Juliet Davidow (she/her), PhD

Dr. Juliet Davidow joined the Psychology Department at Northeastern University as an Assistant Professor in 2020, and established the Learning and Brain Development Lab. She earned her BA in Psychology from New York University and PhD in Psychology from Columbia University. She trained as a postdoc at Harvard University, and has also conducted research at UCLA and Weill-Cornell Medical College. The research at the Learning and Brain Development Lab bridges classic areas in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Computer Science.

CV| Google Scholar| OSF

Rebecca Hennessy (she/her)
Lab Manager
Rebecca graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2023 with a B.A. in Cognitive Neuroscience and a minor in Psychology. As an undergraduate, she worked in the Changing Brain Lab with Dr. Allyson Mackey, where she completed her senior honors thesis studying reward, motivation, and curiosity in young children. Rebecca hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology with a focus in developmental cognitive neuroscience. Outside of the lab, Rebecca enjoys exploring local farmer’s markets, trying new fitness classes around Boston, and supporting the performing arts.

Ava Moore (she/her)
Lab Manager
Ava graduated from Fordham University in 2025 with a B.S. in integrative neuroscience and a double major in sociology. She spent her time as an undergraduate working in Dr. Amy Roy’s Pediatric Emotion Regulation Lab. In addition to participating in several lab-wide studies, she also completed her senior thesis investigating hemispheric asymmetry in adolescents with anxiety. Ava hopes to pursue a PhD in developmental or cognitive neuroscience. Outside of the lab, Ava enjoys cooking, reading, crocheting, and exploring Boston.

Brianna Aubrey (she/her)
PhD Student – Learning and Brain Development Lab
Brianna Aubrey received her B.A. in Neuroscience from Dartmouth College with minors in Education and Music. She worked as an undergraduate research assistant (2018-2022) and full time lab manager (2022-2024) in the Cognitive Neuroscience of Learning (Kraemer) Lab at Dartmouth. Brianna is the recipient of the Robert N. Leaton Prize for Best Neuroscience Thesis Presentation for her thesis titled: “Understanding the Neural Basis of Motivated Reasoning through MVPA Classification” as well as the Cameron-Glickenhaus Family Fund Prize for Most Promising Minor in Education. Brianna’s research experience includes fMRI work studying Motivated Reasoning, Math Anxiety, and Language Learning. She hopes to improve education by studying the neural mechanisms that underlie learning and reasoning. Outside of research, Brianna enjoys singing, yoga, baking, and crocheting.

Haley Hegefeld (she/her)
PhD Student – Social Development and Wellbeing Lab (Alexandra Rodman, PhD)
Haley graduated from Yale University with a B.S. in Psychology. As an undergraduate, she worked in the Clinical Affective Neuroscience & Development Lab with Dr. Dylan Gee and studied the development of emotion regulation in daily life. After graduating, she spent three years as a research coordinator for LBDL. In this role, she worked with Dr. Davidow to study the development of decision-making during adolescence. Currently, Haley is a doctoral student in NU’s Social Development & Wellbeing Lab working with Dr. Alex Rodman and continues to collaborate with LBDL on several projects studying adolescent development. Outside of research, Haley likes to take spin classes at the Handle Bar, read, and sample every ice cream shop around Boston.

Nick Kathios (he/him)
PhD Candidate – Music, Imaging, and Neural Dynamics Lab (Psyche Loui, PhD) 
Nick (he/him/his) received his B.A. in Psychology and Music from Columbia University. He currently is a graduate student working in the Music, Imaging, and Neural Dynamics Lab under Dr. Psyche Loui. Nick is interested in investigating the link between adolescent music listening and ongoing brain development. In his free time, Nick enjoys playing the French horn.

Francesca Morfini (she/her)
PhD Candidate – EPIC Brain Lab (Sue Whitfield-Gabrieli, PhD)
Francesca is a Ph.D. candidate in the Psychology Ph.D. at Northeastern University working with Dr. Davidow and Dr. Whitfield-Gabrieli. Francesca graduated from San Raffaele University (Italy) with a B.S. in psychology and neuroscience and a M.S. in clinical psychology. Francesca is interested in applying multimodal neuroimaging techniques to better characterize depression and anxiety in youth, improve the diagnostic process, and develop novel treatment interventions.

