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Background

• 2016-present Professor, Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech

• 2016-present Professor, Health Sciences, Virginia Tech

• 2014-2016 Associate Professor, Health Sciences, Virginia Tech

• 2011-2016 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech

• 2005-2011 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Virginia Tech

• 2000-2005 Research Assistant Professor, Mt. Hope Family Center, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY

• 1998-2000 Postdoctoral Associate, Dept of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

• 1993-1998 Ph.D. Developmental Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Interests

• Developmental Psychopathology

• Developmental Neuroscience

• Risk and resilience in adolescent risk taking and psychopathology

• Risk and resilience in child maltreatment

• Adolescent decision making and health risk behaviors

• Religious and spiritual development during childhood and adolescence

• Life-span developmental research methodology; quantitative methods for studying variability and change; analyses of developmental processes and life course transitions.

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Courses Taught

• 6944 - Risk and Resilience in Developmental Psychopathology

• 4364 - Senior Seminar: Family and Peer Relations

• 4034 - Advanced Developmental Psychology

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"The more I study science, the more I believe in God." - Albert Einstein

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"Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them." - Albert Einstein

Morgan is a fourth-year PhD student and received a B.S in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in 2017. After graduating, she worked as a research specialist in the Affective Neuroscience and Developmental Psychopathology lab at the University of Pittsburgh. Morgan's research interests include using a developmental psychopathology perspective to examine early life stress, brain development, and risk for psychopathology during adolescence. Outside of the lab, she enjoys baking, spending time outdoors, and exploring new restaurants or coffee shops.

Claudia is a third-year PhD student and received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2021. She completed her senior thesis studying emotion regulation, attention bias, and memory in people with and without PTSD symptoms. Her research interests include risk and resilience and how adversity impacts relationships and psychological well-being later in life. Outside of the lab, she enjoys running, coffee shops, and reading.

Celina is a first-year Ph.D. student and received two B.S. degrees in Psychology and Statistics from Florida State University in 2021. After graduating, she worked as a Social/Clinical Research Assistant in the CIRCLE Lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Celina's research interests are related to the long-term physiological and psychological outcomes associated with early life stress and maltreatment, where her focus is on identifying pathways toward resilience. Outside of the lab, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, and skiing.

Sahar is a first-year PhD student and received a B.A. in Psychology and Economics from New York University in 2021. After graduating, she was a clinical research coordinator for the Addiction and Decision Neuroscience lab at Rutgers University. She is primarily interested in the longitudinal trajectories of substance use and the impact of early life stressors on health and social outcomes. In her free time, Sahar loves listening to music, hanging out with her cat, and gaming.

Morgan is a recent graduate from Virginia Tech and received B.S. degrees in Clinical Neuroscience and Psychology. They are hoping to expand their research skills in anticipation of applying to clinical psychology PhD programs with the long term goal of becoming a therapist and researcher. Their current research interests involve how the interplay between biopsychosocial factors, emotion regulation, and executive functioning impacts psychological and socioemotional functioning in children and adolescents with ADHD and autism. In their free time, Morgan loves to spend time outdoors, listen to live music, and watch movies with friends. 

Dina is a Junior from Alexandria, Virginia. She is double majoring in both Psychology and Criminology. After graduating from Virginia Tech, Dina hope to go to graduate school and study forensic psychology and maybe go onto law school. Her primary research interests are the effects of childhood abuse and trauma on development. Outside of Lab she enjoys going to the gym, dancing and watching true crime documentaries.

Kristen is a sophomore from Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is majoring in biological sciences and is a part of the Virginia Tech honors college. After undergrad she hopes to attend medical school or physician assistant school to further her studies in oncology and pediatrics. Her research interests include brain development and protective factors in children when they have grown up with prevalent health risks. You can find her at the beach reading, hiking, walking, or hanging out with friends and family. 

Rachel is a first-year student at Johns Hopkins University double majoring in Medicine, Science, and the Humanities and Cognitive Science. You can often find her spending time playing the piano, watching documentaries and hanging out with friends at the park and movie theater.