Who We Are

Thomas D. Lyon, J.D., Ph.D. is the Judge Edward J. and Ruey L. Guirado Chair in Law and Psychology at the University of Southern California. His goal is to identify the most productive means of questioning children about abuse and violence. He is the Past-President of the American Psychological Association’s Section on Child Maltreatment (Division 37) and a former member of the Board of Directors of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children. His work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the United States Department of Justice, the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, the California Endowment, and the Haynes Foundation.

Jordan Sargent graduated from USC in 2017 with a major in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. She became a Double Trojan (Fight on!) in 2021 when she graduated with her Masters of Social Work (MSW) with an emphasis in Children, Youth, and Families from the USC Suzanne Dworak Peck School of Social Work. Jordan focuses on clinical work in the lab by conducting forensic interviews with minors who have been sexually abused or commercially sexually exploited. Jordan’s research interests include what factors likely contribute to recantation and how to lower the risk of recant, how to effectively train helping professionals to ask non-leading, open-ended questions, and the impact of sexual abuse on a child’s mental health, including suicidality and suicidal ideation. As an undergraduate research assistant, Jordan conducted several studies at Edelman Children’s Court including Ask/Tell, IDK, Birthday 2.0, IDK 2.0, and Pseudotemporal studies. As Lab Director, she oversaw the undergraduate research assistants as well as the studies both at court and elementary schools. In the future, she hopes to help make the process of disclosing sexual abuse easier for children by providing mandated reporters and other helping professionals with the tools they need to conduct research-based interviews in a timely manner.

Cara Burditt

Forensic Interviewer

Cara Burditt graduated from USC in 2022 with B.A.s in Psychology and Anthropology. She first joined the lab as an undergraduate student, and discovered a passion for interviewing children in Dr. Lyon’s Child Interviewing Practicum. As a research assistant, Cara assisted with research examining the language in attorney and child interactions. Currently in the lab, Cara oversees the work of the undergraduate research assistants, and conducts and assists with forensic interviews of youth who’ve experienced sexual abuse. Cara’s research interest centers on child development following trauma, and she plans to pursue a PhD in Psychology. In her free time, Cara enjoys painting, baking, and kayaking.

Mansi Gaur graduated from USC in 2023 with a B.A. in Cognitive Science and a minor in Law and Psychology. Early in her college career, she joined the lab as a research assistant to gain a more hands-on understanding of the intersection of law, child development, and advocacy. Currently, in the lab, Mansi oversees the work of research assistants and research projects regarding question-type coding. In the future, she hopes to attend law school to further her career as an advocate for children. Mansi enjoys watching Lakers games, exploring new coffee shops in Los Angeles, and binging T.V. shows in her downtime!

Gabrielle Biersach graduated from USC in 2023 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Forensics & Criminality. She grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, and loves spending time outdoors going to the beach and hiking. Gabrielle started at the lab as an undergraduate research assistant after learning about Dr. Lyon’s research in one of her law classes. She further deepened her interests in child interviewing after taking Dr. Lyon’s Child Interviewing Practicum. She is incredibly passionate about advocating for at-risk children and supporting those who have experienced trauma. Gabrielle plans to pursue a masters or PhD in forensic psychology and criminology in hopes of working in the criminal justice system to continue supporting children both in and out of the system. Currently in the lab, Gabrielle oversees research projects related to case management in court related manners, directly overseeing the undergraduate research assistants’ work, and serves as a liaison between the court and the lab. In her free time, she loves cooking, exercising, and thrifting.  

Allison Larkins is a sophomore majoring in Law, History and Culture, with a minor in Business Law. She is from Orange County, California, and aspires to go to law school after completing her undergraduate studies. Allison joined the Lab because she believes that law is one of the most powerful tools for advocacy and promoting justice in our community. Allison wants to contribute to the mission of the Lab because it helps children, one of the most vulnerable populations, tell their story while navigating through the complex legal system. In addition to the Lab, Allison volunteers for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, and serves as the Council President of the League of United Latin American Citizens at USC. She also is a Director of Philanthropy for Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, and a member of Latino Students in Law, where she previously served as the Director of Finance. In her spare time, Allison loves to hike, try new coffee shops around Los Angeles, and travel.

