Meet The Team

Jessica Stern, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Psychological Science at Pomona College. A proud alum of the Claremont Colleges (PO ’12), she went on to her PhD in child psychology from the University of Maryland. She has more than 10 years of experience conducting research with children and families and recently completed a National Research Service Award fellowship from the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development at the University of Virginia. As Director of the FAM Lab, Dr. Stern welcomes families of all backgrounds to participate in the fun and fascinating science of child development. When not in the lab, Dr. Stern can be found hiking with her family, chatting with growers at the farmer’s market, and playing with her neighbors’ dogs.

Jacob Zarate is currently a sophomore at Pomona College studying Neuroscience. He also is involved with Health Bridges, through which he manages projects in the local San Bernardino area that aim to educate youth on health topics like mental health, nutrition, and managing the healthcare system. He is hoping to pursue a career in either developmental neuropsychology research or pediatrics. In his free time, he enjoys reading developmental psychology and parenting books, crocheting, and writing poetry.

Jamila Abdilahi is a current junior at Pomona College from Seattle, Washington studying Molecular Biology and Psychology. She is passionate about promoting healthy child development for minority communities and strives for a career in pediatrics. As a volunteer with LINC, she demonstrates her commitment to equity in public school systems. Outside of college, she enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest, reading fiction, writing poetry, and cherishes spending time with her family of ten.

Edwin Wu is currently a freshman at Pomona College from Ellicott City, Maryland, studying Psychological Science, with a potential double minor in Italian and Economics. He has spent his last two years involved in a research lab at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, researching language development and concept formation in children and adults in order to enhance learning for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and, more recently, volunteered at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, working as a clinical assistant in the Pediatric Feeding Disorders program. In his free time, he enjoys trying new restaurants, listening to music, traveling, and biking around the Claremont Village. 

Maria Zhang is a current freshman at Pomona College interested in studying Cognitive Science. She loves learning about topics in cognitive and linguistic development, along with developmental and cultural psychology. She is dedicated to supporting children’s social-emotional health, especially in underserved minority communities. Hailing from the greater Seattle area, she loves swimming and skiing, anything film related, and trying various new cuisines.