University of San Diego Department of Psychological Sciences

08/27/2022

Hello! My name is Anna, and I graduated last May (class of ‘22) with a BA in Behavioral Neuroscience and two minors in Philosophy and Biomedical Ethics. I’ve recently started a position at the Oregon Health and Sciences University as a Research Assistant in the Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Department.

During my four years at USD, I was a member of the Psych and BN club, I was a TA for Biological Psychology during my third year, and was a RA for Dr. Goldschmied’s sports psychology research during my last semester! Being in the Psych/BN club, I learned a lot about the different careers that I could eventually enter after school. I was excited to go to the meetings, not just for the free lunch, but for the opportunity to meet professionals in the field(s) I was interested in and learn about their work and how they got there.

As a TA for a BioPsych, I would assist students with projects and research papers I had been assigned the year prior, which was very helpful in finding where my shortcomings were, so for future research papers and proposals, I would be better prepared. In my position as a Research Assistant, my partners and I learned about how to accurately and unbiasedly collect data, how to complete statistical analyses, how to design specific research methods and how we could bring the methods that we used into future projects. My partner and I presented it at USD’s spring Creative Collaboration conference, which was a great experience!

I plan on continuing my education in a graduate research program next year, where I hope to (eventually!) receive a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience/Psychology. Until then, I am currently working in a research lab at OHSU in the Molecular Microbiology and Immunology department. My research involves the nematode C. elegans, which is a worm species that has a similar, but simpler, genome to humans. The purpose of the lab’s research is to find the genes that impact the development of Alzheimer’s Disease, and to provide this research to those who can develop long-term treatments or prevention. Microbiology research is certainly different from the psychology research that I did at USD, but I have felt confident about my abilities to understand the different methods of research, terms and processes used in this lab. I was very nervous that because I studied neuroscience and psychology, I would not be prepared for working in microbiology and immunology, but I do feel that USD’s labs and my experience as a research assistant definitely did prepare me for entering any field of scientific research. Working in this lab, I am gaining knowledge and learning techniques that I would not have learned if I were to work in the field of psychology or neuroscience, and I am grateful for the challenge, because this will set me up for a well-rounded understanding of research in my graduate program.
I look forward to seeing what the psych/BN students will be researching during the next semesters!
Go Toreros!

08/21/2022

Lindsay Benster:

I am currently a second year student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology at SDSU and UC San Diego. This program involves a combination of research, clinical work, and coursework. My research current focuses on identifying biomarkers that distinguish responders from nonresponders following intervention with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in individuals with severe and treatment-resistant mental illness. I predominantly use neurophysiological measures, such as EEG and EMG. Additionally, our lab focuses on refining rTMS treatment parameters to optimize patient outcomes. Ultimately, we’re hoping to increase the amount of patients successfully treated and decrease symptom severity as much as possible.

Following graduation at USD I joined a clinical neuropsychiatric lab at UCSD investigating a pharmacologically augmented cognitive training program for schizophrenia. While my undergraduate research focused on memory in rodents, my time as a research associate at UCSD allowed me to gain experience in human research and helped narrow my interests. After two years, I moved to Boston and worked in a developmental cognitive neuroscience at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s hospital. Each of my research related experiences simultaneously expanded my skill sets but narrowed my focus; I became more aware of the topics I found particularly interesting which is very helpful for applying to PhD programs. I began graduate school in Fall of 2021 where I’m currently studying Clinical Psychology in the Experimental Psychopathology tract.

The things that made me successful at USD were getting involved in research as early as possible. For me, this meant junior year. While the research I pursued after undergrad differed in many ways, creating a solid foundation of basic research skills was translatable to future pursuits and demonstrated my interest to employers/opportunities. Additionally, being involved in community outreach through volunteering with local organizations expanded my experience to new populations and provided new perspectives. Finally, working hard in academics and obtaining honors/good grades never hurts!

08/18/2022

Come listen to Dr. Laura M. Getz play with the Coronado Concert Band!

08/10/2022

Grace Getchell
(She/Her) • 1st
Cancer Genetic Counselor
6d • Edited • 6 days ago
I'm excited to share I will be starting my new position as a genetic counselor in the Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program at the University of California, San Francisco at the end of August!

Thankful for the opportunity to create a genetic counseling network in California while working remotely from my new home in Dallas, Texas!

08/09/2022

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/riley-weeden-2b7657200_i-am-excited-to-announce-that-i-will-be-attending-activity-6954978045766111232-I_e9?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web

I am excited to announce that I will be attending St.Edward's University’s masters program in Mental Health Counseling this fall. I cannot wait to begin... 11 comments on LinkedIn

08/05/2022

From one of your favorite professors!

07/11/2022

Emily Chua, rising senior:

I am currently working as a psychology intern for the MindPower Foundation, which is a non-profit organization. I work alongside my team to develop a psychoeducation training module that is intended to inform parents, schools, teachers, coaches, etc. about how to interact with children that may have experienced trauma and how to avoid retraumatization (in essence, provide trauma-informed care). My job is to conduct reviews of research to ensure that our content is evidence-based and provide any exemplary studies. Our end goal is to create a larger library of psychoeducation modules that increase mental health awareness dealing with a variety of topics (students experiencing anxiety, depression, or other struggles). This is a growing space and MindPower is looking to emerge as a major provider of this service to corporations, universities, school districts, and more.

07/02/2022

Dr. Marta Stojanovic, an alumna of the department, defended her dissertation last month titled: "The role of affect and exercise goals in physical activity engagement in younger and older adults." A very long journey of six years comes to an end with the prefix Dr. being added to her name. Congratulations! Marta is headed to Washington University in Saint Louis as a postdoctoral research associate.

07/01/2022

https://edition.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/margins-of-error/episodes/d2737804-1642-4e5d-8de7-aec1017c30fb

Studies show that, when picking between underdogs and the favorite, more people will side with the underdog. So, why are we so drawn to them? And it’s not just about sports and politics. It’s the human experience. Harry talks to his dear friend Neil Paine of FiveThirtyEight, underdog expert Nada...

06/29/2022

Aluma, Angela Haddad, now a medical student (Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Mexico) co-authored recently in the journal Su***de and Life Threating Behavior this important work!

06/13/2022

Rhiannon Novelli:

The program I am going to attend is the University of North Carolina: Wilmington's Masters of Social Work program with a Clinical concentration. The program includes coursework in advanced social work practice based on professional knowledge and the related aspects of program development and management associated with the delivery of social work services. The program will prepare me for advanced clinical practice, in the area of particular interest to me- mental health, as I want to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC).

I was first interested in this field as a result of my own mental health experiences. I then participated in opportunities that gave me beneficial skills and experience. During COVID-19 lockdown I began volunteering with the Crisis Text Line where I received hands-on experience working with individuals in crisis. I later became a Peer Coach for the Student Success Center and the VP of Recruitment Programming for Panhellenic at USD, which solidified my interest in this field.

Advice I have for students trying to figure out a direction of work is to really consider your passions and what you find interesting. My rule of thumb is if you were to enter a bookstore filled with every possible genre or topic of book, what are the sections you might find yourself in? Consider which topics you would never tire of learning new information. Throughout college I wrote down pretty much anything about me in a journal: my interests, personality traits, how I preferred to spend my free time, and all the courses I took at USD. I used this to help narrow my interests and determine possible career paths.