CANdiLab Alum

My name is Rahma and I am going into my 3rd year of undergraduate studies, majoring in forensic psychology and minoring in criminology and justice. I have a never ending thirst for learning and being a research assistant is a position that always involves learning. I am very interested in the physiology of the brain in relation to its psychology, specifically the concept of emotions, perspectives, and abnormalities. In addition to my passion for research, I am also a varsity student athlete with the women’s rowing team of the university. In other words, I have extremely early and productive mornings (5AM - 7AM) because of rowing practice!

Rahma Kahn

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Our Team

Hi! I'm an undergraduate student here at Ontario Tech. I'm currently majoring in Forensic Psychology and minoring in Political Science. I'm interested more broadly in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. More specifically, I'm interested in attentional processes. I love reading classic literature, writing poetry, and anything artsy :)

Myra Leblanc

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

I am a third-year med lab student deeply interested in psychology, particularly the connections between psychology, personality and empathy. I enjoy the laboratory environment and thoroughly enjoy participating in research projects.   At home, I like playing with my chubby and lazy cat, he adds humor and comfort to my life.

Jingbei Zhang

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Andrea is a new research assistant in the lab, participating in a study at Ontario Shores Center for Mental Health Research that is aiming to validate a new screening measure for psychopathy. 

Andrea Manning

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Nyla Di illo

HONOURS THESIS STUDENT

Hilana Gerges

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Hannah Freelove

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Calvin Cressman

GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Jessica  Biasin

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Honourable Mentions

Ria Joshi

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Hi! I’m Jamie (they/them) and I’m a third-year student studying both forensic psychology and criminology and justice. Research wise, I’m interested in how different people react to stress and become stressed depending on individual and situational factors. How people perceive their own experiences compared to objective measures is my long-term research goal. :) Fun facts: I have two cats (Fox and Flea), love Bob’s Burgers, and play the bassoon. :)

Jamie Van Doorselaer

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Will is the most recent PhD recipient to come out of CANdiLab. He remains connected to the lab, but is now working full time for Public Safety Canada. 

William Denomme

PhD RECIPIENT

Corina Picco is a 1st year MSc student in the lab. Corina’s current MSc work focuses on carefully evaluating the relationship between substance use, psychopathy, and empathy degradation. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Forensic Psychology at Carleton University. Her research interests include substance use disorders, psychopathy, antisociality, and neurocognitive dysfunctions. When Corina is not working, she is typically found drinking coffee, playing with her cats (and reptiles), reading, or going out for a walk/adventure, no matter the weather.

Corina Picco

MSc CANDIDATE

Kirsten attained her BA (Honours) in Forensic Psychology at Ontario Tech University, completing an honours thesis in CANdiLab that investigated when and how individuals with higher psychopathic traits choose to empathize. Due to her love for research, she has remained heavily involved in the lab, assisting with various projects and developing further studies aimed at deciphering how context influences empathic motivations and choices. Aside from learning, she loves playing music and dancing, navigating tree-top treks or ski slopes, and engaging in hours of conversation on most any thought-provoking topic.

Kirsten Stewart

BA GRADUATE / RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Soha is a former honours thesis student at Ontario Tech University, with continued interest in psychopathy research. Equipped with a background in Neuroscience and Forensic Psychology, she is investigating the link between psychopathy and empathy, exploring a theory suggesting that motivation plays a key role. Her current project aims to support the idea that context-driven motivation can affect empathy levels, challenging the belief that emotional and cognitive deficits are the primary causes of psychopathic empathy deficits.

Soha Dehghan

BA Graduate

Meg was CANdiLab's lab manager from 2021-2024, assisting with the lab's research projects, and helping to keep everything in motion. She completed her BA (Hons) in Forensic Psychology at Ontario Tech University, conducting her honours thesis with Dr. Shane on the impact of personal distress on empathic responding in individuals with high-trait psychopathy. Currently, her research   and therapeutic interests center around substance use and addiction. In addition to her lab manager duties, Meg works in a local homeless shelter and has gained diverse experiences in various academic and clinical settings. In her spare time, she finds joy curling up with a good book and with Frito, her Frenchie puppy.

Megan Booth

LAB MANAGER

Ardeshir is nearing completion of his MSc in Forensic Psychology at Ontario Tech University. Previously, he earned his BA (Hons) in Psychology from York University. His current research focuses on how genuine displays of empathy are within individuals with heightened psychopathic traits. He has provided statistical and experimental design consultation for several laboratories, and has gained  experience administering and scoring psychological tests within various mental health settings. He is committed to advancing knowledge and fostering collaboration on projects aimed at unravelling the complexities of human behaviour within forensic settings.

Ardeshir Mordezaei

MSc CANDIDATE

Femi is a 3rd year PhD candidate in the lab focusing on understanding the neural circuitry underlying empathy and emotion sharing in normative and antisocial populations. He has yet to provide a blurb for this bio, and so very little additional information is currently known about him. He does, however, have two cats, Zen and Suri, who he loves very much.

Femi Carrington

PHD CANDIDATE

Dr. Matthew S. Shane is Associate Professor of Psychology at Ontario Tech University. He received his MSc and PhD in Personality/Abnormal Psychology from University of Toronto, followed by two post-doctoral positions, in Forensic Assessment (U of Wisconsin - Madison) and Neuroimaging (Hartford Hospital/Yale University), respectively. His research now combines behavioural, cognitive, physiological and neuroimaging techniques towards a comprehensive, multimodal characterization of cognitive and emotional function and dysfunction. Focused predominantly on antisocial populations, Dr. Shane’s current research aims to answer two primary questions: a) can psychopathic individuals experience emotions like fear, guilt, shame and empathy? and b) how can we determine whether the cognitive/emotional differences seen in antisocial populations are due to underlying features of their personality, or instead to years of heightened substance use?  When he’s not directing the lab, he can be found walking his dog, sweating over Sudoku, or training for a half-marathon.

Dr. Matthew S. Shane

LAB DIRECTOR

CANdiLab is the Clinical Affective Neuroscience Laboratory for Discovery and Innovation at Ontario Tech University