CIRCLE LAB - Key Persons
Abbie is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, double majoring in Psychology (B.S.) and Medical Anthropology with a minor in Neuroscience. As someone who loves working with children and is interested in learning about how different life experiences affect mental health and aspects of child development, she is so excited to join the CIRCLE Lab. After graduation, Abbie hopes to attend graduate school and pursue a career in the healthcare field. In her free time, Abbie enjoys going on walks, playing piano, and swimming. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Alexa is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is double majoring in Psychology (B.A.) and Human Development and Family Science. She is very excited to be a part of the CIRCLE lab and explore the field of clinical psychology research relating to her interests in child development and mental health. Alexa is also interested in the impact of SES and adversity on education for minority groups. She enjoys teaching and plans to attend graduate school for an undecided specialty. In her free time, Alexa swims on the Club Swimming team and enjoys reading and spending time with friends. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Anais is a graduate student in UNC's Clinical Psychology program under the mentorship of Dr. Margaret Sheridan. She is currently completing her internship at Durham VA Medical Center.
She received her B.A. in Psychology from Columbia University in 2015. After graduation, she worked in Dr. Joshua Roffman's Brain Genomics Laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she investigated the effects of folate exposure on brain development and risk for schizophrenia. As a graduate student, Anais studies reward and emotion interactions on cognitive control during adolescence to predict the development of psychopathology. Her research is supported by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). Anais has participated in UNC Haven Training. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Anna Idichandy is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is double majoring in Psychology (B.A.) and Human Development and Family Science. She has always had an interest in working with children and is excited to further her passions through working with the Circle Lab. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school where she can further her education and hopefully become a school psychologist. In her free time, Anna enjoys cooking, listening to music, and spending time with her friends and family. (Pronouns: She/Her/Hers)
Anushree Ramanujam is a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is from Concord, NC and is majoring in Neuroscience on the pre-med track. She is excited to join the Circle Lab and explore clinical psychology. She is interested in gaining hands-on experience in a research setting and furthering her knowledge in neuroscience and psychology. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Job Titles:
- Neural Correlates of Executive Functioning in Development
Arianna is a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is pursuing a major in Biology with a minor in Neuroscience. She is excited for the opportunity to work with the CIRCLE lab and become part of the team while expanding on her interests in neuroscience and psychology! She is very interested in learning more about how childhood experiences affect brain development. After she graduates, she hopes to attend medical school. She is also a Certified Nursing Assistant. In her free time, she enjoys running, baking, reading, and spending time with family and friends. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Ava is a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill double majoring in Psychology (B.A.) and Human Development and Family Science. She is passionate about working with children and learning more about how mental health affects their development. After graduation, she plans on attending graduate school in hopes of becoming a pediatric psychologist. She is very excited to join the CIRCLE lab and gain hands-on research experience that could lead to a greater impact!
Carrington is a sixth-year doctoral student dually enrolled in the Clinical and Social Psychology programs at UNC. Prior to being a graduate student, she worked as an undergraduate research assistant in the Carolina SNH lab while obtaining a B.A. in Psychology at UNC. Carrington's graduate research combines clinical psychology and social neuroscience approaches to address the physiological and neural mechanisms through which racism-related stress confers risk for poorer mental health and psychopathology among racial/ethnic minorities. (Pronouns: she/her/hers).
Ché McDowell is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, double majoring in Neuroscience and English & Comparative Literature. She is interested in utilizing her passion for mental health to study how traumatic experiences during early childhood impact behavioral and neural development long term. In the future, she plans to expand upon this passion in graduate school, where she hopes to study the specific impact of gun violence on development for minority youth before applying what she has learned to the betterment of future generations as a professor. She is very excited to have the opportunity to learn and further nurture this goal through the CIRCLE lab. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, spending time with loved ones, and continuing to write her science fiction novel! (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Connor is a full-time research assistant on the STTAR Study. He graduated from Duke University in 2023 with a B.S. in Psychology with Distinction, a minor in Philosophy, and a certificate in Documentary Studies. During his time at Duke, he worked under the mentorship of Dr. Kimberly Carpenter and completed an honors thesis on sensory over-responsivity and brain structural alterations during childhood as risk factors for adolescent anxiety. His research interests include integrating measures of risk during early life with brain development trajectories to better understand psychopathology during adolescence and young adulthood. Connor ultimately hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Outside of research, Connor enjoys 35mm film photography, practicing yoga, and spending time outdoors. (Pronouns: any; general practice: he/they)
Job Titles:
- Human Development and Education
Diana Montoya Alvarado is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is majoring in Psychology (B.S.). She is excited to work with the CIRCLE Lab team, for the great opportunity to learn, and see the influence of adversity and early life experiences. She plans to attend graduate school and is still open about a specialty. In her free time, she loves to watch movies, read, and spend time with family and friends! (Pronouns: she/her)
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Assistant at Office
Andrea Pelletier-Baldelli received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Colorado Boulder with an additional focus in neuroscience. Andrea is dedicated to understanding social and neurobiological risk factors for severe mental illness in adolescents and has over a decade of experience working with youth in this area.
