People


LAB DIRECTOR

LEAH SOMERVILLE, PHD

Grafstein Family Professor of Psychology

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Leah Somerville is the Grafstein Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, a Harvard College Professor (Endowed 2021-2026), and faculty in the Center for Brain Science. Her research focuses on characterizing adolescent brain development, and the consequences of brain development on psychological functioning and well being. This work integrates behavioral, computational, and neuroimaging approaches, including conducting the Human Connectome Project in Development, a large NIH-funded study on brain connectivity development. In addition to directing the lab and teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, Leah is the Director of Graduate Studies for the Department of Psychology.

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS

THERESA CHENG, PHD

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Theresa received her PhD in Psychology from the University of Oregon. Her research seeks to understand how adolescence may be a sensitive period of enhanced plasticity for social development, and what this means for clinical and educational contexts. These interests have led her to examine puberty, stress, and different types of peer interactions in relation to the developing brain. Outside of the lab, Theresa loves modern dance, learning languages, and community/labor organizing.

RESEARCH SCIENTIST

JOHN FLOURNOY, PHD

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John is a research scientist working with Drs. Leah Somerville and Kate McLaughlin at Harvard University. He came here by way of the psychology Ph.D. program at the University of Oregon, and a B.A. in cognitive science at the University of California, Berkeley. John is interested in the development of decision-making and learning during adolescence, and how these processes, situated in the context of developmentally normative goals and adverse environments, contribute to mental and physical health. He is am passionate about statistical methodology, especially measurement and modeling task behavior, as well as scientific computing. John is a huge fan of R, Stan, and The Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science.

GRADUATE STUDENTS

YELINA CHEN

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Yelina received her B.A. in Cognitive Science from the University of Pennsylvania. She is interested in decision making and peer influence in adolescence. Outside of the lab, she enjoys taking long walks, listening to audiobooks, and going down rabbit holes searching for environmental-friendly swaps for everyday things.

KATHERINE GRISANZIO

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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!

ADAM OMARY

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Adam received his B.A. in Cognitive Science and M.S. in Biostatistics from the University of Southern California. He is currently a Ph.D. student in Psychology (Cognition, Brain, & Behavior) at Harvard University. His research focuses on how environmental stressors and hormones influence adolescent brain development, emotion processing, and cognitive control. He is especially interested in understanding how these developmental trajectories influence prosocial behavior, antisocial behavior, and judgments of right and wrong.

CAMILLE PHANEUF

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Camille received her B.S. in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (Computation Track) from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!), then spent two years as a Lab Manager for the Hartley Lab at New York University. Now, she is a Psychology PhD student (Cognition, Brain & Behavior Track) at Harvard University. Camille is interested in how reward and executive functioning modulate learning, memory, and decision-making from childhood to early adulthood. Outside of lab, you can find her reading, sending snail mail, or embroidering in a coffee shop or on a picnic blanket.

CONSTANZA (CONY) VIDAL BUSTAMANTE

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Cony is a Ph.D. student in the Cognition, Brain and Behavior program of the Psychology Department and is jointly advised by Professors Leah Somerville and Randy Buckner. She grew up in Chile, got her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Harvard College, and subsequently worked in Prof. Somerville’s lab as research manager for the Human Connectome Project in Development. Cony’s graduate research leverages smartphones and wearables to examine fluctuations in individuals’ stress, affect, sleep, and social behavior over extended periods of time, with a focus on mental and physical health outcomes. Outside of the lab, Cony enjoys biking and hiking, learning Mandarin, and reading and writing about science and technology policy issues.

LAB MANAGER

ISABELLE JACQUES

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Isabelle graduated from New York University in 2022 with a B.A. in Psychology. As an undergraduate, she worked at the Infant Studies of Language & Neurocognitive Development with Dr. Natalie Brito. She is broadly interested in how adolescents develop self-perceptions and emotional regulation in relation to future mental health outcomes. Outside of the lab, Isabelle loves attending concerts, rereading her favorite books, and improving her baking skills.

RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

ANTONIO GRACIAS

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Antonio is a junior undergraduate student at Harvard College concentrating in Psychology (Mind, Brain, and Behavior track). His academic interests include risk analysis, judgment and decision-making, adolescent development, and psychopharmacology. He hopes to expand upon these interests by pursuing a thesis on puberty and individual differences in psychological outcomes. Besides academics, Antonio enjoys skiing, playing soccer, and reading science fiction.

UZMA ISSA

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Uzma is a junior at Harvard College concentrating in Neuroscience (on the Mind, Brain, Behavior track) with a secondary in Earth and Planetary Sciences. She is interested in studying the neural pathways in the brain that are involved in memory, learning, and decision making. She hopes to write her senior thesis on age-related changes in decision making. Her other academic interests include clean energy and sustainability. Outside of academics, you can find Uzma hiking in the White Mountains, running along the Charles, or painting in her dorm with her friends.

TIANXIANG LI

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Tianxiang received his B.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College and M.S. in Computer Science from Columbia University. He is broadly interested in how computational models help with adolescent studies, especially in the decision-making and learning process. In his free time, Tianxiang enjoys singing in local community choirs, discovering new cooking recipes, and hanging out with his friends and cat.