Members

Dhatri S. Devaraju, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
devaraju2@wisc.edu

Dhatri’s research delves into understanding the intricate neural mechanisms underlying auditory and auditory-visual perception, with a particular emphasis on its transformative applications within the realm of rehabilitating individuals with communication disorders. She is interested in exploring the pivotal roles of multifaceted cognitive factors such as auditory working memory and attention in shaping both auditory and audio-visual speech perception. She aims at unravelling their profound impacts on the intricate interplay between perception and production processes.

Ying Wang
Ph.D. student, Mead Witter School of Music

Originally from Shanghai China, Ying began his piano studies at the very young age of four. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with degrees in Piano Performance and Psychology, with an emphasis on child development. After completing a Master’s Degree in Piano Performance at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland, he is now back in Madison pursuing a DMA in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. Ying is deeply interested in how children’s neuropsychological development and music, especially piano, can directly affect one’s intellectual and multisensory development. Currently, he is working on a case study on musical imagery at the SPAN lab for his dissertation.

Tejal Kotalwar
Undergraduate Student

Tejal is a Junior pursuing Computer Science and Data Science. She joined the lab in Fall 2024. She finds it super interesting to see how brain signals can be analyzed to understand the behavior of participants during experiments. She’s worked on creating visualization and streaming tools to classify EEG signals and developing pupillometry systems. She enjoys spending time with friends and watching movies

Megan Hernandez
Undergraduate Student

Megan is studying Neurobiology & Spanish. She is a second year undergraduate. She is from the Milwaukee area. She enjoys hiking and hot yoga in her free time. She is participating in this lab because it provides an introduction to research methods and clinical trials, which she plans to do in the future, as she in a pre-med path. Megan’s research in the lab  is focused on investigating the neural processing of acoustically enhanced speech.

Janani Sampath
Undergraduate Student

Janani is a sophomore from Green Bay, Wisconsin who is planning to double-major in Neurobiology and Psychology. She is pre-med and hopes to become a psychiatrist. Janani’s past research credentials include working in the Tiny Earth program, in which she studied the increased presence of antibiotics in the soil of Ayurvedic plants. In the SPAN lab, Janani studies neural processing of enhanced speech. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors and fangirling over Percy Jackson.

Simar Tathgir
Undergraduate Student

Simar is a passionate computer engineer and an enthusiastic reader deeply intrigued by mythologies. When she is not engrossed in coding or exploring tech innovations, Simar finds solace in devouring tales from various mythic realms. Her heart belongs to dogs, their companionship a constant source of joy, and nothing beats the vibrant flavors of Indian cuisine, a culinary journey she adores.

Ethan Xiong
Undergraduate Student

Ethan is a sophomore majoring in Biology. He joined the SPAN lab in the summer of 2024 as a LASER scholar and is on the pre-med track with hopes to either become a Family Medicine physician or Sports Medicine physician. In his free time, Ethan enjoys playing sports, gaming, and playing DnD.

Ravin Kabra
Undergraduate Student

Ravin is an undergraduate from Mumbai, India. He transferred from studying business at Indiana University and is now majoring in Data Science at UW Madison. Ravin joined the SPAN lab to learn how to adapt and apply data science concepts to an interesting domain. Outside of research, his hobbies include playing basketball and guitar, and he enjoys the outdoors and comedies.

Amelia Jayara
Undergraduate Student

Amelia is a junior pursuing a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She joined the SPAN Lab in September 2024 in hopes of learning more about audiology and speech processing. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Madison and baking.

Yegor baranovski

Undergraduate Student

Yegor is an undergraduate student studying Mathematics, Statistics, and Economics. He joined the lab to assist with statistical methodology and data science concepts. Outside of academic work, he is a member of the Wisconsin rowing team and loves to read, cook, and spend time with friends and family.

Zaynab Iqbal

Undergraduate Student

Zaynab is a freshman at UW-Madison from Brookfield, Wisconsin. She is pursuing a double major in Neurobiology and Sociology. She joined the SPAN lab hoping to learn more about the neuroscience of auditory and speech processing with a particular interest in cochlear hearing loss. In her free time, Zaynab enjoys gardening, painting, and watching movie

Kerry Flood

Undergraduate Student

Kerry is a senior studying Communication Sciences and Disorders with a certificate in Disability Rights and Services from Appleton, Wisconsin. She joined the SPAN lab in September 2024 due to her interest in speech processing and audiology. Outside of research, Kerry enjoys walking her dog, taking naps in her hammock, and spending time with friends.

