LAB DIRECTOR
LEAH SOMERVILLE, PHD
Grafstein Family Professor of Psychology
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.
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS
ERINN ACLAND, PHD
Erinn received her PhD in Psychology from the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on understanding why people harm others and act in destructive ways. To do this, she investigates the developmental processes involved in emotion, psychopathology, and antisociality in children and youth. Outside of the lab, Erinn enjoys making art, hikes with her dog, and learning how to play tennis.
TING GONG, PHD
Ting is a postdoctoral fellow at the Martinos Center (MGH), who is co-mentored by Leah Somerville and Dr. Anastasia Yendiki on her K99 pathway to independence award from NIBIB. She develops quantitative MRI methods to study brain tissue microstructure and will advance this work toward studying brain maturation with support from her K99/R00. Outside of work, Ting enjoys swimming and practicing her new and old music-related hobbies.
SARAH LYNCH, PHD
Sarah studies emotional and social development in childhood, with a focus on how differences in physiological regulation and social cognition contribute to the emergence of behavior problems. Sarah’s work examines the early risk factors for callous-unemotional traits and externalizing behaviors, integrating physiological, behavioral, and cognitive measures to understand the mechanisms that underlie adaptive and maladaptive development. Sarah has developed innovative tasks to assess children’s affiliative preferences and social information processing, which inform both theory and the design of targeted interventions. Ultimately, Sarah’s goal is to bridge basic developmental science with practical strategies that support at-risk children in clinical, educational, and community contexts. Outside of work, Sarah enjoys exploring Boston’s underrated food scene and finding new adventures with her dog.
GRADUATE STUDENTS
JOANNA (JO) HERNANDEZ
Jo is a psychology Ph.D. student in the Cognition, Brain & Behavior area at Harvard. Prior to joining ANDL, she worked as a neuroimaging research coordinator at Northwestern University, where she also earned a B.A. in cognitive science. Her research focuses on adolescent brain development, with particular interest in how pubertal timing and development shape psychosocial functioning and risk for psychopathology. When she’s not in the lab, you can find her at the library, hunting down the best coffee spots in Boston, or getting lost in museums and art galleries.
BENAZIR NEREE
Benazir received her B.A. in Linguistics at Harvard College, where she completed her senior thesis in the Lab for Developmental Studies. After graduating, she completed a post-graduate travel fellowship before working as a post-baccalaureate research assistant at American University and Yale University. Her research interests center on emotion development, such as how emotion regulation skills change from childhood to adulthood and how they correlate with other cognitive skills. Outside of the lab, Benazir enjoys traveling, journaling, watching plays and musicals, and playing Dungeons & Dragons.
ADAM OMARY
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 sex hormones influence brain development during puberty and give rise to psychological sex differences. Adam is also interested in the genetic, social, and environmental factors associated with pubertal timing, disorders of sexual development, and gender diversity.
CAMILLE PHANEUF-HADD
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.
LAB STAFF
DANIELLA ROTHSTEIN
Daniella graduated from Tufts University in 2024 with a B.S. in Cognitive and Brain Sciences. As an undergraduate, she worked at the Faja Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital along with the Crehan Lab at Tufts University, primarily studying autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She is interested in the legal and philosophical implications of research surrounding adolescent neurodevelopment and behavior. Outside of the lab, Daniella loves all-things music! She drums in jazz, funk, and rock groups, and she also plays the piano and the electric bass.
RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
WAVERLY HUANG
Waverly is a sophomore at Rice University majoring in Cognitive Science and Computer Science. Her research interests focuses on understanding how motivation, attention, and cognitive flexibility interact and how leveraging these insights can improve learning, education, and task performance. Outside of her academic pursuits, Waverly enjoys hiking, photography, and exploring new restaurants with friends.
TIANXIANG LI
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.
POST-DOG-TORAL FELLOWS
KITA
Kita is advised by Adam on a K9 Postdogtoral Research Fellowship. She graduated from the Animal Rescue League of Boston in 2024. Kita has completed training in Sit, Lie Down, Shake, and Up! for which she was awarded a Good Girl certification. She is currently researching the velociraptor phase of early adolescent dogvelepment, and is co-authoring a study with Willow involving wrestling outside of the William James Hall lawn. Kita’s interests include eating, running, jumping, digging, pulling on her leash, napping, cuddling, and sniffing.
KODA
Koda is advised by Sarah on a prestigious K9 Postdogtoral Fellowship and never leaves his advisor’s side, as he is task trained to assist with migraines (and to provide critical emotional support in the form of soulful stares). His work centers on the relative merits of chicken vs. beef treats, the identification of optimal sniff spots on campus, and the calibration of eye-widening techniques to maximize snack acquisition by convincing everyone that he is, in fact, just a little baby. When not in the middle of these important investigations, Koda can be found gazing longingly out Sarah’s office window or contributing his trademark snores, which are audible clear across the lecture hall.