Daisy is a junior double majoring in Psychology and Intelligence & Cyber Operations with a minor in Forensics & Criminality and a specialization in Digital Forensics. She was born and raised in South Los Angeles, California, where she first stepped on USC grounds as part of LAPD/USC’s Youth Cadet Leadership Program. There, she was introduced to criminal law, social justice, and youth advocacy, inspiring her to pursue a forensic-related career that intersects with victim-witness services. Daisy joined the Lab to further her knowledge about the legal process and forensic interviewing, focusing on how research in developmental psychology can help with child testimony. In the future, Daisy hopes to become a district attorney, forensic psychologist, or digital forensic examiner in the public sector. Outside of the Lab, Daisy is a Teaching Assistant for ITP 375 Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity Investigations, as well as the Vice President of Public Relations for CybOrg and the Undergraduate Representative for the Forensic Social Work Caucus.

Elizabeth is a junior in the Honors Psychology Program with a minor in Neuroscience. She grew up in Orange County and is a first-gen student. Currently, she is engaged in research with the lab for her honors project, specifically focusing on police interviewing. Elizabeth is considering a career as a clinical psychologist and is deciding between law school and clinical psychology for graduate studies. She envisions her future role as a means to advocate for mental health, along with fairness and justice. In addition to her academic pursuits, Elizabeth is a college essay tutor, volunteers at a food bank, and is involved in the KO Society which aims to empower Black women. In her free time, she helps run a catering business with her mother — Adoria’s, in which they share their Nigerian culture through cuisine. She also enjoys board games, picnics, and exploring new restaurants. 

Este is a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Legal Studies. She was born and raised in Kindred, North Dakota on a crop farm. She was interested in joining the lab to see how her interests in both psychology and law can intersect. After finishing her undergraduate degree, she wants to pursue her masters in Clinical Psychology. In her free time you can find Este dancing on Break Through Hip Hop, volunteering as a Teaching Assistant with PEP, napping on the beach, or searching for the best coffee in Los Angeles.

Halle is currently a sophomore double majoring in Philosophy and Cognitive Science with a minor in Occupational Sciences. She was born and raised on a farm in Redding, Connecticut where she was often found on hikes and in local diners. Halle was eager to join the lab due to her keen interest in developmental psychological research practices and ethics with a focus on how built environments affect socio-cognitive functionality. Furthermore, she has passion for social justice and youth advocacy, particularly in cases of sexual abuse, and aspires to explore their intersection with cognitive science in graduate school. When she is not in the lab, Halle can be found at the Museum of Natural History where she is a digitizer for the Marine Biodiversity Center, at USC Helenes events – a community service and school spirit organization – where she serves as the Co-President, or on Hoover playing pick-up basketball with friends.

Hanae Courcoux is a junior studying Psychology with a minor in Consumer Behavior and Food & Society. Born in Paris, France, she also spent significant time growing up in Cambodia. Hanae’s academic interests primarily focus on consumer behavior, but she is also really interested in child psychology. Outside the lab, she serves as the Vice President of Above & Beyond, a USC student association, and is an active member of the Expat Society. In her leisure time, Hanae enjoys exploring new cuisines, hiking, skiing, swimming, cooking, and traveling. After USC, she hopes to apply her understanding of psychology and research methods to investigate consumer behavior further.

Jess is a sophomore majoring in Political Science with minors in Legal Studies and Business Law. She has always loved Southern California as she was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, about 40 minutes from USC! She joined the child interviewing lab to gain more hands-on experience with research and learn about how the law affects children. Although intrigued with the justice system, she hopes to attend law school to become a business litigation or sports lawyer. Outside the lab, she loves to go to the beach, explore new coffee shops, read, bake, and watch TV shows and movies.

Kyle Zheng is a junior studying Economics and minoring in Data Analytics. I was born in Costa Rica but currently live in LA. I joined the lab after hearing more about he research from a friend which aligned with my interest in criminal cases involving childhood trauma. Outside of the lab, I like to cook, explore different parts of LA, and binge watch shows and movies.

