Melanie graduated from Yale University in 2019 with a B.S. in Psychology. As an undergraduate she worked on the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study with Dr. BJ Casey, and continues to explore her interest in the fields of developmental and abnormal psychology with her work on the Human Connectome Project in Development in the Somerville Lab. She is particularly interested in using neuroimaging methods to investigate the developmental trajectories of mental illnesses. Outside of the lab, Melanie loves camping, dancing, and continuing her search for the best cheesecake in the world.

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.

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!

Kara is an undergraduate at Harvard College, concentrating in Cognitive Neuroscience and Evolutionary Psychology. She is interested in exploring the intersection of social psychology and neuroscience, particularly in adolescents. She is interested in studying the mechanisms behind adolescents’ increased risk for mental illness and risky decision-making. In her free time, she enjoys going on runs, baking cookies, and checking out new coffee shops.