Alumni

Riham Mostafa

I am a licensed physical therapist, having graduated with a B.A. in Physical Therapy from the University of Haifa in 2008. Since 2014, I have been working as a physical therapist in special education classes under the Ministry of Education, where I focus on supporting children with diverse physical and developmental needs. I am currently in my second year of an M.A. program in the Department of Special Education at the University of Haifa, specializing in mental and behavioral disorders.

I have a strong interest in topics related to attention, particularly the differences between typically developing individuals and those with autism. Additionally, I would like to explore the relationship between attention and emotion, as well as sensory perception and regulation.

For my thesis research, I am collaborating with Dr. Amit Yashar in his lab, contributing to a project led by Zineb naaran. My thesis investigates the phenomenon of crowding in individuals with autism, focusing on how it influences their perception and interaction with the environment. their visual perception differs from that of typically developing individuals. This research closely aligns with my professional experience and my interest in understanding sensory and cognitive processes in neurodivergent populations.

Michal Lavi

I am a final-year undergraduate student in Psychology and Education at the Open University of Israel, specializing in Learning Disabilities. My academic and professional journey is driven by a deep interest in the cognitive mechanisms underlying ADHD, ASD, and learning disabilities, and in how these manifest in daily life.

I bring extensive practical experience as an educator. I have developed and delivered lectures for parents and educators on the lived experience of ADHD, and I previously founded a private practice focused on tailored educational interventions.

As part of my academic training, I serve as a research assistant in Yashar’s lab, where I support research on the effects of prior knowledge on perceptual processes. In this role, I assist with data collection, including participant recruitment, running experiments, and data processing.

This research experience broadens my perspective by allowing me to explore the cognitive mechanisms that underlie learning and perception. Working closely with graduate students and faculty has also deepened my understanding of research methods and statistical analysis, helping me bridge my practical background in education with empirical scientific inquiry in a collaborative environment.