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Studying applied cognition means investigating how the human mind functions with an eye toward real-world applications. We’re interested in fundamental questions in cognitive neuroscience, with a major focus on understanding how our brains allocate attention to important information amid constant distractions. Building on this foundation, we aim to apply this knowledge to answer questions like: How does attention change in the context of mental illness? How does attention develop throughout childhood and adolescence? Applied cognitive neuroscience research involves bridging gaps between fields, learning to communicate across disciplines, and conducting interdisciplinary science. 

We believe that neuroscience is personal. Each of our brains is highly unique in its structure and function and is continuously shaped by our experiences throughout our lives. We leverage methods that allow us to map out the brains of individuals and explore the individual differences that make us beautifully unique. Personalized neuroscience means investigating interrelated characteristics of an individual’s environment/experience, brain, and behavior, rather than taking single measurements in isolation. Personalized neuroscience research also involves using cutting-edge computational methods to dig into large-scale datasets and parse complex relationships among variables.

Our lab name symbolizes that this place is all about growth! We aim to treat everyone with respect, support one another, and learn together as a team so that we can grow to our fullest potential. In this spirit, we adopt a growth mindset, recognizing that science is challenging and mistakes are part of the learning process. We also celebrate growth and change through our studies of brain development and neurodiversity.