Principal Investigator

Nicole Sparapani, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor within the School of Education and the MIND Institute. Her research interests center on the development and evaluation of effective educational practices for students on the autism spectrum, emphasizing the dynamic interplay between children and their classroom environment. Dr. Sparapani practiced as a certified speech-language pathologist on an interdisciplinary team serving preschool children on the spectrum for several years before pursuing her Ph.D. in Communication Science and Disorders at Florida State University and postdoctoral training with Dr. Carol McDonald Connor at Arizona State University. See her complete faculty profile here.

Collaborative Partners

Nancy Tseng, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the School of Education. She began her career in education as a public elementary school teacher. Her research interests focus on the development of productive student-teacher relationships in mathematics classrooms, identifying instructional practices that support mathematics learning and teaching, supporting student participation in math classrooms, and pre-and in-service teacher education. Dr. Tseng received a BA in psychology, elementary teaching credential, and MA from the University of California, Davis. She has a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from the University of Maryland, College Park.       

Peter Mundy, Ph.D. is a Lisa Capps Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the MIND Institute, and a Distinguished Professor in the School of Education. He is an expert in the education and development of children on the autism spectrum. As a developmental and clinical psychologist, Dr. Mundy has been working on defining the major dimensions of autism for several decades. Dr. Mundy’s research focuses on understanding the role that attention, and especially joint attention plays in learning, language and social-cognition of individuals on the autism spectrum.

Postdoctoral Research Scholars

Amanda Dimachkie Nunnally, Ph.D. is a Postdoctoral Fellowship with the CARE lab. Her research interests focus on exploring the processes of emotion regulation and self-regulation among young children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities, specifically within the context of caregiver-child interactions. Prior to beginning her postdoctoral position at the UC Davis MIND Institute, Dr. Dimachkie Nunnally received her Ph.D. in Education, with an emphasis on Human Development and Psychology, at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Sandy Birkeneder is a Postdoctoral Scholar within the School of Education. Dr. Birkeneder’s research focuses on diagnostics and communication within autistic children. Her dissertation examined joint attention and reading development within school aged autistic and non-autistic children. Dr. Birkeneder has a background in policy and education and received her BA from UC San Diego in Political Science and her MA from San Francisco State. Prior to returning to academia, Dr. Birkeneder worked in the private sector at NBC’s political headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Research Coordinators / Lab Managers

Mitchell Madison is a 2023 UC Davis graduate, earning a BA in psychology. Influenced by his upbringing in a large family (5 siblings, one of whom has autism) and his own experience with mental health. Mitchell is interested in pursuing a career in clinical social work with specific interests in family systems theory and generational trauma. Within the lab, he contributes to the collection of data through leading video observations and administering assessments. Additionally, Mitchell helps with the process of data entry and coding. 

Juliana Griswold is graduated from UC Davis with a BA in Human Development with a minor in Education. At the CARE lab, she codes productivity, which assesses student opportunities for engagement in the classroom and is part of the data entry team. After graduation, Juliana plans to get a Master’s in Education and a teaching credential.

Graduate Students

Johanna Vega Garcia is a doctoral candidate in the School of Education. She is interested in studying teacher-student interactions and student-teacher relationships with neurodiverse students by observing teachers’ affect. Within the CARE Lab, she helps administer literacy assessments to students, assists in video recording, and identifies student communication initiation and duration of student productivity using video observations. When she’s not in the lab, she enjoys spending time outdoors and trying out new coffee shops!

Cindy Parks is a doctoral student in the School of Education. As a neurodivergent person, Cindy is passionate in her belief that educating parents, teachers, mentors and community members about their children’s and students’ neurodevelopmental needs can result in the implementation of parenting and learning strategies that will help children and families to live more harmonious, productive and loving lives. She believes that when a disability is truly understood, families and educators can begin to interact, parent and/or instruct through a lens that takes into account the learning differences that come with the diagnosis. By dedicating herself to research into the impact of that education, she hopes to foster equity and inclusion for children and people with learning differences.   

Hi, I am Stefano Cantos, an incoming doctoral student at the School of Education under the advisement of Dr. Sparapani. I lead the classroom video collection team and co-lead the assessment team within the lab. I also code for Emotional Regulation and Activity. I am interested in understanding the inclusion of autistic, neurodiverse, and intellectually disabled students in K-3rd grade classrooms by analyzing teacher preparation, educational policy, and a student’s sense of belonging. I am the son of a blind man, which instilled in me the belief in equitable opportunities for all populations within our schools.

Undergraduate Research Assistants                     

Bayleigh Baldwin is a 4th year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Linguistics with a minor in History. Growing up in a family of inclusive educators, Bayleigh is passionate about improving education for all. She still visits her mother’s first-grade classroom every holiday break and loves working with students. Within the CARE lab, she administers math and Early Social Communication Scales (ESCS) assessments at schools enrolled in our study. She also codes videos for student language and works on her own undergraduate language research projects. She believes in the potential of interdisciplinary research to contribute to discoveries in education and beyond. Additionally, Bayleigh is a student ambassador of the UC Davis College of Letters and Science, where she encourages current and future undergraduates to explore new academic areas. She also mentors first-year students annually and answers their questions about navigating life at UC Davis. This fall, she plans to apply to Ph.D. and post-baccalaureate programs in Education and Linguistics. She hopes to earn the first doctorate in her family and become a professor in the future.

Caroline Van Zant is a 4th year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and minors in Education and Psychology. She is passionate about advancing equity and inclusion for students with disabilities. Within the CARE Lab, she has recorded classroom lessons, administered literacy assessments, and coded assessment videos. She is currently working on transcribing videos of assessments. In addition to her work with the CARE Lab, Caroline works for the Redwood SEED Scholars Program, a four-year inclusive college opportunity for students with intellectual disabilities. She also serves as the club president for Best Buddies at UC Davis, a program that creates opportunities for friendship between people with and without disabilities. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in special education or education policy.

Leah Cole is an undergraduate student studying Human Development with a minor in Biological Sciences. At the lab, Leah administers math and literacy assessments, conducts video observations, codes Initiating Communication within math and literacy lessons, and administers and codes ESCS assessments. She joined the CARE Lab because she is passionate about equity and inclusivity in education. Leah also works for the Redwood SEED Scholars Program, a four-year inclusive college opportunity for students with intellectual disabilities. In her free time, Leah plays for Rogue, the UC Davis Women’s Ultimate Frisbee team. After graduation, Leah hopes to attend graduate school to become a speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist. 

Caroline Callagy is a 4th year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with minors in Education and Music. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school to earn her teaching credential and Masters in Education. A strong advocate for individuals with disabilities, she is working towards becoming a special education teacher for elementary students. In the CARE lab, Caroline codes Productivity under the direction of her wonderful mentor Mitchell and is interested in the types of activities students on the autism spectrum engage in.