Andrea's program of research investigates social motivation during adolescence and how different social behaviors can increase risk for challenges to mental health. In her work, she uses functional MRI to study how the brain influences (and is influenced by) these various social processes to identify how mental illness onsets and develops over time. Andrea's research has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health with her most recent award focused on identifying how childhood adversity and disruptions to social motivation may form a pathway to risk for suicide. With this work, Andrea hopes that knowledge around risk and illness onset will be enhanced and promote early intervention for children and adolescents.
Andrea completed her clinical internship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School and two postdoctoral fellowships through UNC Psychiatry and UNC Psychology and Neuroscience. Outside of her clinical research career, Andrea enjoys being outdoors (ideally hiking) with her family and fluffy golden retriever. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Anna Kawennison Fetter, PhD (she/her/hers) received her degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and received a Master's in Education in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University. Dr. Fetter completed her doctoral internship at the University at Albany's Counseling and Psychological Services. Dr. Fetter is a first-year postdoctoral fellow in the Carolina Postdoctoral Program for Faculty Diversity. Dr. Fetter's research focuses on the longitudinal development of resilience among Indigenous and marginalized youth with a particular focus on educational experiences as well as cultural and identity-based stressors and coping. In partnership with community stakeholders, Dr. Fetter aims to ultimately inform educational policy and practice to best support Indigenous youth resilience. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Margaret Sheridan, Ph.D. received her degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley in 2007. After completing her clinical internship at NYU Child Study Center/Bellevue Hospital, she spent three years as a Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholar at Harvard School of Public Health and then as an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. In 2015 she left HMS to become an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and serve as the director of the CIRCLE Lab (http://circlelab.unc.edu/). The goal of her research is to better understand the neural underpinnings of the development of cognitive control across childhood (from 5-18 years of age) and to understand how and why disruption in this process results in psychopathology. She approaches this problem in two ways. First, by studying atypical development, in particular children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Second, by studying the effect of experience on brain development, specifically, the effect of adversity on prefrontal cortex function in childhood. The CIRCLE Lab is focused on using rigorous and novel task design and cutting edge analytic approaches to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to solve real world problems such as better diagnosing ADHD or creating safer, healthier environments for children growing up in poverty. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Megan Davis, PhD, received her doctorate in clinical and community psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2021 and completed her predoctoral clinical psychology internship at the Charleston Consortium. Dr. Davis' research has two primary aims: (1) to explore why certain youth are at greater risk for psychopathology based on their early experiences and neural and psychological reactivity to the environment and (2) to identify how factors such as cognitive control and family and peer support might amplify or attenuate risk for psychopathology in youth. The ultimate goal of this research is to better identify targets for interventions that promote healthy youth development. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Emerson Gonzalez is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is double majoring in Psychology (B.S) and Human Development and Family Science. He is interested in how life experiences affect the human brain and its development. He is eager and excited to work in the CIRCLE lab as well as working with people who have followed a path that he wants to follow. After undergrad, he wants to enter a graduate program while also exploring the social work field. Outside of school, he enjoys listening to music, hiking, & going to concerts! (Pronouns: he/him/his)
Esmeralda Navarro is a third-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology program from East Los Angeles, California. She received her BA in Psychology and Biology from Williams College in 2019. After graduation, she worked at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai under Dr. Megan Horton. There, she explored the effects of early life metal exposure on brain development and psychological health. Broadly, Esmeralda is interested in investigating the relationships between early adversity, neural development, and risk and resilience to psychopathology.
