Soraya Merriweather

Soraya Merriweather 

Soraya Merriweather is a Master of Science candidate in the Department of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. Her research area will focus on exploring the development of social cognitive processes in children as they learn to interact with peers and society as a whole. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. and aims to leverage her research to create environments that encourage holistically healthy development for future generations.

Before starting her Master’s, Soraya earned a B.S. in Psychology from Howard University and spent 2.5 years post-grad as a Cognitive Skills Trainer and a Volunteer Research Assistant. A combination of her education and experience in each role has informed her commitment to understanding the influence of social aptitude on cognitive ability and decision-making. She has a passion for exploring thinking and behavior patterns and aspires to be a change agent for maladaptive growth.

As a Research Assistant in the Barnes Lab, Soraya supports the First Grade Working Memory project as a key member administering assessments and implementing one-on-one tutoring and working memory training sessions, designed to support students’ arithmetic and word problem-solving skills.