Graduate Students

Michael Polito

Michael Polito
mpolito@brandeis.edu

Michael Polito is a fifth-year Ph.D. student with an interest in anxiety, personality, and the physiological markers of stress and arousal. He graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, where he and a colleague conducted a study on how shyness could play a role in proximity decisions and memory formation when approaching a stranger. At Brandeis, his research has examined personality differences in physiological reactivity across the adult lifespan. Currently, he is studying the effect of stereotyping on physiological stress responses and behavior. Mike also assists the Rohleder/Wolf Health Psychology lab in preparing biological samples for analysis and in performing cognitive testing. 

Salom Teshale
salom@brandeis.edu

Salom Teshale is a first-year
Ph.D student. She is interested in decision-making across the lifespan, specifically strategies and methods older adults use to make life decisions. She graduated with honors from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in Psychology; her undergraduate work focused on the role of emotion in autobiographical memory accuracy in older adults.

Salom Teshale


Nicholas Brisbon
nbris@brandeis.edu

Nick is a first-year Ph.D. student whose research interests involve the concept of mindfulness. He is currently exploring the effects of trait mindfulness on stress, sleep quality, and memory. However, his interests regarding mindfulness are quite broad. Nick graduated from UMass Amherst with a B.A. in psychology and most recently earned an M.S. in clinical psychology from Springfield College. Previous to enrolling at Brandeis, Nick was engaged in clinical work in Northampton, MA.

Nick Brisbon


Julianna Bednar
jbednar@brandeis.edu

Julie is a masters degree student. Her interests include exploring the effects of trait mindfulness and mindfulness-based treatments on age-related issues including stress, memory and overall physical and subjective aging.  Before Brandeis, Julie worked with Dr. Ellen Langer at Harvard University studying the effects of mindfulness on weight change in college women. Julie is interested in continuing her research on the mind-body relationship as it relates to the physical and cognitive progression toward older adulthood.

Julianna Bednar