Ilana S. Berman, PhD earned her degree in clinical psychology from the University of Arkansas in 2020 and completed her pre-doctoral clinical psychology internship at Duke University Medical Center with a concentration in child trauma. She is a postdoctoral fellow in the CIRCLE Lab with Dr. Margaret Sheridan and the Brain and Early Experiences (BEE) Lab with Dr. Cathi Propper. Dr. Berman's research focuses on intergenerational transmission of the impact of potentially traumatic experiences, specifically within caregiver-child relationships and broader family systems. In addition to improving cognitive and socioemotional outcomes for youth and families affected by trauma, she is also invested in dissemination, implementation, and program evaluation to improve delivery of evidence-based and trauma-informed services to increase access to care for traditionally under-served populations. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Isra is a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is majoring in Psychology (B.S.) with minors in Data Science and Health and Society. She has a particular interest in clinical psychology focusing on child development and is excited to be a part of the CIRCLE Lab. She plans to attend graduate school for clinical psychology. In her free time, Isra enjoys reading, spending time with friends, listening to music, and attending UNC sports games. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Yutong is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, double majoring in Psychology and Statistics. She is excited to work with the CIRCLE lab team in understanding how adolescents are influenced and shaped by their early life experiences. Specifically, she is eager to learn more about coding qualitative findings in CIRCLE and looks forward to using her experiences to help better understand adolescents. She also loves drawing illustrations depicting a fantasy world in her free time. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Job Titles:
- Student at Cooper Medical School
Jialin Lu is a full-time research assistant on the STTAR study. Jialin graduated from Cornell University in 2022 with a B.S. in Human Development. As an undergraduate, Jialin was a Research Assistant in the Cornell Child Witness & Cognition Lab, the Cornell Human Intelligence Lab, and the Cornell Affect & Cognition Lab. Learning from the labs she worked in, Jialin hopes to investigate her research and develop intervention curriculums by integrating various methodologies. Jialin is interested in using interdisciplinary (MRI, survey, clinical interview) methods to understand how adverse life experiences impact one's resilience development and development of various psychopathologies. In the future, Jialin plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, doing arts and crafts (puppetry), and exploring good cafes and local museums. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Job Titles:
- Neural Correlates of Paired Associate Learning in Development
Kate Drury is a sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill majoring in Neuroscience. She is from New Orleans, Louisiana and is very excited to join the CIRCLE Lab team! She has been interested in neuroscience since she volunteered on a medical mission trip in Mexico during which she noticed that mental health was one of the primary health problems and that there were too few healthcare providers who focused on the brain and mental illness. She is looking forward to expanding her understanding of the brain, neurology, and the links between early experiences and later cognitive function. In her free time, she loves playing and watching soccer, listening to music, and running. After college, she hopes to eventually attend medical school and become a Neurologist or Cardiologist.
Katelyn Feinsmith, a junior at the University of North Carolina, is pursuing a dual major in Neuroscience and Psychology and minoring in Chemistry. Originally from the suburbs of Atlanta, Katelyn is invigorated to be an integral part of the CIRCLE Lab. Katelyn's profound passion encompasses a desire to comprehensively understand the intricate neurobiological consequences of trauma, particularly in the context of childhood trauma. This passion is deeply rooted in her own personal experience with PTSD. Additionally, her fascination extends to exploring the mechanisms, risk factors, and treatments related to trauma-mediated disorders, with a specific emphasis on borderline personality disorder. She aspires to redefine the approach to treating these complex conditions. In her daily life, she is an ardent advocate for raising awareness about complex mental health issues, improving psychiatric treatments, and diminishing the stigma surrounding borderline personality disorder. After graduation, Katelyn's ambitions include earning a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and an M.D. in Neuropsychiatry. Her ultimate vision involves establishing a network of specialized psychiatric facilities, offering both inpatient and outpatient services, with a profound emphasis on using a neuroscientific approach to treating complex conditions. Her greatest ambition lies in establishing a dedicated center for individuals dealing with trauma-mediated disorders, which will utilize advanced imaging techniques to tailor individualized treatment protocols. Moreover, Katelyn envisions integrating pharmacological assistance through substances such as MDMA and psilocybin in conjunction with psychotherapy to offer a more holistic treatment approach. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Katelyn Lien is a junior in the Honors Carolina program at UNC Chapel Hill studying Quantitative Biology and Spanish. She is interested in studying the effects of early childhood experiences on brain development and is excited to gain experience in psychological research. In her free time, she enjoys figure skating, reading, and hiking.
