lab Director
Brady D. Nelson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Clinical
Dr. Nelson received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He completed his clinical internship in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Prior to joining the faculty, he served as a post-doctoral research fellow and research scientist in the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University. Dr. Nelson’s research bridges the areas of affective neuroscience, clinical psychology, and developmental psychopathology and aims to better understand the cognitive, emotional, and motivational mechanisms that contribute to the development of anxiety disorders and depression. His research spans a variety of clinical phenomenology (disorders and symptoms, clinical traits, personality traits, and transdiagnostic factors), affective neuroscience techniques (EEG, ERPs, fMRI, HRV, and startle EMG), research designs (cross-sectional, high-risk, and prospective/longitudinal), and populations (children, adolescents, and adults).
E-mail: brady.nelson@stonybrook.edu; Phone: 631-632-7697; Office: Room 420, Psychology B Building; Google Scholar; CV
Graduate Students
Aline Szenczy, M.A.
Aline is a fourth year Ph.D. student in the Clinical Psychology Program. She obtained her B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Delaware in 2016. She is interested in examining how environmental risk and protective factors may impact developmental trajectories in ways that increase risk or promote resilience. Aline is especially interested in questions regarding early childhood experiences of stress and their influence on specific biological systems and neural processes throughout the lifespan. She hopes to explore how changes in these psychophysiological and neurological processes might increase risk for the development of internalizing psychopathology, with the overall goal of informing preventative interventions and policies aimed at helping vulnerable populations. Aline was awarded a competitive NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, supporting her from 2021 through 2024.
Rachel Ferry, M.A.
Rachel is a third year Ph.D. student in the Integrative Neuroscience Program. She obtained her B.S. in Psychology from Stony Brook University in 2016. She is interested in the neural dynamics of key information processing systems that contribute to behavioral and emotional disorders. In particular, she is interested in neural systems that implement reward and threat processing, and how aberrations in these systems can impact behavior and motivation. She hopes to explore these systems through a number of neuroimaging techniques, including EEG, ERP, and fMRI.
Clare Beatty, M.A.
Clare is a third year Ph.D. student in the Clinical Psychology Program. She received a B.A. in Psychology from Vanderbilt University in 2018. Clare is interested in intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and sensitivity to unpredictability as transdiagnostic mechanisms underling psychopathology. More specifically, she hopes to explore the psychobiological response to uncertain/unpredictable threats using neuroscience techniques like electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERPs). Clare was awarded a competitive NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, supporting her from 2022 through 2025.
Elise Cummings, B.A.
Elise is a second year Ph.D. student in the Clinical Psychology Program. She obtained her B.A. in Neuroscience from Swarthmore College in 2019. Elise is interested in transdiagnostic predictors of psychopathology across the lifespan. In particular, she hopes to use neuroscience methods like electroencephalography (EEG) and heart rate variability to measure these predictors and make them more accessible for different settings and populations.
Sarah Barkley, B.S.
Sarah is a first year Ph.D. student in the Clinical Psychology Program. She obtained her B.S. in Human Development from Cornell University in 2020. She is interested in the use of neurobiological markers to predict, characterize, and treat psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Particularly, she hopes to utilize EEG and fMRI methods to explore neural systems underlying social processes and how they converge and diverge across disorders.
Lab Coordinators
Kelly Gair, B.S.
Kelly is a full time project coordinator for Lab-CAN, primarily managing the lab’s ongoing iPanda project. She obtained her B.S. in Psychology from Stony Brook University in 2020. Kelly is primarily interested in developmental trajectories of psychopathology. In particular, she hopes to use neuroscience techniques, like EEG/ERP, to identify cognitive and emotional risk factors contributing to increased risk or resilience for internalizing disorders. Kelly is looking to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology in the near future.
Jacob Feldman, B.S.
Jacob graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2020 with a B.S. in Neuropsychology. He is interested in a wide variety of psychopathology and how it presents through EEG and fMRI scans. His long-term goals include obtaining a PhD in Clinical Psychology and further researching the treatment and neurological implications of psychopathology.
Laura Jowett, B.S.
Laura graduated from Stony Brook University in 2022 with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Biology. Her primary interest is language acquisition and in her free time, she enjoys studying other languages, such as German and Korean. In the future, she wishes to attend graduate school for cognitive neuroscience.
Research Assistants
Ankita Gupte
Ankita is junior at Stony Brook majoring in biology (B.S) and minoring in creative writing. As well as being a research assistant, she is also a member of the Women In Science and Engineering honors program (W.I.S.E) and wishes to pursue medical school after graduating. She is interested in studying clinical affective disorders and particularly enjoys working with young children.
