Associate Professor, Texas A&M University

Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Member: Texas A&M University Institute for Neuroscience (TAMIN)

amacnamara@tamu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

*Interested applicants for the doctoral program should contact Dr. MacNamara directly*

Shannon graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth with a master’s degree in psychology. She is interested in the cognitive and affective mechanisms that lead to the development and persistence of mood and anxiety disorders — specifically how stress and trauma impact these mechanisms. In her free time, Shannon loves spending time with her husband and pups, reading, learning something new, and watching re-runs of Forensic Files. She is currently away completing her clinical internship.

smacdonald@tamu.edu 

Curriculum Vitae

Ha Jeong graduated from Seoul National University in South Korea with a bachelor’s degree in English language education and a master’s degree in psychology. She is interested in the neural underpinnings of emotion in internalizing disorders, and how understanding such mechanisms can help predict the onset and maintenance of clinical states. In her free time, Ha Jeong loves listening to jazz, working out, and watching movies.

harongi@tamu.edu 

Curriculum Vitae

Claudia graduated from Davidson College in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After graduation she worked as the Lead Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Technician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and then as a Clinical Research Coordinator at New York University (NYU) Langone Health. She is interested in studying neurobiological and cognitive-affective processes underlying severity and symptom variability within anxiety disorders such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). In her free time she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. 

claudiabecker@tamu.edu 

Curriculum Vitae 

Mia graduated from Purdue University in 2022 with a B.S. in Neurobiology & Physiology and a B.S. in Brain & Behavioral Sciences. She then worked at the University of Notre Dame managing a grant that examined sleep-dependent emotional memory consolidation. Mia is interested in the cognitive and affective mechanisms involved in emotion regulation, and how these become disrupted in internalizing disorders. In her free time, Mia enjoys painting, watching movies, and spending time with friends.

mutayde@tamu.edu 

Curriculum Vitae

Nicole graduated from the University of Tulsa in 2023 with a B.S. in Psychology. She then stayed in Oklahoma to work as a full-time research assistant at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research (LIBR). Nicole is interested in studying cognitive and affective processes that contribute to the onset and persistence of depression and anxiety disorders, with the ultimate goal of informing more effective, targeted interventions. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, visiting antique stores, and doing puzzles with friends.

nbaughman@tamu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

Arushi graduated from The Ohio State University in 2023 with a B.S. In Neuroscience with minors in Psychology and Philosophy. After graduation, she worked as a clinical research assistant in the Mindfulness Lab for Ohio State University's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health under the supervision of Dr. Anthony King. Arushi is interested in understanding how large-scale brain networks support self-referential processing and emotion regulation, and how disruptions in these systems contribute to vulnerability and resilience across internalizing disorders. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, climbing, dancing, cooking, and watching movies with friends. 

arushibadola@tamu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

Madeline graduated from Ohio University with a major in Psychology in 2024 and completed her M.S. in Psychological Sciences at Western Kentucky University in 2026. She hopes to further develop her academic and professional skills in her role as lab manager before pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Madeline is interested in severe mental illnesses (SMI) and the heterogeneity in symptom presentation across individuals. In the future, she hopes to better understand the cognitive, behavioral, and neuropsychological mechanisms underlying this variability and translate these findings into evidence-based interventions that enhance the quality of life for individuals with SMI. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her cat, Lotus, and learning to crochet. 

madelinewildman@tamu.edu 

Curriculum Vitae

Thea is a junior psychology major with a neuroscience minor from Houston, TX. After graduation, she plans to pursue a PsyD in neuropsychology. She is a member of the Aggie Mental Health Ambassador club and a director for an organization called Sophomores Leading Impacting Developing and Educating. During her free time, she likes to read and spend time with friends.

Andrea is a junior Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience major from Katy, Texas. She is also currently the undergraduate social chair for TAMU B.R.A.I.N.S. and a member of the psychology and tennis clubs at Texas A&M. After graduating, she plans to further pursue behavioral neuroscience and related fields through higher education. In her free time, Andrea enjoys reading, listening to music, and spending time with family and friends. 

