Jennifer Silvers, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
CV
I am an Associate Professor in the Developmental and Social areas of the Psychology Department at UCLA as well as at UCLA’s Brain Research Institute. Prior to joining the faculty at UCLA, I completed my Bachelor’s degree at the University of Virginia and my Ph.D. and postdoctoral training at Columbia University. Using a combination of behavioral, physiological, and neuroimaging measures, I am interested in understanding how children, adolescents, and adults regulate their emotions and how other people (friends and family) may regulate our emotional experiences as well. When I make it outside of UCLA, I enjoy running in L.A.’s gorgeous hills, trying to get around without the assistance of google maps, cooking and spending time with my husband, children, and dog.
Natalie Saragosa-Harris
Sixth-Year Graduate Student
Natalie received her B.S. in Cognitive Science with a specialization in computing from UCLA before working as a research assistant at New York University for two years. She is interested in how early social experiences affect later learning and decision making, especially during adolescence. She is primarily focused on research using neuroimaging techniques such as fMRI and fNIRS. In her free time, she enjoys watching classic movies, exploring the city, reading, and volunteering with kids.
Wesley Meredith
Fifth-Year Graduate Student
Wesley received their B.S. in Psychology from the University of Richmond and their M.A. from the University of Chicago. They are broadly interested in early life environments and experiences, and how these relate to individual differences in neurodevelopment. Outside academia, Wesley is an aspiring cat-parent who enjoys biking, cooking, and quoting the Golden Girls.
Clare McCann
Third-Year Graduate Student
I graduated from the University of Oregon in 2020 with a degree in Psychology with honors and minors in Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies and Special Education. My research focuses on exploring potential environmental (e.g., adversity) and biological factors (e.g., pubertal processes) contributing to individual differences in developmental outcomes with translational applications. I aim to support the development of self, purpose, and motivation in underserved youth and young adults. In my free time, I volunteer with the To Be Honest campaign, try to enjoy running, knit, and hangout with my cat Orwell. A goal of mine is to go to every used book store in Los Angeles.
Saché Coury
Second-Year Graduate Student
I graduated from Stanford University in 2020 where I received a BA in Psychology with honors with a specialization in Neuroscience. I am broadly interested in how early life stress shapes and alters neurodevelopment and increases risk for psychopathology in youth, with a special interest in neuro-inflammatory processes. My research currently focuses on exploring neuroimmune mechanisms that may explain how exposure to early adversity increases maladaptive emotion regulation strategies that impact mental health outcomes in youth. In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with my two cats (James and Roux), watching sports (mainly soccer and basketball), reading, traveling, and exploring new restaurants
Benjamin M. Rosenberg, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
I am a Postdoctoral Fellow in the NIMH T32 Biobehavioral Issues in Mental and Physical Health Program. I received my BA in Psychology from Stanford University in 2014 and my PhD in Clinical Psychology from UCLA in 2023. I am broadly interested in translational and clinical research to increase understanding of 1) development of anxiety, depression, and related mental health concerns, 2) mechanisms of effective treatment or prevention, and 3) behavioral, physiological, and neural correlates of these processes. In my free time, I enjoy playing basketball, watching basketball (I am better at this), hiking, taking my dogs to local parks, and playing board games.
Elizabeth Gaines
Lab Manager
Elizabeth graduated from UCLA in 2021 with a degree in Neuroscience and a minor in Film and Television studies. As an undergraduate, she volunteered as a research assistant in the SAND Lab, and completed her major thesis project on reappraisal capacity in youth during COVID. As lab manager, she is responsible for coordinating and conducting each phase of the lab’s several research projects. Apart from research, Elizabeth enjoys knitting, painting, and visiting Barnes & Noble.
Siôbhan Glynn
Graduate Student Collaborator,
Siobhan received her B.A. in Psychology from Bryn Mawr College. She then worked as a behavioral analysis therapist and research network coordinator in Boston for three years. Siobhan’s research interests explore emotion learning and recognition among diverse groups of children and adolescents (typically developing, on the autism spectrum, and having experienced early life adversity). In her free time, she enjoys singing, thrifting and antiquing, bachata dancing with her friends, and playing with her cat, Salem.
