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For the past few years, I have been researching developmental and child psychology with Dr. Becky Waller at the Emotion, Development, Environment, and Neurogenetics (EDEN) Lab. I am interested in studying the impacts of interpersonal and communal trauma on human development. I'm currently working on an independent project about how physical and sexual abuse in childhood affects perceptions of physical touch in adulthood. In recent years, I have also worked on projects about parenting interventions and nurturing healthy parent-child relationships. On campus, I am the president of the student advocacy group Abuse & Sexual Assault Prevention (ASAP), a peer educator through Penn Anti-Violence Education (PAVE), and a sister in the Alpha Omega Epsilon Sorority.

  • Research Assistant at the Emotion, Development, Environment, & Neurogenetics (EDEN) Lab
  • MindCORE Summer 2024 Fellow
  • Student Intern at Penn Violence Prevention
  • Speaking Coach for Communication Within the Curriculum (CWiC)
Academic Major(s): Criminology, French and Francophone Studies, Psychology
Helena Saven

My research interests include the intersection between Neuroscience and the Performing Arts. As someone who grew up interested in the field of Medicine, but who also loved dancing in Ballet and performing piano pieces, I wondered how much of an impact these two had on my personal life. I decided to begin a research project that highlighted the possible effects that the performing arts could have on Academic Achievement, Mental Health, and Social Well-Being. I began this research in a mixed-method manner, by using both qualitative and quantitative data in order to triangulate my findings. Last year, I was chosen to become a College House Research Fellow, and this year, I hope to continue to make my findings stronger!

  • KCECH College House Research Fellow
  • Research Girl NonProfit Peer Mentor
Academic Major(s): Neuroscience
Lily Cate Hunter

My research interest is in the field of Health and Societies. I have been focusing on the 1918 influenza pandemic with the goal of shedding light on the pandemic’s differential impacts on different parts of society. In summer 2024, I completed a research project with Dr. David Barnes through PURM which suggested that African-American and immigrant populations were more adversely affected by influenza than their white, native-born counterparts: their rate of death was higher. Understanding from previous social epidemiology research that social cohesion and the physical fabric of urban life profoundly influence health outcomes, I am currently exploring other avenues and performing detailed research on 1918 Philadelphia neighborhoods to further understand these initial findings. I also have worked with Dr. Adrianna Petryna in the anthropology department, researching the environmental impact of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Outside of the classroom, I am the Executive Blog Director on the Penn Undergraduate Law Journal, internal chair in the John Marshall Pre-Law Society, and head of the Clio Society. I also love to play the alto saxophone and perform with the Penn Wind Ensemble.

  • Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program
  • Research Assistant to Dr. David Barnes and Dr. Adrianna Petryna
  • Penn Museum Fellow
  • Phi Beta Kappa
Academic Major(s): Health and Societies, Anthropology
Matthew Breier

I am a research assistant at the Balderston Lab, where we study the therapeutic use of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. This past summer, I worked on analyzing sex differences of TMS including electric field, scalp-to-cortex Euclidean distance and behavioral effects on startle responses in healthy human controls. Outside of research, I am involved in PennKDSAP, MERT, and CityStep. In my free time, I enjoy exploring new restaurants, going to the gym, baking, and spending time with friends.

Academic Major(s): Neuroscience
Sneha Chandrashekar
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