Ayesha Azeem
Ayesha Azeem is a junior majoring in psychology with minors in English literature and international studies. Along with being a research assistant, Ayesha is also a part of the University Scholars program and works as a medical assistant. Ayesha hopes to attend medical school and become a surgeon in the future. She is interested in learning more about neurology, especially the psychopathology behind depressive and anxiety disorders.
Virja Shah
Virja is a senior majoring in Psychology and Biology with a neuroscience concentration. Along with being a research assistant, she is also a Resident Assistant and a University Forever Fellow. In addition to this, Virja is also an office assistant in H Area office and Campus Residences Central Office. She aspires to gain a PhD in neuroscience field and wish to help people, specifically children throughout their life with her educational experience and heart to help others.
Ana Snyder
Ana is a senior majoring in Health Science with a minor in Chemistry and Health, Medicine, and Society. Along with being a research assistant she is also a University Forever Fellow and wishes to continue her education and pursue a career in medicine. She is particularly interested in the intersections of physical and psychological health as well as the progression of clinical affective disorders.
Phillip Mayer
Phillip is a senior majoring in psychology and minoring in health and wellness. In addition to being a research assistant, he is a volunteer hotline counselor for Response Crisis Center of Suffolk. Upon graduation, he intends to go to medical school to become a psychiatrist. His time volunteering for the hotline has sparked an interest in learning more about the prevention of suicide.
Harshini Suresh
Harshini is a senior majoring in Biology (B.S.) with a concentration in Neuroscience and Psychology (B.S.) and minoring in Writing and Rhetoric. In addition to working as a research assistant, Harshini is fundraising chair for SBUNICEF, editing chair for End the Stigma (ETS), and event coordinator for SBU Taandava. She aspires to go to medical school after graduation and become a pediatrician in the near future. Her time working as a pediatric medical assistant and a crisis counselor for Crisis Textline sparked her desire to learn more about anxiety and depressive disorders affecting the adolescent population.
Melanie Navarro
Melanie is a senior double majoring in Biology and Psychology (B.A.). In addition to working as a research assistant, she is the assistant editor of the Arts & Culture section at The Statesman, as well as a writer for The Humanology Project. In the past, she has also worked as a lead coordinator for a branch of Girls Who Code which was dedicated to creating a website on breast and skin cancer awareness. Upon graduation, she hopes to take a gap year focused on research and afterward enroll in medical school to pursue a career in psychiatry.
Sidney John
Sidney is a senior at Stony Brook majoring in biology with a minor in health, medicine, and society. After graduation, she hopes to go to medical school and pursue a career as a pediatrician. She is particularly interested in a career involving researching the effects of clinical affective disorders and psychological development of the adolescent population.
Nicole Fernandes
Nicole is a junior at Stony Brook pursuing a degree in Psychology (B.S) with a minor in Health, Medicine, and Society. In addition to being a research assistant, she also works as a teaching assistant at Variety Child Learning Center and volunteer at NYU Langone Hospital in the neurology department. At school, she is the event coordinator for Stony Brook’s Cosmetology club. After college, she would like to go to medical school and pursue becoming a child psychiatrist specifying in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Ryan Strasser
Ryan is a senior in Stony Brook’s Psychology B.A. program, and a LEND Fellow. Additionally, he works at The Way Back Inc. as a Relief Counselor. Ryan hopes to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology after graduation. He is interested in studying the potential predictors, development and mechanisms of psychopathology and developmental disorders, how mental disorders affect individuals with different backgrounds, and looking for the most effective treatments for all. In his free time, Ryan usually spends time with his dog, Tucker, and cat Nibbles, or playing games on his computer.
Laura Infante
Laura is a junior at Stony Brook majoring in Psychology and Biology B.S. In addition to being a research assistant, she is a member of many organizations such as CSTEP, SB HOME, PACE, Volunteers Around the World, and Phi Delta Epsilon. She is also a Commuter Assistant, the Community Engagement Director for the Pre-Medicine Society, and a volunteer EMT. Upon graduation, she wishes to pursue medicine, and continue research in psychology. She is particularly interested in developmental psychology and depressive and anxiety disorders.
Tahlya Holness
Tahlya is a senior majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Marketing. Alongside being a research assistant, she is a tutor with Stony Brook Athletics and is a member of the Women’s Leadership Council. She is interested in clinical and social psychology and would like to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology in the future.
Laura Streminsky
Laura is a sophomore at Stony Brook majoring in Biology and minoring in Philosophy. In addition to being a research assistant, Laura volunteers as an Emergency Medical Technician and as a Basic Life Support Instructor. In the future, Laura hopes to pursue a career in medicine and continue psychological research, particularly in the development of psychopathology with age.