CURRENT RESEARCH ASSISTANTS:
* Kiana Aminzadeh , Undergraduate Student
* Gianna Clarot, Undergraduate Student
* Shivani Pamula, Undergraduate Student
* Sangavi Suresh Kumar, Undergraduate Student
* Dongfang Tian, Undergraduate Student
* Sarah Harris, Undergraduate Student
COLLABORATORS:
* Tara Peris, Ph.D. Faculty Page
* Nim Tottenham, Ph.D. Lab Website
* Kevin Ochsner, Ph.D. Lab Website
* Adriana Galván, Ph.D. Lab Website
* Carolyn Parkinson, Ph.D. Lab Website
* Julie Bower, Ph.D. Lab Website
* Shulamite Green, Ph.D. Lab Website
* Camelia Hostinar, Ph.D. Lab Website
* Katie McLaughlin, Ph.D. Lab Website
* Thomas McDade, Ph.D. Lab Website
* Steve Cole, Ph.D. Lab Website
* Siyan Nussbaum, lab manager from the BAB Lab.
ALUMNI:
*Adriana Méndez Leal, Ph.D, former graduate student
*Razia Sahi, Ph.D, former graduate student collaborator, Postdoctoral Fellow at Lemo Lab at Princeton University.
*João Guassi Moreira, Ph.D, Former graduate student, Assistant Professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
* Sarah Tashjian JD, Ph.D, Former collaborator, Head of AND Lab at University of Melbourne
* Yael Waizman, Former lab manager, Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student at the NEST Lab at USC
* Kathleen Rae Deguzman, Former research assistant
* Audrey Han, Former research assistant
*Audrey Lai, Former research assistant
* Evie Li, Former research assistant
* Susanne Matte Ramsdell, Former research assistant
* Maya O’Kelly, Former research assistant
* Joyce Forster, Master’s Candidate in Psychological Sciences at William & Mary College
* Daniel Lee, Former research assistant
* Haley Hubbard, Former research assistant
*Brendan Swart, Former research assistant
* Lorraine Mendez, Former research assistant
* Natalie Herrera-Delfin, Former research assistant
* Alejandra Delgado, Former research assistant
* Marie Berthiaux, Former research assistant
* Aayush Patel, Former research assistant
* Zhouzhou (Jo) He, Former collaborator research assistant from the SAN Lab
* Helena Cabrera, Former research assistant
* Sienna Osadon, Former research assistant
* Maria Calderon, Former research assistant
* Yuan Yuan (Ashley) Liu, Former research assistant
* Julianna Mora, Former research assistant
* Claire Waller, Former research assistant
* Elizabeth Campbell, Former research assistant
* Maya Lee, Former collaborator research assistant from the SAN Lab
* Ngoc (Nora) Ngo, Former research assistant
* Devika Shenoy, Former collaborator research assistant from the SAN Lab
* Ambar Hernandez, Former research assistant
* Agatha Handojo, Former research assistant
* Page Spencer, Former research assistant
* Alexandra Watts, Former research assistant
* Sakina Qadir, Former research assistant
* Zoey Dew, Former research assistant
* Salma Sudarmadji, Former research assistant
* Emily Towner, Former research assistant
* Casandra Gomez Alvarado, Former research assistant
* Ciara Mandich, Former research assistant
* Aviva Hirsch, Former research assistant
* Tarran Walter, Former research assistant
* Eleni Rally, Former research assistant
* Aneet Sidhu, Former research assistant
* Christen Cheng, Former research assistant
* Julia Reitsma, Former research assistant
* Austin Blake, Former research assistant
* Milagro Escobar, Former research assistant
* Emilia Ninova, Former Lab Manager, UCLA Psychology Department Graduate Student Services Advisor
* Wendy Gonzalez, Former research assistant, PROPS scholar
* Nicole Miovsky, Former research assistant
* Neda Semsar, Former research assistant
* Prabhjot Bisla, Former research assistant
* Sienna Robertson, Former research assistant