Psychological & Brain Sciences
Research Interests
My work focuses on the affective consequences of binge drinking and how alcohol changes emotional circuitry in the brain. I hope to use my research to find ways to reverse dysphoria and hyperanxiety during withdrawal. I also study the developmental consequences of binge drinking during adolescence and how this influences anxiety and drinking behavior later in adulthood.
Mentoring Experiences
I have had the privilege of mentoring nearly 20 undergraduate students during my time at UCSB. I allow my research assistants to be involved in all aspects Of my research because my main goal as a mentor is to cultivate self-efficacy in my students. When they come to me with a problem, I walk them through the steps I take when troubleshooting the situation rather than simply fix it for them. I believe that effective problem solving is one of the most valuable and widely applicable skills I can offer them. It is very rewarding to help young scientists build confidence in their abilities and encourage their passion for research.
What the Award Means to Her
I am incredibly honored to receive the Fiona & Michael Goodchild Graduate Mentoring Award. It is deeply gratifying to be recognized for something that has been such a prominent and important component of my graduate school experience. I know that UCSB has many excellent graduate student
mentors worthy of recognition and I feel fortunate to have been selected.