Job Titles:
- Student at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Kayla Duran is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Neuroscience. She has an interest in working with children and specializing in their development. After graduation, Kayla plans to earn her Master's in Social Work and continue working with young children. She is excited to further her knowledge within social psychology and child development while working with the CIRCLE Lab. In her free time, she loves to watch movies, be with her sister Anastasia, and bake sweet treats. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Job Titles:
- Student at Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Lauren is a full-time research assistant on the STTAR Study. She graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Human Services. Lauren was previously a fellow of the NIH-funded MARC U*Star program which granted her a profuse amount of research experiences in sexual minorities and health behaviors (i.e., eating disorders and body image), and early life adversity in racial minority populations. Her research interest broadly encompasses the developmental outcomes (i.e., emotional/behavioral regulation) in children exposed to intimate partner violence, community violence, problematic parenting, and child maltreatment. In the future, she aspires to continue her education with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Outside of research, she enjoys binge-watching Netflix, exploring new restaurants, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Lauren successfully completed trainings in Identifying and Navigating Microaggression in the Workplace and Listen, Affirm, Respond, and Ask Questions (LARA) Method, conducted by the Office of Diversity & Inclusion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Additionally, she received her certification as a Mental Health First Aider and completed LGBTQIA+ Safe Zone Training at UNC Chapel Hill. Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Lucy is a fourth-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology program. She received her BA in Psychology and French Studies from Lewis & Clark College in 2015. After graduating, Lucy spent a year teaching English in France in several elementary schools. She later joined Kate McLaughlin's Stress and Development Lab first at the University of Washington, and later at Harvard University, as a research coordinator. As a graduate student, Lucy is interested in studying the impact of early adversity on the neural correlates of language and executive function development to confer risk for psychopathology. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Madeline is a graduate student in the Clinical Psychology and Behavioral & Integrative Neuroscience programs working under the mentorship of Drs. Margaret Sheridan and Charlotte Boettiger. She is currently completing her internship at the UNC-CH School of Medicine.
Before coming to UNC, Madeline obtained a BS in Neuroscience from the University of New Hampshire, and a MS in Neurobiology from Northwestern University. After graduating, Madeline joined the Sensorimotor Integration Laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital where she investigated the neural correlates of behavioral dysfunction to aid in the development of a novel approach to treating neuropsychiatric disorders with closed-loop deep brain stimulation. At UNC, Madeline aims to utilize behavioral testing, neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and non-invasive brain stimulation to study the role of frontal lobe connectivity in governing behavioral flexibility in individuals exposed to adolescent binge drinking and forms of early adverse experience. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Madison Sokolik is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a major in Psychology and a minor in Conflict Management. She is from St. Louis, Missouri and is excited for the opportunity to gain new experiences in psychological research while working with the CIRCLE Lab team! Madison is passionate about furthering her understanding of how early experiences influence psychopathology. After undergrad, she plans to attend graduate school and is still open about a specialty. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Job Titles:
- Software Engineer at Amazon.Com
Maresa is a full-time research assistant between the STTAR and BEE studies. She graduated from the College of Wooster with a B.A. in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience in May of 2021. As an undergraduate, she was selected as a CDC Undergraduate Public Health scholar where she worked as a clinical research intern at Johns Hopkins and Kennedy Krieger Medical Institutes' Sickle Cell Neurodevelopmental Clinic. Maresa completed their undergraduate thesis investigating the role of anti-Blackness in the processing of hair during facial identification between Black and non-Black individuals. Their study analyzed hair alterations' effects on facial recognition accuracy between own-race and other-race faces, with the use of eye-tracking technology. Maresa is particularly interested in working with historically exploited and excluded populations to increase health and wellbeing outcomes. She plans to become a physician-scientist studying the impacts of intergenerational trauma on the body and brain, with a specialty in Pediatrics - Child Abuse and Maltreatment. She hopes to continue her work with marginalized communities through community-engaged research to inform her clinical and advocacy work. Outside of research, Maresa enjoys listening to music, Sudoku, writing poetry, and napping.
Mariana Chavez is a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill double majoring in Psychology (B.S.) and Human Development and Family Studies with a minor in Education. She is passionate in social and cognitive changes in child development and how they influence school performance and educational equity as a whole. Mariana hopes to continue studying this in graduate school with the goal of becoming a professor. In her free time, Mariana loves playing piano, watching movies, and building escape rooms through UNC's Chapel Thrill Escapes. (Pronouns: She/Her/Hers)
Masita is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with intentions of majoring in/applying to the nursing program. She is excited to examine the effects of life experiences on child and adolescent development and looking forward to utilizing the experience she gains with the CIRCLE Lab throughout the rest of her time at Carolina. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Merry is a sophomore at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is from Qingdao, China and is majoring Psychology and Business. She is interested in two factors in human life quality: mental health and finance. At CIRCLE, she is excited to explore clinical psychology by opportunities engaging with participants. Any time you have a question about how to pick the best movie to watch, or how to tame 5 dogs and 3 cats, she's your girl!
