People — Boykin Lab

Lab Director

Dr. C. Malik Boykin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences (CLPS) at Brown University. Malik received his doctorate in Social and Personality Psychology from UC Berkeley, his M.A. in Social-Organizational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, and his B.S. in Psychology from the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) – after first attending Howard University. He was a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow for two years at Brown in the Department of CLPS before his current faculty appointment. His research focuses on intergroup relations, hierarchy, prejudice, mentorship, and racial identity. Several of these themes inform his research on attitudes toward HBCUs and bias in decision-making algorithms. He has affiliate appointments with both the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America (CSREA) and the Data Science Initiative (DSI). He has previously secured funding from the Ford Fellowship Foundation, the Greater Good Science Center, and the Society for Multivariate Experimental Psychology to conduct his research. Dr. Boykin is a member of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP), the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP), and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.

Visiting Scientists

Stephanie Taravez, PhD.

Dr. Stephanie Tavarez is an I/O psychologist with seven years of applied industry/experimental research and higher education experience. Her applied and collaborative work addresses the following topics: diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), training program development and evaluation, personnel assessments, and higher education and employability. Dr. Tavarez is proactive and professionally committed to developing individuals in diverse populations and building workplace capacity to achieve business outcomes. In her daily work, she leads organizational development initiatives that contribute to facing organizational challenges for private and federal clients. She received her Ph.D. in I/O Psychology at Capella University in June of 2020. Ms. Tavarez earned both her Master of Science in Organizational Psychology and a Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Hartford. She is passionate about teaching at her alma mater and building students’ learning profile through critical thinking and creativity.

Taiwo A. Togun, Ph.D. – CEO, SeqHub Analytics

Taiwo has over twelve years of experience as a data scientist and an educator. With a Ph.D. in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics from Yale, Taiwo’s research focused on ensemble recursive partitioning methods for integrated analysis of high dimensional genomics and clinical data to identify genomic biomarkers of cancer. As Co-founder of SeqHub Analytics, a data science consulting company, Taiwo’s experience extends from interdisciplinary academic research to data strategy consulting for start-ups and small businesses. Currently a Visiting Scientist with the R.I.S.E lab at the Department of Cognitive, Linguistics and Psychological Sciences at Brown University, Dr. Togun’s research aims to elucidate fairness perceptions in machine learning algorithms. As an educator, Dr. Togun is the architect and head of the Computer Science (CS) program of a private K-12 school, Pierrepont School, where he enjoys the challenge of making CS courses accessible to students at all levels.

Visiting Scientist Emeritus

Venkat Lakshminrayanaan (1982-2022) – Chief Data Scientist, SeqHub Analytics

Venkat Lakshminarayanan obtained his B.A. in Economics (2004) and his Ph.D. in Psychology (2012) from Yale University, where he developed novel methods to investigate the evolutionary origins of decision-making biases by measuring economic preferences in ancestrally-related non-human primates. He has held postdoctoral appointments at Yale's Department of Cognitive Science and Yale's Department of Comparative Medicine. Until his untimely passing, he served as Chief Data Scientist at SeqHub Analytics and a researcher at Brown University's Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, where he studied human attitudes toward algorithmic fairness using empirical methods. Central to Venkat’s vision for the future, was a commitment to investing in young people and their pursuit of data science as a way to positively impact society. The RISE Lab carries this commitment into the future for our fallen brother.

Graduate Students

Skyler Gin - PhD Student

Skyler Gin is a Ph.D. student in Psychology at Brown University in the CLPS department. Before moving to San Ramon, California, she lived a large portion of her childhood in the heart of San Francisco with her family. Being in such a large city, she explored much diversity and perspectives on life. Lessons learned through homeschooling, attending Chinese Day School, and the public school system she has placed into her psychological studies. Earning her B.S. in Child Development at California Polytechnic State University and M.S. in Psychology at the University of Oregon, she developed an interest in childhood learning through a culturally sensitive lens. Skyler’s current research focus at Brown University is to combine theories and methods from social psychology with those from developmental psychology to assist in understanding children and their parents’ formation of race/ethnic identity and how that may affect children’s learning in and out of school settings. With the desire to become a professor, she fully intends to continue on a path of research with hopes of making academia inclusive and future research diverse.

