I am currently a third-year Ph.D. student in the Developmental Science program. Before my studies at BU, I graduated with a BA in Psychology from the University of Maryland and completed a two-year post-baccalaureate position as a Faculty Research Assistant in the Neurocognitive Development Lab at UMD, supervised by Dr. Tracy Riggins.

My research interests center on the effects of chronic, early experiences of stress on children’s neurocognitive development. Specifically, I am interested in how early stress impacts a child’s ability to excel in school and meet cognitive potential. Through the SAM project, I intend to understand how experiences of family strain during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic relate to children’s autobiographical memory development. We also plan to identify risk and protective factors related to autobiographical memory in the context of societal stressors. After completing my Ph.D., I intend to pursue a position within education policy. I hope that I will be able to use the skills gained during my time at BU to conduct policy-focused research that helps to close education gaps and specifically helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed in the classroom.