Micaela is a second-year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology program. In 2019, she graduated magna cum laude with a B.A in Psychology from Stony Brook University. After graduation she served as a research coordinator at Dr. Kristin Bernard's Developmental Stress and Prevention Laboratory in New York. At UNC, Micaela aims to study the underlying neurobiological and psychophysiological mechanisms of resilience and the risks of psychopathology following exposure to early life adversity. Her research is supported by UNC's David and Maeda Galinsky Graduate Student Fellowship and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP).
Nicolas is a graduate student in the Developmental Psychology PhD Program at UNC working with Drs. Cathi Propper and Margaret Sheridan. Before coming to UNC, he worked as a research assistant on studies looking at the epidemiology of childhood violence in Ecuador, and the emotional and neuropsychological development of youth in foster care. His research has 4 themes: 1) Exploring how childhood adversity, particularly threat, impacts the development of emotional learning and memory systems, and their underlying neurobiology; 2) The neural correlates of children's processing and preference of parents and parental-related cues and information; 3) The role of the gut microbiome on neuro-affective development; and 4) Measurement of adversity in children and families. (Pronouns: he/él).
Nyjah (she/her/hers) is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in education. She is excited to work in the CIRCLE lab learning and doing hands-on research for the WHALE study. Nyjah is interested in the effects of early adversity on adolescent development. After graduation, Nyjah is interested in pursuing a master's in Mental Health Counseling and a Ph.D. in early childhood development. In her free time, Nyjah enjoys writing, spending time with friends, and participating in various student organizations such as Every Nation Campus, One Africa, and the Black Student Movement.
Pranav Swarna (he/him/his) is a junior pursuing a major in Neuroscience (B.S.) with minors in Biology and Data Science. He has always been interested in human development and has found deep interest in studying trauma and/or mental illness as he progressed through his journey of higher education. He is excited to join the CIRCLE Lab and contribute to the team, while also furthering his knowledge of child development and gaining hands-on experience in a professional research environment. After he graduates, he hopes to pursue further education and a career in the field of cardiology or neuroscience as a surgeon.
Job Titles:
- Project Manager at Meta Platforms
Ria Patel is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pursuing majors in Neuroscience and Biology along with a minor in Medical Anthropology. Ria has a strong passion for working with children, especially with those who have neuropsychological disorders. Ria is enthusiastic and excited to join CIRCLE Lab, where she hopes to gain insight into the world of research, collaborate with motivated peers, mentors and doctors as well as first-handedly get to understand the complexities of child cognitive development. Ria hopes to attend medical school where she can explore clinical approaches to treating and alleviating the effects of neuropsychological disorders in children to improve educational experiences.
Sara Junuzovic, is a junior double majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology (B.S.), and is also minoring in comparative literature. For a long time now, she has been interested in the way someone's childhood experiences, especially language use and home environments, impact their cognitive development. During her free time, she loves to read and hang out with her dog
Sarah Lempres is a research assistant on the STTAR Study. She graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2021 with a B.S. in Cognitive Studies and Child Development, and with a minor in Medicine, Health, and Society. While attending Vanderbilt, she worked as a research assistant at the Stress and Early Adversity Lab under Dr. Kathryn L. Humphreys, where she wrote an honors thesis examining parents' emotional and behavioral responses to the emotional expressions of their preschool-aged children. Her research interests include examining developmental trajectories linking experiences in early life to later emotion functioning and neural development. She hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Outside of research, she enjoys yoga, painting, and going on long walks with her dog. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Sharon is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Chemistry. She is excited to combine her interests in developmental psychology, health, and the brain as she joins the CIRCLE Lab. Sharon is especially eager to explore how early childhood adversity may impact long-term health outcomes and the various observable mechanisms within the brain that can be further analyzed. After college Sharon hopes to attend medical school and specialize in neurology. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Shivani Patel (she/hers) is from Wilmington, NC. She is majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Chemistry. She is on the pre-med track with a specific interest in maternal and child health. She has been fascinated by many aspects of this field for a long time, and recently learned how much it overlaps with her major. Psychology and neuroscience are recent interests of hers, and the CIRCLE Lab has given her the perfect way to pursue these interests while also working with children! She is excited to work with MRI's and cognitive testing as part of the STAAR study.
