My interest in studying the aging brain began in college. As an undergraduate student, I developed a deep interest in cognitive psychology. I served as an undergraduate research assistant in two psychology labs, which allowed me to hone qualitative and quantitative research skills. Although I enjoyed research, I was interested in the aging brain, specifically in how aging affects our neural and psychological development, but this opportunity was not available to me at my undergraduate institution. 

This experience propelled me to seek out experiences where I could focus on memory loss, and I began working at a skilled personal care facility. Working with older adults at this facility reinforced my desire to learn about the aging brain and consider new ways to offer services to this community through research. Through my growth as an undergraduate student, I came to recognize my interests and urge to use my education to help older adults. 

At the University of Michigan (U of M), I joined the Cognitive & Affective Neuropsychology lab (PI: Dr. Reuter-Lorenz), dedicated to understanding memory processes and changes in cognitive functions as we age. Under the mentorship of Dr. Reuter-Lorenz in U of M’s Department of Psychology, I want to use cognitive psychology methods to continue investigating brain changes with age.