Research

Adolescence is characterized by many hurdles: puberty, complex peer relationships and increasing expectations of independence cause both stress and growth. For individuals who have previously been exposed to physical or sexual abuse, these new challenges can be overwhelming. In particular, they may find it difficult to interpret others’ intent and to determine an appropriate response in ambiguous and threatening social situations. I am interested in what characteristics of early abuse exposure result in a myriad of social and emotional difficulties, the brain mechanisms behind these obstacles, and what can be done to ameliorate further struggles. To answer these questions, I am interested in employing a variety of methodologies including magnetic resonance imaging, ecological momentary assessment and computational modeling.

I have extensive experience with neuroimaging, statistics and psychometrics, and am continuing to build upon these skills while pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a M.S. in Statistics at Northwestern University under the guidance of Drs. Robin Nusslock and Caterina Gratton as NSF GRFP fellow. I previously worked as a data analyst in the Brain Behavior Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania, working for Dr. Ruben C. Gur. I completed the double degree program at Oberlin College & Conservatory in 2018, majoring in psychology and flute performance.