification and has experience working as a medical scribe. She is interested in pursuing a career in genetic counseling.
Heather Petersen
Research Specialist
Heather graduated in 2025 from Lehigh University with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Anthropology. She has over two years of previous research experience in the Lehigh Language Production Lab and Yale Phonetics Lab. She also wrote a senior anthropology honors thesis on multilingual students at Lehigh and their experiences of belonging/support within the university setting. She is interested in exploring speech-language pathology as a discipline and building on her psychological assessment skills.
Lydia Bonecutter
Research Specialist
Lydia is a psychology and Spanish graduate from Meredith College with four years of experience working with children on the autism spectrum. She is a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) and completed extensive clinical training through the Meredith Autism Program, including advanced and inclusive preschool practicums. Lydia completed an honors thesis examining the effectiveness and acceptability of weighted vests for adults with autism spectrum disorder and served as a volunteer research assistant at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. Her research interests include evidence-based interventions for neurodevelopmental disorders and improving access to services for diverse and Spanish-speaking families.