People
Lab Members and Information
- Ph.D Students
- Masters Students
- Postdoctoral Fellows
- Lab Manager
- Undergraduate Honor Students
- Undergraduate Research Assistants
- Lab Alumni
Principal Investigator
Angela Gutchess is a psychology professor at Brandeis University as well as a visiting scientist at the Martinos Center at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Charlestown. Her research interests include studying the interactions among aging, culture and cognition using behavioral and fMRI methods. The courses she teaches at Brandeis include Introduction to Psychology, Research Methods and Laboratory in Psychology, Social Neuroscience and Culture, and Human Memory. When not working, she enjoys volunteering through Boston Cares and traveling.
Contact: gutchess [at] brandeis [dot] edu || Current CV
Margeaux Auslander is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in the lab. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in philosophy. Her work focuses on how a sense of control influences cognitive performance in older adults. In her limited free time, Margeaux enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Contact: mvaus [at] brandeis [dot] edu
Brittany Cassidy is a third year Ph.D. student in the Brain, Body, and Behavior program. In 2007, she received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Boston University and completed a statistics minor. In 2009, she completed a research assistantship at Massachusetts General Hospital where she implemented fMRI studies of social processing in schizophrenia patients. Her current research focuses on how young and older adults integrate appearance-derived and behavioral information when forming and remembering first impressions. In her free time, Brittany enjoys watching "Top Chef" and reading memoirs.
Contact: bcassidy [at] brandeis [dot] edu || Current CV
Hyeon-Nyeon Lee is a fifth-year Ph.D student and her broad interests include how age, culture, and gender affect memory processes. For her current project, Hyeon is examining the effect of interdependence priming on associative memory in younger and older adults. Outside the lab, Hyeon is interested in sustainable living, nature, ecology and Buddhist philosophy.
Contact: hnlee [at] brandeis [dot] edu
Nicole Rosa is a 4th year PhD student is the social developmental psychology program at Brandeis. She earned a Bachelor’s in sociology from Stonehill College and a Master’s in social work from Boston College. Her current work explores the impact of self-esteem and Alzheimer's disease on the use of self and other in memory. Nicole enjoys reading and spending time with her family and friends.
Contact: nrosa [at] brandeis [dot] edu || Current CV
Master's Students
Holly Beaulac is a first-year Masters student in the neuroscience program at Brandeis. In 2011, she graduated from the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, with a bachelor's degree in neuroscience and a minor in English. While her previous research work has involved the study of neuropathic pain in mouse models, Holly is completing a rotation in the ACC lab to gain more knowledge about human behavior and various cognitive psychological techniques. Whatever free time is available she spends with friends, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and listening to music.
Contact: hbeaulac [at] brandeis [dot] edu
Chad Nussinow is a second year MA student in the lab. He graduated from Colby-Sawyer College in 2006 with a BA in psychology and a minor in business administration. After graduation, he spent four years teaching students with autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities at the Margaret Murphy Center for Children in Maine. His current research focuses on how older and younger adults remember specific and general traits about people they encounter. In his free time, Chad enjoys skiing, juggling, boating, and spending time with his friends, family, and dogs.
Contact: cnussino [at] brandeis [dot] edu
Sarah Huff is a first-year Master's student interested in cross-cultural differences in cognition and self-concept. She graduated from Colorado College in 2009, with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. After graduation, she lived in Japan teaching English and immersing herself in the culture. Her current research focuses on differentiation of self and other in bicultural populations. Outside the lab, she enjoys traveling and playing outside.
Contact: shuff [at] brandeis [dot] edu
Postdoctoral Fellows
Eric Leshikar is a post-doctoral fellow in the Aging, Culture and Cognition lab. The primary focus of his research is in understanding how younger and older adult process and subsequently remember materials that are rich in socio-emotional information. Using both behavioral and fMRI methods, his previous work has examined self-reference effects in memory as a function of age. The goal of that work is in understanding the mechanisms of memory support when younger and older adults process information in reference to the self. His current work at Brandeis focuses on understanding the types of details that younger and older adults remember when they form impressions of others and, further, the regions of the brain that supports memory for those details. His interests outside of the lab include long-distance running, volleyball, writing, and spending time with friends.
Contact: leshikar [at] brandeis [dot] edu || Current CV
Lab Manager
Joanne Shih is an MIT graduate (June 2010), with a B.S. in Brain and Cognitive Sciences and a minor in Psychology. She is interested in cross-cultural psychology as well as the neural correlates of memory and the changes that occur through aging. Outside of the lab, she enjoys spending time with friends, reading, singing, and playing guitar. She is also an avid lover of food and enjoys discovering the best places to eat in Cambridge and Boston.
Contact: jshih [at] brandeis [dot] edu
Undergraduate Honor Students
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Avi Aizenman is a junior majoring in psychology. After graduation she hopes to go to a graduate school program in cognitive neuropsychology, in order to work towards a Ph.D. Outside of the lab she enjoys cooking, reading good books and hanging out with friends.