Hazel Mittal

Undergraduate Student

Hazel is a junior pursuing a double major in Computer Science and Data Science at UW-Madison. She is passionate about using data science and machine learning to tackle real-world challenges, particularly in the areas of auditory research and hearing rehabilitation technologies. Hazel joined SPAN Lab to deepen her experience in applying these tools to innovative research. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing tennis, and listening to music.

Advait Krishnan

Undergraduate Student

Advait is a freshman from Boston, Massachusetts studying neuroscience and computer science. Interested in the intersection between the brain and machine learning, he joined the SPAN lab in September 2024 to learn about conducting EEG experiments and computationally modeling the brain. He also loves playing piano and listening to classical music and would love to get music recommendations.

Kayden Lamont

Undergraduate Student

Kayden is a sophomore undergraduate student majoring in Neurobiology. She joined the SPAN lab as part of the Undergraduate Research Scholars program to further her research skills. Kayden is on the pre-medicine track in hopes of becoming an ENT surgeon. She has a background in emergency medicine and American Sign Language, which drew her to the SPAN lab. In her free time, Kayden enjoys playing with her cats Gatsby and Rockefeller, watching true crime documentaries, and spending time in nature.

Jessica haynes

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Jessica is a Sophomore pursuing a major in Pharmacology and Toxicology with a certificate in Global Health. She joined the SPAN lab through the Undergraduate Research Scholar program to gain hands-on experience in research. Having taken American Sign Language in high school, she became especially interested in the neuroscience of speech processing and how language is perceived. Outside of academics, Jessica enjoys listening to music, reading, and baking.

Jiaxin Man

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Jiaxin is a junior majoring in Computer Science. Originally from Gansu, China, she is interested in exploring how computing can be applied across different fields. She joined the SPAN Lab in September 2025 to learn how computer science and machine learning can be applied in the auditory domain. In her free time, she enjoys music, novels and playing games.

Jason Jia

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Jason is a junior double majoring in Computer Science and Statistics at UW–Madison. He joined the SPAN Lab to apply machine learning and data analysis to questions in speech processing and auditory neuroscience. Jason primarily works in Python; his current interests include EEG data preprocessing, baseline modeling, and studying neural changes following Mandarin tone training. In his free time, he enjoys exploring Madison and tinkering with small coding projects.

Kevin Chen

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Kevin is a sophomore studying computer science and math. He joined the SPAN lab to learn how computer and data science can be applied to interesting fields. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, watching action movies, and photography.

Alexis Muntean-Hapa

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Alexis is a freshman pursuing a double major in psychology and neurobiology, as well as a certificate in business spanish. She joined the SPAN Lab in October 2025 in hopes of learning more about EEG usage and the testing of neural processes. Alexis loves hanging out with her cat, working out, and spending time with her loved ones.

Adeline Brzozowski

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Adeline is a sophomore studying Communication Sciences and Disorders. She joined the SPAN lab, eager to learn more about audiology and the neuroscience of auditory and speech processing. When she’s not studying, Adeline loves to explore nature, cook yummy meals, go for long runs, and play the piano.

Debo Jyoti Paul

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Debo Jyoti Paul is a senior pursuing dual degrees in Computer Science and Data Science. He is passionate about applying machine learning and deep learning across diverse fields, from medicine to financial technology, and joined the SPAN Lab in Fall 2025 to explore how computational models can be applied in neuroscience as well as in broader interdisciplinary contexts. Outside of academics, Debo volunteers in his community and enjoys staying active through tennis & fitness training, exploring music and film, and spending time with friends.

Katelyn Zhou

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Katelyn is a second-year Computer Science and Math student from the Bay Area in California. Interested in disciplines such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and neuroscience, she joined SPAN to gain a deeper understanding of how different computational and data analysis methods can be used to study the brain. In her free time, Katelyn enjoys hiking and cooking with her friends.

Anuvrat Shukla

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Anu is a junior at UW Madison majoring in Computer Science, with an interest in machine learning. He joined the SPAN Lab in Fall 2025 and is interested in using technology to solve real-world problems. He is from Bay Area, California, and in his free time, he enjoys playing cricket and golf and spending time with his friends.

Oliver Carranza

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Oliver is a sophomore at UW Madison majoring in Computer Science. He joined the SPAN Lab in Fall 2024 in hopes of advancing research in neuro-plasticity and developing his skills as a software developer. When not in the lab working away, he likes to walk around Madison and explore new places. He also enjoys photography and new foods.