Clare is a researcher whose work focuses on women's psychological health in pregnancy and the peripartum, how these are shaped by maternal stress and trauma, and the intergenerational transmission of adversity. She is also interested in the interaction between brain, biology, and the environment in shaping adaptation to parenthood. Dr. McCormack received her PhD in public health in 2016 from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Center at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, where she studied alcohol use during pregnancy and infant cognitive development. She then completed an interdisciplinary postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University as a Robert A. Burt Presidential Scholar in Society and Neuroscience. Dr. McCormack joined the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in 2022 as a research assistant professor. 

Cassie is a postdoctoral fellow whose work examines how our earliest experiences, as well as the experiences of our parents, shape neurobiological development and stress responsivity. She is particularly interested in biobehavioral processes that are linked to long-term psychiatric risk and resilience.

In her postdoctoral work, Denise is interested in establishing how developing neural and behavioral systems are shaped by experience and environmental factors, such as maternal health, parenting practices, stress/adversity, and socioeconomic status.

Harini is a 4th year undergraduate at Barnard College studying Neuroscience and Behavior and Science and Public Policy. Harini has been conducting research with Dr. Moriah Thomason since September 2020, and she is a member of the COPE Study's Data Acquisition and Data Processing Teams. In addition, Harini is pursuing her senior thesis studying the associations between prenatal maternal stress, fetal hippocampal functional connectivity and toddler executive functioning. After graduating in May 2022, Harini plans to conduct research before pursuing a degree in medicine, specifically in the field of psychiatry.

Leslie Gaines is a graduate of the University of Richmond. During her studies, she worked in a psycholinguistics lab and was a summer volunteer with NYU's ISLAND Lab. Since graduating, she has been working in the field of education. She is very excited to be returning to the field of psychology and to be working with the SCAN Lab. 

Sofia graduated from Smith College in 2021, majoring in Neuroscience. She worked in New York as an au pair for a year before joining the SCAN lab. Sofia wants to earn a master’s degree in computer science before pursuing a career in computational neuroscience. 

I am an Irish native who moved to New York City. I completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science degree at the University of Galway and following this, a Master of Neuroscience degree at Trinity College Dublin. My research interests range from neurodevelopment and autism spectrum disorders to inflammation, stress and neurodegenerative diseases. Through my work, I hope to achieve a significant impact in the field of neuroscience, increasing our understanding of human brain development and the pathogenesis of neurological disorders, ultimately contributing to the development of treatments for those who need it most.

I am 19 years old (about to turn 20 on June 30) and I am an undergraduate at NYU, majoring in Biology and planning to minor in CAMS. I was born in Cuba and moved to the U.S. when I was 9 years old. I love animals and I have a tabby cat named Juliette. I currently live in New York City with my family and we all love going sightseeing around the city. I have traveled to Spain and Italy, but I plan to travel the world as much as I can.

Jenna John is a student at Macaulay Honors College at CUNY studying psychology and is originally from Staten Island. She is interested in social work in medical or educational settings, specifically in pediatrics, maternal and palliative care, and has a strong interest in social justice and diversity. She also likes to read, write, and sing!

Anushka Gupta is a sophomore at NYU majoring in Psychology and minoring in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies (CAMS). She is very passionate about mental health advocacy and is involved in many organizations both on an off campus that support student mental health. In her free time, Anushka enjoys cafe hopping and going for long walks while listening to her favorite music. 

Hello! My name is Christine and I am a current junior at NYU majoring in Psychology and minoring in Data Science and Korean. I'm originally from the suburbs of Chicago, so being in NYC has been such a wonderful and crazy experience. I also work as an intern at GPEG at Columbia University and I am also hoping to find a job as a server to support myself in this beautiful but expensive city. I hope that I can bring as much positivity and help as I can to this lab :)

Emma is an undergraduate student at New York University majoring in Applied Psychology with a double minor in Child Adolescent Mental Health Studies and Teacher Education, specializing in Special Education. In the future, she plans to get her doctorate in School Psychology and work with children in special education. She is an NYC native, and loves fitness, romance novels, and true crime TV shows!

I am a junior at New York University, majoring in psychology on the pre-med track. I am passionate about developmental psychology and its applications to neuroscience, particularly in how early environments can affect a child's development. I'm excited to gain more experience in psychology and neuroscience research while working in this lab! After I graduate, I plan to become a pediatric physician.

I am currently a sophomore attending Columbia University and studying psychology. My academic interests lie with developmental psychology, where I am particularly fascinated by the crossover between the developing brain and behavioral patterns from infancy to adolescence. Additionally in my free time, I enjoy exploring new restaurants with friends and traveling to new cities. I'm excited to join the COPE Team and get involved with its current projects.

Hi! I'm Derek, an undergraduate biochemistry major and a proud immigrant from Cuenca, Ecuador. My journey has taken me from Ecuador to the life of a pre-med student. I have a huge passion for research — it's where I get to satisfy my curiosity and contribute to something bigger. When I'm not in the lab, you can find me on the soccer field. It's my go-to way to unwind and have fun. In between studies, research, and soccer, I also work part-time as a barista, brewing up coffee and conversations. Just living the student life and enjoying the adventure!