Akshara Koottala
Research Assistant
Akshara is double majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience as well as Sociology with a minor in Community Action and Social Change. She is interested in exploring how environmental conditions and adversity influence brain development. She hopes to work with and serve children and families coming from marginalized communities. In her free time, Akshara enjoys spending time with friends and family, discovering new music, and reading.
Amy Tan
Research Assistant
Amy is an undergraduate student studying neuroscience. She is particularly interested in research that analyzes how unhealthy familial relationships affect adolescents’ cognitive and neurological development. Amy hopes to deepen her understanding of the brain’s response to adverse environments and pursue a career in psychiatry. Outside of academics, Amy enjoys creating art, watching true crime documentaries, and promoting mental health awareness.
Antonina Kilian
Research Assistant
Antonina is double majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition & Neuroscience and Classical Archaeology. She is especially interested in brain plasticity, neuropsychology, as well as aerospace psychology, which she hopes to explore further in grad school. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, painting, photography, and going on hikes.
Byain Ghannoum
Research Assistant
Byain is an undergraduate studying Psychology planning to minor in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school for Clinical Neuropsychology. Her research interests include neuropsychology, neuroplasticity, and how individual neural and environmental differences impact the development of psychopathologies. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, playing chess, cooking/baking, and spending time with family and friends.
Isabella Palomba
Research Assistant
Isabella is an undergraduate studying Neuroscience with a minor in Sociology of Health and Medicine. Her research interests involve furthering scientific understanding of how adversity impacts the prevalence of internalizing disorders and their neurobiological basis. After graduation, she hopes to attend medical school to pursue a career as a Pediatric Neurologist. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, backpacking, yoga, and reading.
Jacob Lentz
Research Assistant
Jacob is a junior studying psychology and quantitative methods in the social sciences (QMSS). After he graduates, he hopes to eventually go to graduate school to study clinical psychology. He is particularly interested in studying the effects of sleep on the mind, eating disorders, and internet gaming disorder. In his free time he enjoys reading, playing D&D, and spending time with friends.
Jad Fakhoury
Research Assistant
Jad is an undergraduate student majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience with a minor in Science, Technology, and Society. He is most interested in exploring individual differences in psychology and how they relate to varying psychopathologies, mental health and motivation. In the future, he has hopes of attending medical school, and becoming a physician, particularly in the fields of psychiatry or neurology. Outside of the lab, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, listening to and making music, and playing basketball.
Jiayou Shen
Research Assistant
Jiayou Shen is a current psychology major and Sweetland writing minor. She is interested in emergent adults and mental health. Her hobbies include writing and drawing.
Kaitlyn (Katie) Elliot
Research Assistant
Katie is an undergraduate student studying Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology with a minor in Gender and Health. She is particularly interested in neurodegenerative diseases, neurology, and the stigma surrounding mental health. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Kendyll Klingensmith
Research Assistant
Kendyll is an undergraduate studying Psychology and English. They are interested in clinical and psychopathology, as well as the psychology of gender, sex, and sexuality. In the future, they are looking to attend graduate school for clinical psychology, with a focus in the intersectionality between psychopathology and gender and sexuality. In their free time, Kendyll enjoys creative writing as well as D&D, miniature painting, board games, and video games.
Lucy Potts
Research Assistant
Lucy is a junior currently studying Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. Her research interests involve the neuropsychology underlying depression and anxiety as well as the intersection of psychopathology with genetics and health. After graduation she plans on going to medical school to pursue a career in pediatrics. In her free time, Lucy enjoys running, climbing, reading, knitting, and baking.
Maria Scavnicky
Research Assistant
Maria is an undergraduate student studying psychology. In the future, Maria hopes to ultimately attend graduate school with a focus in clinical psychology. She is interested in the intersection between developmental and clinical psychology, particularly the concept of resilience and the role of protective factors in the lives of children facing adverse life experiences. During her free time, she loves to watch documentaries, spend time outdoors, and hang out with her family and friends.
Omosiuwa Enakpene
Research Assistant
Omosiuwa is a junior studying Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. She is particularly interested in adolescent psychopathology, neurology as well as mental health awareness and hopes to attend medical school in the future. In her free time, she enjoys trying new foods, working out, reading, and watching reality TV with friends.
Rhianna Gold
Research Assistant
Rhianna is a sophomore studying psychology. After graduation, she plans on going to medical school to focus on the developmental health of children and adolescents. She is particularly interested in becoming a developmental-behavioral pediatrician or a psychiatrist. In her free time, Rhianna enjoys ice skating, hiking, baking, and spending time with family and friends.
Seth Yaziji
Research Assistant
Seth is a sophomore currently studying Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience and minoring in Religion. They are currently interested in developmental psychology, language acquisition, and neurogenesis and hope to attend medical school in the future with a focus in psychiatry.
Suhani Suneja
Research Assistant
Suhani Suneja is an undergraduate student majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience on the Pre-Med track, with a minor in Creative Writing. After graduation, she hopes to attend medical school. In her free time, Suhani enjoys podcasting, cooking, visiting cafes and spending time with family and friends.