Sneha Boda is a full-time Research Assistant on the WHALE study. She graduated from Drexel University with a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience, and certificate in Health and Medical Humanities. During her undergraduate career at Drexel, Sneha worked as a full-time research assistant at the Center for Weight, Eating, and Lifestyle Sciences under Dr. Adrienne Juarascio. Additionally, she completed a senior thesis investigating the co-morbid effects of subclinical anxiety and PTSD on attentional deficits in adults under the mentorship of Dr. Evangelia Chrysikou. She has specific interests in the areas of neurodevelopment research and developmental disabilities. Sneha's goal is to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and work with children. Apart from research, Sneha enjoys singing, cooking elaborate meals for friends, and relaxing by watching reality TV shows and crime documentaries! (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Job Titles:
- Student at Harvard Graduate School of Education
Job Titles:
- Lab Manager at the Emory University LUMeN Lab
Amy Carolus (she/her), clinical psychology PhD student at the University of Rochester
Carlton Johnson (he/him), social work MSW student at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Daniel Stickel (he/him), health psychology/school pediatric PhD student at East Carolina University
Dominique Martinez (they/them), senior research assistant at Office of the President at Child Trends
Job Titles:
- Student at Yale University
Stephanie is a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, double majoring in Psychology (B.S.) and Human Development and Family Science. Her passion revolves around working with children and adolescents, delving deep into understanding the intricate ways mental health shapes their development and the enduring impact it has on their adult lives. Stephanie is particularly fascinated by the complexities of diagnosing and treating young individuals from diverse cultural and language backgrounds. After graduation, she plans on attending graduate school or medical school with the hope of becoming a pediatric psychologist or psychiatrist. Stephanie is excited about joining the CIRCLE lab, where she aims to collaborate with fellow researchers, gain hands-on research experience, and make a significant difference in the lives of young individuals! (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Stephanie Sirhal is a United States Army veteran interested in pursuing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She completed her Bachelors and Masters in Architecture at Tulane University, and commissioned into the Army as a Field Artillery Officer in 2018. Stephanie deployed to the Middle East in 2020, during which she became interested in how developmental trauma affected her Soldiers. While transitioning out of the military, she pursued that interest as a research assistant within UNC Chapel Hill's Gfeller Center and Oklahoma State University's Child Adaptation and Maternal Psychopathology Laboratory (CAMP-Lab). Stephanie intends to study interventions that can successfully reduce the impact of childhood neglect and abuse within military families. Outside of work, Stephanie loves any type of food, cooking, hiking, and traveling.
Triyakshari Venkataraja is a freshman at UNC Chapel Hill majoring in Neuroscience (B.S.). She aspires to be a neurosurgeon or neurologist and has a keen interest in the neurobiology behind psychotic and psychiatric disorders. She is excited to be working in the CIRCLE Lab to edit MRI scans in Freesurfer and hopes to use her experience to help others with mental health disorders. In her free time, Triya enjoys competing in chess, listening to music, playing the piano, and gardening. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)
Will is a full-time Scientific Programmer and member of the Human Neuroimaging Group. He develops image processing software and assists with its training and adoption in the lab, in addition to serving as a general programming resource. Will graduated from Appalachian State University in 2016 with a BS in Computer Science. He started his career in industry, where he developed Python and R-based big data pipelines in both Azure and AWS for the enablement of advanced commercial analytics. He also developed Java-based RESTful APIs and both managed and taught a data engineering course for clients. Outside of programming, Will enjoys getting outdoors for hiking, camping, kayaking, and biking.
Zoe is a full-time Research Assistant on the WHALE Study. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with a BS in Biology and a BA in Psychology with a minor in Spanish for the Health Professions. Since sophomore year Zoe was an undergraduate research assistant in the CIRCLE Lab, primarily assisting in the YES Study and then the WHALE Study. Zoe is interested in childhood development and how external factors influence this including maltreatment, socioeconomic status, and identity. After working for a couple years, she plans to attend medical school to become a pediatrician. Along the way, Zoe wants to refine her research interests and increase diversity and inclusion in science. In her free time, Zoe enjoys cooking, going to concerts, traveling, and weightlifting. (Pronouns: she/her/hers)