Paola Estrada is a neuroscience major on the pre-med track with a minor in nutrition and Spanish for Health Professions from El Paso, Texas. She is the treasurer and a stylist for A-Line, an on-campus fashion magazine, and also serves as a medical supplies packaging director for VOOM, a nonprofit organization that helps fund open-heart surgeries in Nigeria. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in neurology. Paola also enjoys traveling, trying new coffee shops and restaurants, working out, and spending time with friends and family.

Mayah is a freshman psychology major from College Station, Texas. After graduation, she intends to pursue a career in clinical psychology. She is involved in the university Honors program and MORPH. She enjoys playing tennis, watching movies, and spending time with friends.

Ananya is a junior Neuroscience major from Frisco, TX. She is currently a member of MORPH, Howdy Crew and works as a preschool teacher. After graduation, she plans on pursuing an MA in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience. In her free time, she enjoys fiber arts, reading, cooking and spending time with her friends. 

Victoria Lam is a Junior Pre-Optometry Public Health major with a minor in neuroscience from Arlington, Texas. She is involved in Aggie Classics, Aggie Optometry Association, St. Mary's, and is a staff member for MSC ALOT. In Victoria's free time, she enjoys playing tennis/pickleball, cooking for her friends, and going on walks. 

Alanis is a senior psychology major, with a minor in neuroscience and a certificate in applied behavioral health. She is a member of the Teaching Scholars program for the Psychology Department and acts as the Public Relations Chair for Starlight Aggies. In the future, she plans on pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology and specializing in Child and Adolescent Psychology. Outside of academics, she enjoys baking and spending time with friends and family.

Hannah is a sophomore psychology major and neuroscience minor from Lake Jackson, Texas. She's also working on her Applied Behavioral Health Certificate. She is a member of ASAP and the Alumni Relations Assistant Director for MSC Fish. After graduating, she plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology to specialize in Neuropsychology. In her free time, she likes to read dystopian novels, hang out with friends, play video games, and play tennis.

Torie is a junior psychology and sociology major from Coppell, Texas. After graduation, she intends to pursue a career in military psychology with a focus on PTSD. She is also involved in Aggie Outdoors and is a Publisher at TexAgs. In her free time, Torie enjoys listening to music, spending time with friends, and exploring the outdoors.

Ray is a senior psychology major with a minor in sociology from Cypress, TX. She is the social chair for the Psychology Club and a peer mentor through the PsycMentor program. After graduating, she plans to attend a Social and Personality Psychology PhD program in hopes of becoming a professor. In her free time, she enjoys bead embroidering, baking, playing video games, and spending time with her cats.

Tessa is a senior Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience major, with a Bioinformatics minor from Austin, Texas. After graduation, she plans on pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology in hopes to work as a neuropsychologist in a clinical setting. She also serves as the public relations director for SLOPE and is involved in KANM Student Radio. In her free time, Tessa enjoys reading, going to concerts, and spending time outside. 

Kyle graduated in 2026 with a BS in psychology and a minor in nutrition from Texas A&M University. He is particularly interested in the etiology and pathophysiology of eating disorders, addiction disorders, and chronic disease, and how these disorders influence mind-body homeostasis. He splits his time between three Psych/Neuro and two Nutrition research programs, and one English Literature research project. He hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology with a focus in eating disorders and hormonal physiology.

Rachel is a senior psychology major with a neuroscience minor from Flower Mound, TX. After graduation she plans on pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology. She is a member of Aggie Classics and is involved at St. Marys. In her free time, she enjoys reading, scrapbooking, and spending time with friends and family.

Han is a sophomore Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience major, with a University Honors minor, from Houston, Texas. At TAMU, she is a member of the Alpha Omega Epsilon, STEM-focused sorority, Dermatological TAMU, and TAMECT. In the future, she plans to attend medical school, and she's interested in primary care or neurology. Outside of TAMU, she spends time tutoring English to students in Vietnam, and she likes to drive around Houston to explore different cultural neighborhoods and restaurants.