Matthew Ginsburg is a freshman from Redondo Beach, California. He is passionate about pursuing child psychology in the future with plans to continue his education in the field and become a child therapist. He joined the lab to become more experienced in research and better understand how children process and understand trauma. In his free time Matthew enjoys spending time with his friends at the beach or the movies as well as camping or being outdoors.

Matthew Kim is an undergraduate at the University of Southern California, pursuing a dual degree in Business Administration and a Master’s in Integrated Design, Business, and Technology. A Los Angeles native with a keen interest in gaining research experience, he joined the Child Interview Lab. His future aspirations revolve around a deep-rooted passion for service and problem-solving, with a strong interest in law. At USC, he enjoys the diverse academic environment and vibrant campus life, actively participating in extracurriculars that align with his interests in design, business strategy, and storytelling. Outside academia, Matthew is an avid lap swimmer, assists on film sets, and enjoys reading fiction and watching films to unwind.

Natalie Bayan is a junior double majoring in Law, History, & Culture and Psychology. She is from Carson, California and regularly spends her time with her family, at the beach, and reading. Natalie enthusiastically joined the lab to explore the intersection between law and psychology — hoping to gain experience in the field of child psychology. Currently, Natalie has begun writing her honors thesis on Police Interviewing Practices, under the mentorship of Dr. Lyon. Outside of the lab, Natalie hosts volunteer events to serve the greater Los Angeles community as Vice President of Philanthropy of Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society, and manages the internal affairs of USC’s only Filipino organization, Troy Philippines, as the Internal Vice President. In addition to the lab, Natalie works for the USC Office of Orientation Programs where she helps acclimate incoming Trojans into college life. 

Rachel Ramirez is a sophomore majoring in Cinema & Media Studies with a minor in Social Work & Juvenile Justice. It was after taking her first class for her minor, Adolescent Gang Intervention, when she became invested in learning more about youth development and justice, and applied to join the Child Interviewing Lab. In her junior year, she plans to apply for USC’s Progressive Degree Program in Social Work with a children, youth and families track, so that she will graduate with both her B.A. and M.S.W. at the same time. Rachel was born and raised in San Jose, California and always knew she wanted to move to an even bigger city for college. In her career, she hopes to combine both of her passions in filmmaking and social justice to create meaningful works that incite social change. Beyond the lab, she enjoys reading, hiking, going to the movie theaters, and spending time with friends and family.

Serena Cooper is a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Mind-Body studies. She is from Baltimore, Maryland. She is passionate about encouraging the holistic well-being of individuals, especially that of children and BIPOC communities. She is interested in learning about the way children navigate their memories and emotions after experiencing trauma through the lab. Serena is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and serves on the E-board of the Black Psychology Student Association. She also enjoys reading, practicing yoga, and eating seafood!

Shayra is a sophomore majoring in Psychology and on the Pre-medicine track, with a prospective minor in Painting. She was born and raised in the South Central area and has amassed an interest in social work in the densely Latino-populated area of LA. She hopes to continue with graduate studies in social work with the intent of attending medical school to specialize in psychiatry and addiction. She is interested in studying the optimal manners of improving the mental health system and accessibility to better serve undervalued communities. Outside of the lab, she likes to paint and try out different coffee shops!

Shayra is a sophomore majoring in Psychology and on the Pre-medicine track, with a prospective minor in Painting. She was born and raised in the South Central area and has amassed an interest in social work in the densely Latino-populated area of LA. She hopes to continue with graduate studies in social work with the intent of attending medical school to specialize in psychiatry and addiction. She is interested in studying the optimal manners of improving the mental health system and accessibility to better serve undervalued communities. Outside of the lab, she likes to paint and try out different coffee shops!

Victoria is a freshman majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Law with a minor in sociology. She is from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but her family is from Uruguay. As a first-generation student and American, Victoria has been advocating on behalf of herself and others from a very young age. Her empathy and deep-rooted passion for advocacy, social change, and legal research drives her desire to attend law school and become a children’s attorney. For Victoria, the lab provides a platform for her to assist in carrying out research in the areas of law and psychology while simultaneously pursuing her passion for children’s representation and advocacy. Outside of the lab, Victoria is also a part of USC Agents of Change, the first undergraduate civil rights clinic in the nation. You can often find Victoria at the beach or the Village gym!