Juliet Davidow (she/her), PhD

Dr. Juliet Davidow joined the Psychology Department as an Assistant Professor at Northeastern University 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

Haley Hegefeld (she/her)
Graduate Student – Social Development and Wellbeing Lab
Haley graduated from Yale University in 2020 with a BS in Psychology. As an undergraduate, she worked in the Clinical Affective Neuroscience & Development Lab with Dr. Dylan Gee, where she completed her thesis on the use of acceptance to reduce anxiety in daily life. She also worked in the Social Cognitive Development Lab with Dr. Yarrow Dunham studying how children think about the social groups around them. She plans to pursue graduate studies in development and psychopathology. Outside of the lab, Haley enjoys dancing, cooking new recipes, and watching lots of movies at local theaters.

Rebecca Hennessy (she/her)
Lab Manager
Rebecca graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2023 with a BA 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 thesis on children’s curiosity, motivation, and reward learning. She also worked in the Risk & Resilience Lab with Dr. Sarah Jaffee studying social belonging in emerging adults. She plans to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology with a neuroscience focus. Outside of the lab, Rebecca enjoys cooking, musical theatre, and photography.

Oreoluwa Afolabi (she/her)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Oreoluwa is an undergraduate student majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience. She is specifically interested in behavioral changes as they relate to neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration. Oreoluwa was awarded a Paul and Grace Ward Martinez (’48) Research Fellowship to support her work in the lab. In her free time, she enjoys reading, exploring the city, and creating art pieces.

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.

Aanchalika Chauhan (she/her)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Aanchalika is an undergraduate student majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience with a minor in Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies. She has previously worked on a research project with her district’s health board on the effects of acute stress on adolescent brain development. She is interested in learning how experiences during adolescent brain development influence behavior and health throughout adulthood. After graduating, Aanchalika plans to apply to medical school and pursue a career in neurology. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting and visiting art museums.

Owen Cordes (he/him)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Owen is an undergraduate student majoring in Computer Science and Cognitive Psychology. He is interested in areas at the intersection between cognitive science and artificial intelligence, such as modeling learning processes in humans using reinforcement learning. Most of his free time outside of school and the lab is spent playing ultimate frisbee on the Northeastern club team.

Kai Doran (they/them)
PEAK Research Scholar
Kai Doran is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience and minoring in Philosophy. They hope to apply research in adolescent neurodevelopment to improve the education system and child mental health services. Kai was awarded the AJC Merit Research Scholarship for Spring 2023, and intends to pursue an MD-PhD or MD-MPH degree following graduation. In their free time, Kai enjoys reading, writing, hiking, and creating art.

Maddy Hammell (she/her)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Maddy is an undergraduate student at Northeastern majoring in behavioral neuroscience and minoring in art. Currently, she is helping to conduct research surrounding development and memory. Maddy was awarded a Project-Based Exploration for the Advancement of Knowledge (PEAK) Award to support her work in the lab. After graduation, she is hoping to attend medical school and pursue a career in pediatric psychology, while continuing to focus on the neurological processes that contribute to learning. In her free time, Maddy spends a lot of time in bookstores and coffee shops, and she loves to paint and draw!

Anika Kopczynski (she/her)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Anika is an undergraduate student majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience with a keen interest in clinical neuroscience and research, especially focusing on helping individuals with mental health disorders. She plans on pursuing a Ph.D. in counseling psychology after graduation. In her free time, Anika likes to engage in pottery, running, and spending time outdoors.

Rishi Kudaravalli (she/her)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Rishi is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience with a minor in Art. Previously, she worked at York College with Dr. Lesley Emtage studying the aggregation of the Huntingtin protein in yeast cells. She is a certified EMT and enjoys the hands-on experience it provides. She plans on continuing this work in Boston and applying to medical school after graduation. In her free time, Rishi loves to paint, dance, and try all the best taco places in Boston.

Lucio Lachowski (he/him)
Directed Study Student
Lucio is an undergraduate student majoring in Marketing and Psychology. He is interested in the areas of cognitive neuroscience and personality, and how these can be used to understand and predict people’s choices better. After graduation, he plans on working in a marketing field where he is able to merge his knowledge from Psychology with the business world. In his free time, he enjoys painting, a lot.

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.

Carlie Orr (she/her)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Carlie is an undergraduate student majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience with a minor in Spanish. She is specifically interested in pediatric neuroscience with a focus in brain development. After graduation, she is planning on attending medical school to pursue a career in pediatric neuroscience. In her free time, she enjoys running, watching her favorite tv shows, and spending time with family and friends.

Kiara Roque (she/her)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Kiara Roque is an undergraduate student at Northeastern University majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience. As a previous counselor and daycare worker, she has seen first-hand how quickly children learn and imitate novel behaviors. Whether that be a new phrase or word, she saw how adolescents continuously learned from different experiences as their brain developed. Now as a Behavioral Neuroscience student, she would like to see why and how the children she used to interact with at her jobs learned through a scientific perspective. This fervor has ignited her membership in LBDL, where she aims to contribute her passion and curiosity to the field. Following her graduation year, she hopes to attend medical school and become a pediatric psychiatrist. In her free time, Kiara likes hanging out with friends and family and exploring new restaurants!

Xingfang Zhao (she/her)
Undergraduate Volunteer
Xingfang is a sophomore undergraduate student majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience and Philosophy. She is interested in memory formation and retrieving, and how this process can be influenced in an adolescent brain. She hopes that through exploring this topic researchers can establish a better understanding of the biological basis of memory. She plans to pursue a Ph.D degree in Neuroscience, and perhaps a M.A. for Philosophy. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, going on road-trips with friends, and watching sitcoms (her favorites include Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, and Will & Grace).

Victoria McCray

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