Erica Niemiec Skelton (she/her)
PhD Student – Learning and Brain Development Lab

Erica graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BA in Classical Civilization and completed post-baccalaureate studies in Psychology at Columbia University in 2021. At Columbia, she worked as a research assistant and lab manager of the Developmental Affective Neuroscience Lab. Erica is interested in researching the dynamics of adolescent learning under conditions of change through multiple methods, including neuroimaging. She can also often be found exploring a hiking trail, immersed in a good book, or maintaining her Duolingo streak (étudie le français и плохо говорит по-русски).

Victoria McCray (she/her)
Master’s Student
Victoria is a Masters of Science Candidate in Bioinformatics. She completed her Bachelors of Science in Psychology with a minor in Data Science. She completed her undergraduate honors thesis with Juliet Davidow, PhD investigating the effects of cannabis on reward network functional connectivity for people living with schizophrenia. Her research interests lie in computational methods and techniques in cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging disciplines. Outside of research, she serves on the Board of Directors for the non-profit Black In Neuro, dedicated to building community, providing resources, and career development for underrepresented groups in neuroscience fields. She is also a double husky and honorary forever member of LBDL! 

Rebecca van Rijn (she/her)
PhD Candidate – Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Rebecca followed the bachelor’s program Biology at Leiden University before diving into Neuroscience. She completed a double master’s degree of Cognitive Neuroscience and Medical Biology Neuroscience at the Radboud University Nijmegen. After graduation, Rebecca worked as a research assistant on the ERC project of prof. dr. Lydia Krabbendam at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Rebecca is currently a PhD Candidate at the department of Clinical, Developmental and Neuropsychology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her research focuses on (prosocial) risk-taking behavior in adolescence using different techniques. She is supervised by prof. dr. Lydia Krabbendam, dr. Barbara Braams and prof. dr. Paul van Lange. Rebecca collaborates with the LBDL on designing and validating a prosocial risk-taking questionnaire for adolescence. She visited the lab and Boston during Spring 2024. When not doing research or exploring Boston, Rebecca enjoys running or spinning, doing crafts or reading a book. Click here to read more about Rebecca’s visit!

Malis Arroyo (she/her)
COS Research Scholar
Malis Arroyo is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University, majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience. After working with children in the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and foster care, she developed a passion for understanding how a child’s upbringing during critical developmental periods impacts their cognitive development. Following her graduation, Malis hopes to attend medical school to become a pediatric trauma surgeon. In her free time, she enjoys journaling and exploring Boston with friends.

Eli Bailit (he/him)
Visiting Summer Research Assistant
Eli is an undergraduate student at Dartmouth College studying Cognitive Science. He is particularly interested in language and thought, and is currently designing a senior thesis aimed at investigating how an individual’s likelihood to reinterpret ambiguous information depends on the identity of the individual who is providing the alternative interpretation. In his free time, Eli loves arranging music, drinking boba, and watching the Celtics.

Ahadu Betselot (he/him)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Ahadu is an undergraduate Psychology student at Northeastern University with a strong interest in social and emotional development throughout the lifespan and the different developmental experiences that cause psychological disorders to form. Whether it be as a teacher’s assistant, camp counselor, or tutor, he truly enjoys working with children. He hopes to one day complete a PhD in Child Psychology and provide affordable care for children who suffer from psychological disorders. In his downtime, Ahadu enjoys weightlifting, biking, and watching movies.

Michael El Choueiri (he/him)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Michael is a sophomore majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience who is highly interested in cognitive neuroscience as well as the neurological response to different experiences that people undergo in their life and how that impacts their future behavior. After graduating, he plans on going to medical school and hopes to become a cardiothoracic surgeon. In his free time, he likes to play basketball, soccer, and workout.

Mia Ferrari (she/her)
UPLIFT Scholar
Mia is a first-year bioengineering and biochemistry major. She is interested in how cells and chemicals in the brain interact at the microscopic level to produce the outcomes that we see, like learning, memory, and behavior. In her free time, Mia enjoys playing and watching sports (especially basketball), running/exercising in any way, reading, hanging out with friends and family, and exploring Boston.

Claire Fiedler (she/her)
COS Research Scholar
Claire is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University majoring in Psychology and Linguistics. She is interested in learning about how language ties into development, as well as how learning processes influence memory across the lifespan. In her free time, she enjoys writing, board games, puzzles, hikes, and exploring Boston.

Ella Fulling (she/her)
Visiting Summer Research Assistant
Ella is a student studying Neuroscience and Psychology at Tulane University in New Orleans! She has a strong interest in understanding how our social experiences, both in person and digital, influence reward processing, self esteem, and general well- being. She also has an interest in Public Health, and would like to learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and how these influence developmental pathways. After graduating from Tulane, she hopes to enroll in a Clinical Psychology PhD program and continue working with children.

