Laura is currently an undergraduate at Harvard College, where she studies Psychology with a focus in Cognitive Neuroscience. As a research assistant with the Human Connectome Project in Development, Laura interacts with parents and participants. She is especially interested in how adolescent emotional development impacts preference in reading materials, and how bilingualism impacts emotional experiences. When she’s not working, Laura likes to read, draw, and show people pictures of her dog.

Katherine graduated from Boston College in 2014 with a B.S. in Psychology. She then worked as a Neuroscience Research Lab Manager at Stanford University under the guidance of Dr. Leanne Williams. Katherine is currently a PhD student in the Cognition, Brain & Behavior track at Harvard. She is interested in studying how neural circuitry gives rise to adolescent cognitive control and affective experience. Outside of lab, she likes to run 5Ks, lounge with her cats, and play cards!

Kat received her B.S. in Neuroscience from Duke University in 2014, where she completed her honors thesis on the differences in amygdala activation for self- versus informant- reported neuroticism. She then spent two years working with the Child Mind Institute in New York City, helping to develop and initiate the Healthy Brain Network- a project which seeks to better understand the biological mechanisms underlying mental health disorders and learning disabilities. Kat is particularly interested in the use of multi-faceted approaches to both the research and clinical treatment of developmental psychopathologies. Kat also loves spending time in the sunshine, swinging on swings, and dancing it out to the perfect song.

Laurel received her B.S. in Biology-neurobiology option from the University of Wisconsin in 2016. She worked as an undergraduate in the Center for Healthy Minds and the Health Emotions Research Institute and particularly enjoys studying the emotional behaviors and well-being of children and adolescents. When not at work, Laurel enjoys reading, improv comedy, and exploring.

Erik hails from the town of Schaller, Iowa, but he also spent time in South Africa and Australia while growing up. Erik's research focuses on interactions between language and emotion. He's interested in understanding how emotion words influence how we regulate and represent emotions. He received his B.A. in psychology from Columbia University, where he worked with Prof. Kevin Ochsner and Dr. Ajay Satpute, and after graduating, Erik served as the lab manager for Prof. Jamil Zaki at Stanford University. Erik is currently a Clinical Science PhD student at Harvard, with Prof. Matt Nock as a secondary advisor, and in his graduate work, Erik has extended the study of language and emotion into the developmental and clinical domains. For example, he's interested in understanding how children and teens develop their ability to differentiate emotions and what this means for mental health.

Kashfia is an undergraduate at Harvard College, planning to concentrate in Psychology on the Cognitive Science Track. She is especially interested in how emotional and cognitive development during adolescence influence behavior, as well as the role of external and environmental factors, such as stress and risk-taking, in learning, memory, and mood. Besides all things neuroscience and psychology, Kashfia enjoys reading a good book, walking and cycling outdoors, and travelling as much as she can!

Maheen received her BS in Neuroscience from Duke University in 2012. She then spent two years working as a research assistant for John Gabrieli at MIT. Maheen is currently a PhD student in the Cognition, Brain, & Behavior track of Harvard's graduate program in Psychology. She is interested in how both adults and adolescents manage or control their emotions in the face of challenging circumstances. As a teen, Maheen's goal in life was to be 5'3.