Melda (she/her) is a first-year PhD student in the IFSN Lab. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Uludag University (Turkey), and an M.Sc. in Cognitive Neuropsychology from Bahcesehir University (Turkey). Her research experience includes working as an intern at clinical neuropsychology laboratories at hospitals, and as a research assistant in the psychology department at Bahcesehir University, and in the Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience Lab at Koc University (Turkey). Melda is interested in the cognitive processes underlying social interactions, particularly how intergroup contact and threat perceptions influence social categorization and prejudice formation. Expected Graduation: 2029.