Gabe Colton is a junior majoring in psychology. He hopes to be accepted into medical school or a graduate school program after Brandeis. When not in the lab he enjoys spending time with friends, playing ultimate, and reading.
Lauren Grewal is a junior double majoring in psychology and biological anthropology. She hopes to pursue graduate work after Brandeis. Meanwhile, at Brandeis when not in the lab, class, or studying, she enjoys being one of the Psychology department's Undergraduate Departmental Representatives, a S.T.A.R. peer counselor, and a coordinator for Spectrum in the Waltham Group.
Rebekah Lafontant (Bekka) is a senior, majoring in HSSP and possibly psychology with a minor in Afro and African-American Studies (AAAS). When she's not preparing for her next BBSO E-board meeting, planning hall programs for her residents or volunteering at Brigham and Women's hospital, she enjoys making people laugh, singing, dancing, and watching YouTube videos. She hopes to one day become a physician.
Rozi Levi is an international student from Izmir, Turkey, double majoring in Psychology and Health: Science, Society, Policy here at Brandeis. She is looking into starting a Ph.D. program on Clinical Psychology. Outside of taking amazing classes, she is a Community Adviser in the Department of Community Living, Research Assistant at ACC lab and at MGH, and likes reading and enjoying her time at Brandeis with friends!
Alina Liu is a third year undergraduate student at Brandeis University majoring in Psychology and Economics. Psychology interests her as much as aliens and UFO. When there is free time, she loves working out in the gym or just hanging around the Boston area while enjoying a beautiful afternoon with friends.
Ariel Milan-Polisar is a sophomore majoring in Psychology and Sociology with a possible minor in NEJS. This is her first semester at the ACC Lab. When she's not studying, she can be found reading, doing puzzles, running or participating in various clubs on campus.
Jung Park is a 2nd year undergrad at Brandeis University double majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience. He loves working with children and plans on becoming a psychiatrist specializing in adolescents. Outside the lab, he participates in varsity track and various clubs. He can always be found playing his guitar or listening to music.
Alexander Sheehan is a junior majoring in psychology and philosophy. After graduation, he hopes to attain a Ph.D. in psychology. In his spare time he enjoys a rather intriguing combination of weightlifting, being with friends, and reading (eastern philosophical).
Shanny Shmuel is a senior at Brandeis majoring in psychology and history. After graduating Brandeis, she plans to enroll in graduate school. In her free time, she enjoys working with little kids and being part of Brandeis Student Events, the campus programming board.
Akash Vadalia is a senior majoring in Biology and HSSP thinking of minoring in business and wishes there was a minor in Psychology. He hopes to apply to medical school in the near future and continue to pursue his interests in Neuroscience and Psychology. During his free time, he is usually in the Student Union office doing work as the Student Union Treasurer or on the basketball court crossing over people.
Abby Vigderman is a junior majoring in psychology and neuroscience at Brandeis. After college she hopes to pursue a graduate degree and become a professor and/or researcher. In her free time she works for WBRS, Brandeis' radio station, and enjoys listening to music, making veggie pancakes and talking to her sister.
Liat Zabludovsky is a junior in her third year with the ACC Lab. She is a Psychology major and hopes to one day attain a doctoral degree in Psychology. When not in the lab, Liat enjoys spending time in classrooms, at the rock climbing gym or in the great outdoors of New England.
Rachel Zisman is currently a junior majoring in psychology and minoring in international and global studies. After graduating from Brandeis she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology. In her free time Rachel enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, doing Tae kwon do, and baking.
Lab Alumni
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Megan Limbert (2008) "Aging Affects Memory for Valenced Character Information.
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Sarah Serbun (2009) "Memory for Object Details in Self- and Other-Referencing."
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Jennifer Coleman (2008/2009) is a graduate student at Boston College getting a Master's in Mental Health Counseling.
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Ro'ee Gilron (2009), 'The Encoding of First Impressions into Memory: Contributions of ACC and dmPFC." Highest Honors in Neuroscience & Reis and Sowul Family Prize in Neuroscience.
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Allie Indeck (2009), "Can Cultural Priming in American-Jews Parallel Bicultural Differences in Cognitive Processes?" Highest Honors in Psychology & Elliot Aronson ’54 Prize for Excellence in Psychological Research. Currently a graduate student at the Yale School of Nursing.
- Ayala Hamami (2010)
- Maya Siegel (2010)
- Aliza Schwartz (2011)
- Joseph Polex Wolf (2011)
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Raquel Bubar is a graduate student at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
- Deborah Chamama
- Brian Dahlben
- Becca Glanz
- Allen Gold
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Gina Gotthilf
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Christine Hosey is a graduate student at the University of Chicago.
- Sapir Karli
- Todd Kirkland
- Leah Levy
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Shirley Lo
- Michael Margolis
- Becky Sokal