Victor Ojewale - PhD Student

Victor is a PhD student at the Center for Tech Responsibility, Reimagination and Redesign(The CNTR) at the Brown University Data Science Institute where he is advised by Prof.Suresh Venkatasubramanian . His research interests lie in understanding the impacts of algorithmic systems, particularly through the lenses of algorithmic (un)fairness and algorithm audits. He is a member of the RISE Lab at Brown University where he also works with Prof.Malik Boykin . Previously, he studied Computer Science at the University of Ibadan.
He was the Lead Data Scientist at SeqHub Analytics LLC and also a research assistant with The Mozilla OAT Project. With a passion for exploring the ethical implications of emerging technologies, Victor is hoping to contribute to the development of more responsible and accountable technology systems. Outside the lab, he enjoys watching anime and travel vlogs.

Staff

Julia Ryan – Lab Manager

Julia, BA, is passionate about addressing inequalities and access barriers in the mental healthcare system through the development of culturally sensitive diagnostic and intervention procedures. She has formerly worked on projects exploring emotion regulation and sleep bruxism, emotion regulation and breast cancer treatment decisions, perceptions and mental health treatment endorsements, combining CBT treatment protocols for co-morbid disorders and work involving embodiment and linguistics. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and crisis counselor, surfing, going to comedy shows, reading, and spending time with her dog, Conor.

Gabrielle Tanksley – Lab Manager (Honors Thesis Alum)

Gabrielle recently graduated from Brown with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with Honors. She is interested in understanding how ethnic-racial identities inform attitudes about the self and others, focusing particularly on how such research might improve clinical treatment strategies. Gabrielle is additionally interested in the acculturation of minoritized youth through mainstream schooling and how such processes inform their wellbeing into adulthood. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, writing, various artistic pursuits, learning other languages, and absorbing new cultural knowledge.

Research Assistants

Aziza Alford - Undergraduate RA

Aziza is a Sophomore at Brown University planning on double concentrating in Health and Human Biology and Africana Studies. She is interested in how sociocultural assumptions about race, class, and gender have shaped health inequalities and systemic racism historically. She hopes to take part in research that re-centers minority groups and community voices, instead of villainizing them, to provide a different approach to addressing these issues. Outside the lab, she enjoys dancing, reading, cooking, playing rugby, taking care of her numerous plants (her favorite is the monstera), crocheting, hiking, and photosynthesizing in the sun.

Paola Alvarez - Undergraduate RA

Paola is a sophomore at the University of Nevada, Reno pursuing Psychology and Human Resource Management. She is interested in studying contemporary forms of prejudice and discrimination in educational settings and the workplace. Specifically, she aims to research racial attitudes toward minorities and their implications on both individual and collective performance. During her free time, Paola enjoys reading, watching Ghibli movies, watercolor painting, and playing with her cat Zuko.

Sophia Dasch – Visiting Graduate Research Assistant

Sophia Dasch is a psychology master’s student at Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany, where she also completed her Bachelor’s degree. During her studies, she seized the opportunity to further her academic education at Brown University, USA, and the University of Sussex, UK. She’s especially passionate about the R.I.S.E Lab’s research because she believes in the high societal importance of understanding the perception of algorithmic biases in order to reduce structural discrimination. Besides this work, she is particularly interested in the psychology of collective action and environmental psychology. Moreover, she is a dedicated social justice activist, involved in several organizations, such as Scholars at Brown for Climate Action. Sophia Dasch is a member of the International Society of Political Psychology (ISPP) and the German cooperative Wandelwerk, a group of psychologists using psychological insights to tackle climate change.

Madison Harvey - Undergraduate RA

Madison Harvey is a sophomore at Brown University planning to double concentrate in Cognitive Neuroscience and Science, Technology and Society. She is interested in finding ways to create a more inclusive scientific community by challenging systematic inequality within STEM. Madison plans to combine her interest in science, equity, and inclusion by focusing on the practice and implementation of technological and medical ethics. Madison focuses on her passion for educational justice through her involvement in Students for Educational Equity (SEE), where she primarily focuses on community engagement and fostering reciprocal, mutually beneficial partnerships with local youth-led Providence organizations. Outside of the lab, one may find Madison hiking, reading, cooking, or even roller skating (a skill she picked up during quarantine).

Jo Gasior-Kavishe - Undergraduate RA

Jo is a sophomore at Brown University planning to double concentrate in Computer Science and International and Public Affairs. She is extremely interested in the ethical implications that technology has in our society and how to utilize it for social good. In her free time, Jo enjoys working out, painting, all things music, and collecting jewelry!

Kainoa Maruoka - Undergraduate RA

Kainoa is a sophomore at Brown concentrating in Public Health with a second concentration in English. He is interested in researching community inequality and racial bias, especially concerning healthcare. His past research experiences have been with how healthcare policies and racial discrimination affect access to healthcare for minority communities in Hawaii. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing the viola, running, and spending time with friends.