Natalee Huli (she/her)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Natalee is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience. She has an interest in developmental and emotional neuroscience and wants to learn more about how the experiences one has during their developmental period can affect how those memories are remembered and how neurological changes due to experiences can affect future behaviors. After graduation, Natalee hopes to attend medical school and become a neurologist. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis, crocheting, baking, listening to music, and watching Gilmore Girls.

Komal Jain (she/her)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Komal is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University studying Data Science and Psychology. She is interested in understanding the lasting impact of memories made during adolescence. In her free time, she enjoys travelling, spending time outdoors, and exploring new restaurants.

Monica Karori (she/her)
COS Research Scholar
Monica is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience. She has a strong interest in the development of adolescent behavior and how certain experiences in childhood can impact adulthood. After graduation, Monica hopes to go to medical school and specialize in pediatrics. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing tennis, painting, and trying new restaurants.

Xiqiao Liu (she/her)
Co-Op Student
Xiqiao is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University, pursuing a combined major in Linguistics and Data Science. She is especially interested in how language and identity develop during adolescence, with a focus on family discourse, decision-making, and cognitive development. During her free time, she likes watching movies and exploring new cafe.

Briana Mallouh (she/her)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Briana is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University majoring in biology. She is passionate about the role of learning in effecting long term memories, especially amongst adolescents. Briana also works as a rehabilitation assistant at a local hospital while being involved in women’s fitness and youth STEM mentoring on campus. She hopes to become a physician and attend medical school later on.

Eve Melychev (she/her)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Eve is an undergraduate student majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience with a particular interest in developmental neuroscience. After graduating, Eve plans to attend medical school where she will pursue a career in psychiatry. In her free time, Eve enjoys running, reading, and hiking.

Amy Nguyen (she/her)
Visiting Summer Research Assistant
Amy Nguyen is an undergraduate student at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, majoring in Psychology. She is especially interested in cognitive psychology, with a focus on memory, attention, and goal-directed behavior. Amy plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Human-Computer Interaction, where she hopes to explore how cognitive science can inform the design of more effective, human-centered technologies.

Andrew (he/him)
High School Intern
Andrew is a rising senior at Newton South High School who is interested in Psychology and Education. Andrew is specifically interested in exploring how psychological factors affect adolescence learning. At his high school, Andrew is involved with his school newspaper, peer tutors, and is a part of his school’s psychology club. In his free time, Andrew enjoys traveling, watching baseball and basketball, and spending time with his family and friends.

Helena (she/her)
YSP Scholar
Helena is currently a student at North Reading High School, where her favorite subjects include biology, psychology, and math. She is vice president of her school’s World of STEM Club, where students prepare for the Massachusetts science fair, and is set to be president for the 2025-2026 school year. Helena is interning at LBDL as a part of Northeastern’s YSP program, and plans to major in neuroscience in college. In her free time, Helena enjoys playing piano, skiing, and working out.

Michael (he/him)
High School Intern
Michael is a senior at Boston College High School hoping to major in Neuroscience or Biochemistry in college. He is highly interested in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience and has been involved in sports, science and ESL/citizenship tutoring, Michael is the new safety-co captain for his robotics team, the president for BC High HOSA, and the founder of TutoringOutreach (a tutoring non-profit) set to start in the fall, 2025. In the future, Michael plans to attend medical school to become a neurosurgeon. In his free time, he likes to run, play and watch basketball, spend time with friends and family, and watch Netflix.

Sheila (she/her)
YSP Scholar
Sheila has been part of Sami Frasheri High School since 2023-2024. Participating in many of the school’s clubs, she presented a project to the Albanian Academy of Sciences together with the school’s STEM group. Sheila was the Class Senator during that school year for her class, which helped in the organization and maintenance of the class and numerous events. During her sophomore year in Tirana, Sheila passed the first phase of the Biology Olympiad. She became part of Quincy High School for the 2024-2025 school year. She has participated in many clubs such as, Student ambassador, Math Team and Math Club, Girl Rising, Student Council, etc. Sheila became the president of the Girl Rising club and has training this summer with the DOVE organization, on topics including: Domestic violence, healthy and toxic relationships, education of girls around the globe and more. As a Rising Senior, she is looking forward to major in pre-med related to Neurology.

Maddy Hammell

Matthew Love

Kiara Roque