About Ripple
Our team at RIPPLE is a dynamic group of dedicated researchers, psychologists, and data scientists united by a passion for understanding early family life. With diverse expertise spanning developmental psychology, neuroscience, and statistical analysis, we bring a multifaceted approach to our work. Our researchers are committed to rigorous scientific inquiry and innovative methodologies, pushing the boundaries of what we know about parent-infant relationships and child development. Together, we strive to uncover insights that can make a real difference in supporting new families and fostering healthy emotional growth in children.
Meet Our Team
From seasoned academics to promising young scholars, each member of our team contributes unique perspectives and skills to our collaborative effort, driving the RIPPLE Project forward in its mission to illuminate the complex world of early parenthood and its lasting impact.
Principal Investigator
Dana Shai
PhD, Faculty Member, Academic College of Tel Aviv Yaffo.
Dr. Shai specializes in early infant relational development and parenting. Her research focuses on Parental Embodied Mentalizing (PEM), examining nonverbal parent-infant interactions. She leads a longitudinal study on family dynamics and child development, and has developed a prevention program for expectant couples.
Douglas Granger
Researcher
Professor, Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, UC Irvine
Affiliated Professor, Johns Hopkins University.
Expert in behavioral endocrinology and psychoneuroimmunology. Dr. Granger's research focuses on salivary bioscience, exploring links between biological markers and human behavior. His work contributes significantly to understanding stress, health, and developmental psychopathology.
Neta Salomon
Research Lab Manager
M.A in Developmental Psychology, the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo.
Osnat Zamir
Senior Lecturer
Ph.D. Faculty member at the Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her research focuses on adversity, particularly the impacts of trauma, stress, and mental health on parenting and intimate relationships. Dr. Zamir investigates risk and resilience processes, adopting a systemic approach to uncover the reciprocal dynamics through which stress and trauma influence family relationships. Her work also examines how different resources can protect at-risk families. She employs a multi-method research design and utilizes advanced statistical analyses to gain comprehensive insights into these complex processes
Yogev Landsman
Research Assistant
B.A in Psychology, the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo (candidate)
Amit Krief
Research Assistant
B.A in Psychology, the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo (candidate)