Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Jennifer Meigs is a second-year doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program. She graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a BA in Psychology where she studied adolescent sleep and caffeine use under Dr. Amy Wolfson. After graduating, she completed a two-year postbaccalaureate fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health under Drs. Ellen Leibenluft and Melissa Brotman. There she studied underlying mechanisms and treatments for pediatric irritability. Her current research interests focus on examining cognitive mechanisms and health behaviors (e.g., sleep) that underly and impact externalizing symptomatology in youth. She has a particular interest in leveraging novel technology to parse these relationships. In her free time, she loves to hike with her dog, paint, and bake new recipes.

Clinical Psychology PhD Student

Madison Schulte is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Clinical Psychology program. She completed her B.A. in Psychology and Health, Medicine & Society at Lehigh University and an M.S. in Experimental Psychology at William & Mary. During her master's program, Madison worked in the RISE lab under the guidance of Dr. Madelyn Labella, where she evaluated contextual predictors of emerging self-regulation skills in toddlerhood. Her research interests lie broadly in the development of externalizing symptoms and self-regulation skills in children. She is particularly focused on understanding these processes within the context of family adversity. Outside the lab, she loves reading, traveling, and listening to live music.

Masters Student Research Assistant

Cayden's research interests largely revolve around developmental psychopathology among children of single-parent homes. Namely, he's interested in examining the ways in which children without both parental figures come to exhibit inhibitory control deficits, antisocial behaviors, and oppositional defiance. Ultimately, he's passionate about conducting research with novel methodologies that can be translated to interventions and treatments. Outside of the lab and classroom, he's taken a liking to spending time in the wilderness, people watching, and reading all about humans!

Masters Student Research Assistant

Samantha's interests center on developing and implementing community-based interventions that address the complex needs of high-risk minority children and their families. She is particularly passionate about supporting marginalized and minority populations facing mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and difficulties with social functioning. She is especially committed to increasing access to effective mental health interventions for children and young adults living in underserved and impoverished communities. Her goal is to design accessible, evidence-based treatments that promote emotional well-being and reduce risk-taking behaviors among youth. During her downtime, I enjoy doing pilates, watching movies, and drinking matcha! 

Masters Student Research Assistant

Julie is a master’s student research assistant. Her research interests mostly focus on group relations and identities. She is particularly interested in how individuals see themselves and others, and how these perspectives can influence in- and out-group interactions. Her hope is to continue her research through a doctorate program, where she wants to focus more on specific stereotypes and how they are perceived as well as influence the brain. When she has free time, Julie loves to watch horror movies and explore historical sites.

Postbaccalaureate Research Assistant

Chase Kovalcheck is a post-baccalaureate research assistant. He graduated with a BA in Religious Studies from Franklin and Marshall College. As an undergraduate, Chase was a research fellow at the Penn State College of Medicine, where he studied biochemistry. Drawing from his multidisciplinary approach, Chase’s current research interests include attitudes towards political violence, susceptibility to conspiracy theories, and associated traits. His particular focus is on how traits like paranoia interact with psychopathy to predict aggression. When he has down time, Chase likes to train his dog, explore new restaurants, and travel.

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Reya Petrick is an Undergraduate Research Assistant and sophomore at The Catholic University of America, double majoring in Biology and Psychology through the University Honors Program and Pre-Medical Track. Her research interests focus on the development of behaviors and mental health. Outside the lab, she is a swimmer for Catholic and an active volunteer in healthcare and pediatric therapy settings.

Masters Student Research Assistant

Sanjana is fascinated by how antisocial and deviant behaviors develop in children, with particular attention to vulnerable groups such as juveniles. Her interests lie in examining the neurological processes underlying these behaviors, their emergence, and their impact on daily functioning and social relationships. She aims to further explore the neural basis of such behaviors in future research. Outside the lab, Sanjana enjoys cooking, crocheting, listening to jazz, and watching cat videos.

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Miriam Knutson is a Psychological and Brain Sciences (B.S.) major with a minor in Philosophy. Miriam’s current research interests include scrupulosity, cognitive mechanisms of guilt and empathy, and relational risk factors for anxiety and depression in adolescents. In her free time, Miriam can be found singing, reading, hiking, writing, and joyously exclaiming about the wonders of decaf coffee!