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Members
Team
Suzy Scherf
Biography
Principal Investigator, Laboratory of Developmental Neuroscience
Associate Professor of Psychology,
Penn State University
814-867-2921
suzyscherf@psu.edu
I got my undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science and Masters Degree in psychology at Occidental College and went on to get my PhD in Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh under Dr. Charles Perfetti. I did my postdoctoral training under Dr. Beatriz Luna at the University of Pittsburgh and under Dr. Marlene Behrmann at Carnegie Mellon University.
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Graduate Students
Myles Arrington
Before coming to Penn State, I earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience. I was drawn to the lab due to my interests in understanding facial processing systems and individual differences in recognition proficiency. In particular, I plan to study how processing systems change over development and interact with the environment and context children are in to produce individual differences. I am currently working on a project looking at facial recognition in young adults.
Hunter Mattern
Masters Student,
Developmental Psychology
M.A Experimental Psychology, Saint Joseph's University
B.A Neuroscience, University of Mount Union
hmm5712@psu.edu
I graduated from the University of Mount Union with a bachelor’s in neuroscience in 2019. My research was primarily focused on behavioral differences in individuals with autism spectrum disorder, with a specific focus on sex differences. I recently graduated from Saint Joseph’s University with a master’s in Experimental Psychology. There, I researched sex differences in social and emotional insight in adolescents, with a focus on individuals with autism spectrum disorder. My interest in continuing my research in autism with a focus on biological components such as eye tracking and fMRI drew me to the Scherf Lab. I am currently working on a project looking at differences in face processing in adolescents with and without autism using fMRI, and I also assist with the SAGA project. I am honored to be a part of the LDN and excited for what the next five years hold!
Sumaiya Muhammad
PhD Student,
Developmental Psychology
BS, Ramapo College of New Jersey
sxm6488@psu.edu
As of Fall 2023, I am a second year student in the Developmental Psychology Ph.D. program. I am an international student from Nepal, and earned my BA in Psychology with a Neuroscience minor from Ramapo College of New Jersey in 2021. My research interests broadly lie in exploring interactions between emotional perception, self-regulation, and facets of social cognition in autistic adolescents and emerging adults. I also enjoy learning and talking about different cultural experiences and languages
Postdoctoral Fellows
Yiming Qian
Postdoctoral Fellow
BS, Fudan University
M.S.ED, Indiana University
PhD, Pennsylvania State University
yxq5055@psu.edu
Yiming Quan got her dual Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Accounting from Fudan University, M.S.ED from Indiana University Bloomington, and Ph.D. in Psychology from the Penn State University. Her research focuses on visual development and its neural substrates. She likes hiking, baking, playing table tennis and tennis, and reading.
Full-Time Staff Members
Lark Caboy
DASH
Project Coordinator
BS, Virginia Commonwealth University
larkcaboy@psu.edu
I recently graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BS in Biology. During my undergraduate career, I was part of the Bridges to the Baccalaureate program — an NIH-funded biomedical research internship for underrepresented and disabled students. I was drawn to the LDN because I have been interested in exploring the psychological side of scientific research, and I hope to use the knowledge that I gain here to peruse a PhD in Human Genetics with an MS in Genetic Counseling, with an ultimate goal of becoming a genetic counselor.
Karleigh Veglia
DASH
Human Research Technologist
BS, Pennsylvania State University
kav5256@psu.edu
I graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a BS in Psychology. During my undergraduate career, I was part of Dr. Vescio's Gender, Power and Privilege Lab. I was drawn to the LDN because I have always been interested in autism research . I hope to use the knowledge that I gain here to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology.
Justin Wortman
SAGA
BS, Pennsylvania State University
jcw5693@psu.edu
I graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a BS in Psychology and Neuroscience. I work with the SAGA project, where I will be a part of the intervention testing. I hope to use the knowledge gained in the lab to pursue a career in research psychology.
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Stefanie Guenther
DASH
Research Assistant
spg5721@psu.edu
I am a senior in the College of Liberal Arts studying Psychology. I am a new addition to the Lab of Developmental Neuroscience and I hope to use what I learn to prepare for graduate school.
MaKenna Courville
DASH
Research Assistant
mrc6396@psu.edu
In Fall 2023, I started my journey at Pennsylvania State University. I am a freshman working towards my bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in neuroscience on a pre-medicine track. My major interests are the biological components of autism spectrum disorder as well as biological development of the brain. Right now, my current focus is the SAGA project, but I will assist with the DASH project as well. I hope to utilize this experience to gain new skills that will assist me in medical school.
Alumni
Full-Time Staff
Sara Silber
Maggie Benda
Daniel Contreras
Kristina Adams
Russel Bauer
Sara Barth
Susan Bowser
Andrea Cordero
Nate Field
Sarah Laskowitz
Gordon Bill
Amanda Patterson
Postdoctoral Fellows
Chaia Flegenheimer, Ph.D.
Elisabeth Wythe, Ph.D.
Graduate Students Rotations
Jason Bendezu
Leslie Doll
Jennifer Legault, Ph.D.
Pan Liu, Ph.D.
Graduate Students
Junqiang (Jacob) Dai. Ph.D.
Daniel Elbich
Natalie Motta-Mena, Ph.D.
Giorgia Picci, Ph.D.
Jason Griffin
Brittany Woodruff
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Kayleigh Adamson
Holly Albaugh
Sarah Albert
Melissa Armitage
Mikayla Borusiewicz
Brian Brady
Janelle Copek
Dillon Costantini
Kate Dent
Kevin Dougherty
Alex Dufford
Nchewi Imoke
Nadia Khan
Aarya Mehta
Andrea Mitchell-Meyer
Erin Sacksteder
Tally Sepot
Jordan Sigler
Gabby Solaroli
She Solenske
Justin Stiffler
Ashley Unger
Samantha Williams
Caren Yameogo
Samantha Warmkessel
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