João F. Guassi Moreira, PhD student in Jen Silvers’ SANDLab at UCLA. João uses a combination of network neuroscience and computational modeling to understand how social experiences affect the maturation of whole-brain networks implicated in emotional processes. Fun fact: A congressman once complimented him on his earrings.

Alexandra Cohen, Postdoctoral fellow at New York University at the Hartley Lab, directed by Catherine Hartley. Ali studies how emotion and motivation influence learning, memory, and neural circuitry from childhood to adulthood. Fun fact: her office plant is named Pavlov

Michelle Achterberg, PhD student at Leiden University at the Brain and Development Research Center, directed by Eveline Crone. Michelle studies social feedback and aggression regulation in childhood and emerging adolescence. Additionally she is interested in fMRI methodology and functional brain development. Fun fact: she is secretly addicted to crisps.

Mollie Marr, MD/PhD student at Oregon Health & Science University at the Developmental Cognition and Neuroimaging Lab, directed by Damien Fair. Mollie studies maternal psychological stress during pregnancy and its impact on infant brain and affective development using machine learning and fMRI.  Fun fact: She has a time-turner on her desk.

Kate Nussenbaum, PhD student at New York University at the Hartley Lab, directed by Catherine Hartley. Kate studies how people use knowledge of the structure of their environments to adaptively control memory and decision-making across development. Fun fact: Once hand-fed a rhinoceros.

Meriah DeJoseph, PhD student at the University of Minnesota at the CDN Lab and BSL Lab, directed by Kathleen Thomas & Daniel Berry, respectively. Meriah studies the impacts of poverty-related adversity and the development of neurobiological mechanisms underlying self-regulation. Fun fact: She lived in Thailand for 6 months.