05/29/2026
Where are they now? Laelle Novotny, Class of 2024
“I graduated from SLU December 2024 and am currently an Othmer Fellow and Neuroscience & Behavior PhD student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, working under Drs. Hillary Schwarb and Maital Neta. My research focuses on how memory and emotion change throughout the lifespan in functional and dysfunctional systems using fMRI and a novel method called magnetic resonance elastography (MRE).
Some highlights from my first year in graduate school include presenting my first conference project at CNS in Vancouver, BC on how brain structure relates to the interpretation of ambiguous information across the lifespan, preparing a manuscript on memory systems and emotion regulation for publication, and working on a project examining how microstructural brain changes influence relational memory and affective uncertainty across the female menstrual cycle.
I’ve also had outreach opportunities to speak locally in Lincoln, NE to middle school students about neuroscience careers and salamander model use in the medical field, as well as to business professionals about hormonal changes across women's lifespans for a mental health initiative.
I’ve really been enjoying graduate school and life in Lincoln, though I’m hoping to visit St. Louis soon since I miss it there!”