Meet Our Team

My goal is to understand how visually guided behaviors are mediated by neural circuits, and how these circuits change across development and in neurological disorders. Early in my career, my research focused on development and disease in the nervous system. I obtained my B.S. in cognitive neuroscience from Brown University, where I conducted an honors thesis on the development of electrical synapses in the thalamic reticular nucleus with Dr. Barry Connors, under the supervision of Dr. Scott Cruickshank. As a research assistant with Dr. Arnold Kriegstein at UCSF, I worked on a variety of projects on the development of human and mouse neocortex, including cortical synaptic development research under the supervision of Dr. Corey Harwell, as well as a stem cell therapy in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. As a PhD student with Dr. Anatol Kreitzer, I studied the synaptic basis of motor impairments in the basal ganglia of a parkinsonian mouse model. As a postdoc with Dr. Cristopher Niell, my research focused on vision - specifically, how mice actually use their vision to guide natural behavior, and how neurons in the brain process visual information under such dynamic conditions.

My research interests are centered on the view that the world is not a quiet place. If you think about it, on a daily basis, we experience a continuous salvo of sensory information. However, we are able to filter out the irrelevant information and rapidly and adaptively respond to our dynamic environment. My research, with Drs. Recanzone, Vicario, Pytte, and Bieszczad, has used primate, avian, and rodent animal models to study the neural correlates of auditory perception and discrimination. With Dr. Samuels, I investigated how does a chronic socially stressful environment exacerbates maladaptive behaviors in a mouse model of neurodevelopmental disorders. In the Parker lab, I am interested in how our everyday sensory experiences guide our behavior and rewire the underlying neural circuitry that subserves these behaviors.

I'm an undergraduate at Rutgers University double majoring in Computer Science and Cognitive Science. During my time at Rutgers, I've worked as a software engineer in the public sector, but I was always interested by the intersection of machine learning with cognitive neuroscience. I'm currently working as a Research Assistant at the Parker Lab to develop models to enhance experimental protocols and assist with data analysis. In my free time, I love to thrift, hang out with friends, attend concerts, and work on personal projects.

I am an undergraduate at Rutgers University- New Brunswick majoring in Biological Sciences. My research interests include neurological pathologies - specifically, how such disorders contribute to our spatial processing and perceptions of the world. In the future, I hope to explore the clinical applications of our research. In my free time, I enjoy houseplant shopping, playing the guitar, and traveling!

I earned my Bachelors of Arts in Psychology at Texas State University. While in my program, I worked at a residential treatment center with children diagnosed with various psychological disorders. This led to an interest in wanting to understand and learn about the neural connections and disruptions in them that lead to disorders like autism, depression, anxiety etc. In Parker Lab, I hope to learn to analyze and understand these connections more but also how our visual system(what we see) works to promote the behaviors we see in these disorders. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, weightlifting, reading non-fiction and listening to music!

I am an undergraduate student at Rutgers University majoring in biological sciences and minoring in cognitive science. I am interested in studying the intersection of biological and mental processes, specifically how their dysfunction can manifest in cognitive decline, such as neurodegenerative diseases. In the future, I plan to continue to work in a laboratory setting doing research of my own. In my free time, I love to read, journal, and spend time with my friends and family!

I am an undergraduate student at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, double majoring in Cell Biology & Neuroscience and Philosophy. In the Parker Lab, I investigate neural pathways that connect visual and motor circuits, aiming to better understand how these systems interact. I hope to apply the knowledge and skills I've gained through this research toward my long-term goal of becoming a physician. Outside of academics, I enjoy watching films, reading, painting, and hiking.

I earned my bachelor's degree in Cell Biology and Neuroscience at Rutgers University. I started in Parker's Lab as an undergraduate research assistant and now serve as the lab manager. My research interests center on neurological disorders, with an initial focus on the cellular mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease. More recently, I've been deepening my understanding of the brain's natural processes by exploring the neural circuitry of natural visual behavior. I hope to apply this knowledge to future research on neurological disorders. In my free time I enjoy hiking, knitting, and spending time with my two cats, Bubba and Angel, as well as with friends and family.

I am an undergraduate student at Rutgers University-New Brunswick majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Psychology. I have a strong interest in exploring the mechanisms of brain and visual processing. As a member of the Parker lab, I get to actively contribute to advancing research in these areas as well as enhancing my own knowledge. In the future, I hope to apply the knowledge and skills I have gained to a clinical setting. In my free time, I love reading, crocheting, spending time with friends and family, and traveling!

I am an undergraduate Rutgers student majoring in Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience. My research interests lie in examining the neural pathways that lead to neurological disorders. In the Parker Lab, I have been able to learn a variety of techniques that simulate visual disorders to better understand visual mechanisms in the brain. I am currently working on investigating brain areas involved in natural visual in mice. In the future, I would like to get my PhD in Neuroscience to study neuropsychological disorders. In my free time, I enjoy baking, crocheting, and spending time with animals.

I'm an undergraduate Research Assistant, currently majoring in Cell Biology & Neuroscience and minoring in Psychology. My interest in exploring how different brain areas integrate in sensorimotor processing and related neurological pathologies led me to the Parker Lab where I assist in experiments, histology, and surgical procedures. In my free time, I love to dance and travel!

I am a PhD student in Computer Science at Rutgers University, where I am part of the Computational Brain Lab advised by Dr. Konstantinos Michmizos. I work with the Parker Lab as part of an ongoing collaboration between our groups. My research interests lie in using machine learning to understand the brain. Prior to joining Rutgers, I earned my bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College, where I double majored in Computer Science and Physics. Outside of research, I enjoy running, hiking, and watching sports.