Research Assistants

Chase Keyler is a Senior Research Assistant and Coach at the UCLA PEERS® Clinic, where he has served as a coach in the PEERS® for Young Adults groups, PEERS® for Dating groups, and PEERS® for Careers groups. Chase assists with certified training seminars, boot camp seminars, and is involved in coding projects related to PEERS® for Careers. Chase earned his M.A. in Psychology from Pepperdine University and will begin Pepperdine’s Clinical Psychology doctoral program this fall. His clinical interests include behavioral treatments for mood disorders within the ASD community.

Nathan is a research assistant and behavioral coach at the UCLA PEERS Clinic under the mentorship of Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson. He is involved with the PEERS for Young Adults social training groups and is a member of the PEERS for Careers Employment Team. Nathan has several years of experience working in applied behavioral analysis and clinical assessment of individuals with developmental disabilities. He is completing his Master’s in Psychology at Pepperdine University and hopes to pursue a Clinical Psychology doctoral program. His clinical research interests include treatments for ASD, applications of music therapy, and cognitive effects of video games.

Mia Kim is a biology and education pre-major, who is passionate about promoting equal opportunities for education. She is interested in studying research-based pedagogical strategies, as well as working to implement these strategies in real-world settings. She enjoys volunteering in classrooms or other learning environments, because she gets to grow and learn alongside the people that she works with. In the future, she hopes to work as a teacher in public schools serving low-income communities, while also researching in the field of education.

Rose Malki is a second-year student at UCLA. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychobiology and plans to attend Medical or PA school upon completing her undergraduate education. She has previous experience as a teaching instructor and hospital volunteer, and hopes to utilize her genuine love for science and helping others in all of her future work. Her research interests include neurological and developmental disorders and the effect of stress on health behaviors.

Liorit Kohanbash is a recent graduate of UCLA and plans on becoming a physician. Currently, she is taking her pre-med courses while working at different programs in order to broaden her experience and develop her skills. Some of the organizations that she works with include Cedar Sinai, UCLA KidsConnect, and Chai Lifeline. During her free time, she likes to spend time with friends and family, play sports, and go to the beach. She is excited to be a part of the Peers for Careers research team.

Anushka Chauhan is a third year at UCLA, currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and hopes to attend medical school or PA school. She loves contributing to and supporting various underserved communities and enjoy exploring new fields of lab research. During her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends, family, and cooking.

Kimiya Aframian is currently an undergraduate student at UCLA pursuing a degree in Psychobiology (B.S.) and minor in Disability Studies. She intends to continue in a health care professional career following graduation. Kimiya's past research experience involves neuroscience and she has an interest and prior engagement in the neurodiverse community.

Emma Chang is a second-year undergraduate student at UCLA. She is currently pursuing her bachelor's degree in psychology and hopes to continue studying psychology in graduate school. Her research interests include autism spectrum disorder and social psychology.

Ricardo Garcia is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Psychobiology (B.S.) at UCLA. He intends to pursue medical school with the intention of entering the field of pediatrics. He currently writes for the Daily Bruin as a sports reporter.

Tyler Samuelson is a third-year undergraduate student at UCLA majoring in Psychobiology and minoring in Disability Studies. She hopes to attend dental school after graduating from UCLA in a few years. She is involved in some pre-health clubs on campus, as well as leadership for her sorority. Outside of school, she likes to run, shop, eat, and spend time with friends.

Sania Tuli is a senior research assistant at the UCLA PEERS Clinic under the mentorship of Dr. Laugeson. She is currently a student at UCLA pursuing a major in Human Biology and Society and a minor is disability studies. After she graduates, she hopes to pursue a career in medicine and also continue working with kids with ASD. Sania primarily works in the PEERS for Adolescents groups and PEERS for Preschoolers groups. Aside from her work in PEERS, Sania is an intern for the Indian Health Services and loves to engage in community service throughout the Los Angeles area.

Emma Miller is currently a senior at Harvard-Westlake High School and will be pursuing a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience at Northwestern University next year. She is a senior research assistant in the PEERS for Adolescents groups and the PEERS Friendship, Conversation, Dating, and Bully-Proofing Bootcamps. Emma hopes to eventually pursue a career in medicine while continuing to work with autistic adolescents and young adults.