Each year, the Institute of Child Development (ICD) awards the Anne D. Pick Award for an Outstanding Developmental Psychology Senior. This year, two students — Sophie Richardson and Yue Zhao — were chosen as recipients of the award.

The award honors ICD Professor Emeritus Anne Pick’s commitment to undergraduate students and their education. Students chosen for the award demonstrate excellence in both research and academics in the area of child development.

Sophie Richardson

Richardson is involved in creativity and executive function research in the Developmental Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, co-directed by ICD Professors Stephanie M. Carlson and Philip D. Zelazo. She also serves as co-president of the Child Psychology Student Organization. After completing her undergraduate degree, she plans to seek a year-long fellowship to gain additional experience with research and clinical practice before pursuing a PhD in pediatric clinical neuropsychology.

Read more about Richardson and her experience at ICD.

Yue Zhao

Zhao has served as an undergraduate research assistant in the Developmental Social Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, co-directed by ICD Professors Stephanie M. Carlson and Philip D. Zelazo, where she was responsible for running test sessions and collecting data in an emotional regulation study and a prosocial behaviors study. After completing her undergraduate degree, she hopes to pursue a path that combines her two passions of applying research findings to real-world practices and working with children in early childhood settings.

Read more about Zhao and why she chose to study developmental psychology.