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Graduate Students


Bezdek, Kylie
Advisor: Dr. Beth Kurtz-Costes
223 Davie Hall
klgarber@live.unc.edu

Kylie studies early intervention programs, such as home visiting and child care, with a particular interest in social and emotional outcomes.


Burnett, Marketa
Advisors: Dr. Shauna Cooper and Dr. Beth Kurtz-Costes
219 Davie Hall
burnetma@live.unc.edu

Marketa studies how racial and gender stereotypes impact the educational outcomes of African American children and adolescents.


Capella, James
Advisor: Dr. Eva Telzer
211 Davie Hall
jcapella@email.unc.edu

Jimmy studies the connection between social relationships and neurodevelopment, with a focus on how these interactions affect adolescent behavior and outcomes.


Chernikova, Michelle
Advisor: Dr. Kristen Lindquist, Dr. Margaret Sheridan, Dr. Eva Telzer
mchernik@lion.lmu.edu



Field, Nathan
Advisor: Dr. Mitch Prinstein
209 Davie Hall
nfield@email.unc.edu

Nate studies how aspects of peer relationships and social interactions in childhood can alter the developmental trajectory, with a specific interest in peer rejection and social withdrawal.


Garrett, Shedrick
Advisors: Dr. Shauna Cooper and Dr. Eva Telzer
209 Davie Hall
sgarrett@unc.edu

Garrett studies the enhancing qualities of digital technology on adolescent developmental competencies and resilience, with a focus on how digital landscapes can support marginalized students.


Goldblum, Jessica
Advisors: Dr. Cathi Propper and Dr. Clare Harrop
209 Davie Hall
jessgold@live.unc.edu

Jessie studies the early development of social communication in typically developing children and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.


Gomes, Lindsay
Advisor: Dr. Jean-Louis Gariepy and Dr. Cathi Propper
Frank Porter Graham Institute
lindsann@live.unc.edu

Lindsay studies the development of social motor synchronization in early childhood.


Jorgensen, Nathan
Advisor: Dr. Eva Telzer
224 Davie Hall
naj@live.unc.edu

Nathan studies how cultural beliefs and values influence the developing adolescent brain, with a particular interest in the processing of social information.


Kwon, Seh-Joo
Advisor: Dr. Eva Telzer
224 Davie Hall
sehjook@live.unc.edu

Seh-Joo is interested in adolescent social brain development, specifically how social influences shape affective development and ultimately behavior and psychopathology.


Lyons, Monica
Advisor: Dr. Jessica Cohen
219 Davie Hall
monica_lyons@med.unc.edu

Monica uses functional neuroimaging and graph theory to understand brain network organization and how it relates to atypical development, particularly in ADHD.


Maza San Vicente, Maria
Advisors: Dr. Eva Telzer and Dr. Mitch Prinstein
211 Davie Hall
mtm76@email.unc.edu

Maria studies the impact of biosocial factors and technology on the developing brain and subsequent health risk behaviors.


McBride, Margarett
Advisor: Dr. Shauna Cooper
208 Davie Hall
marsm@live.unc.edu

Margarett studies community factors, combined with family and school contexts, that contribute to the development and resiliency of African American youth.


McLaughlin, Kirsten
Advisors: Dr. Cathi Propper and Dr. Roger Mills-Koonce
234 Davie Hall
knmclaug@live.unc.edu

Kirsten studies parent-infant interactions and how they influence infants’ cognitive and socioemotional development, with a specific focus on the development of attention control and self-regulation.


Murgueitio, Nicolas
Advisor: Dr. Margaret Sheridan and Dr. Cathi Propper
209 Davie Hall
jnicolas@email.unc.edu

Nicolas studies differential associations of threat and deprivation with children’s development, with an emphasis on fear, the intestinal microbiota, physiology, and emotional neurobiology.


Shaheed, Janae
Advisor: Dr. Beth Kurtz-Costes and Dr. Shauna Cooper
208 Davie Hall
shahja@unc.edu

Janae studies how social inequalities impact the well-being and identity development of marginalized groups and how supportive community contexts can facilitate positive development.


Wylie, Amanda
Advisor: Dr. Cathi Propper
219 Davie Hall
acwylie@live.unc.edu

Amanda studies how indicators of maternal, infant, child health predict cognitive and socioemotional development in early childhood.