Hello, I'm Arcadia
I'm a 4th year PhD Student studying Developmental Science at Boston University
My Research
I'm interested in understanding the effects of early, chronic stress on cognitive development. Specifically, I am interested in identifying mechanisms through which stress gets "under the skin" so that we may identify pathways to ensure that all children are prepared to meet their cognitive potential and succeed academically
About Me.
I am a 4th year PhD Student studying Developmental Science at Boston University. Additionally, I serve as a Teaching Fellow within the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department and as a Research Assistant in the Brain and Early Experiences Lab, under the direction of Dr. Amanda Tarullo. My research centers around the effects of early adversity on cognitive development, with specific interests in the effects on memory, executive function, and school readiness. I am particularly interested in the role of HPA-axis regulation, parenting style, and sleep quality in shaping these developmental pathways. As an early-career psychologist, I am also interested in science policy and the creation of evidence-based policies that support underserved communities and populations. This passion has motivated a long-standing commitment to service both in and outside of academia.
Education
2020 - Present
Ph.D. - Developmental Science
Boston University
2020 - 2022
Masters Degree - Psychology
Boston University
Advisor: Amanda Tarullo
Intended Dissertation: Maternal reminiscing, COVID-19 related stressors and preschool-age children's autobiographical memory.
Advisor: Amanda Tarullo
Informal Thesis: Child biological stress and maternal caregiving style are associated with school readiness.
2014 - 2018
Bachelors Degree - Psychology
University of Maryland
Advisor: Clara Hill
Undergraduate Thesis: Consequences of unsolicited advice in psychodynamic psychotherapy
Skills
Behavioral Measures
Biological & Neural Measures
Interviews
Focus groups
Card sorting
Parent-interaction tasks
Qualitative surveys
Emotion analysis
Hair cortisol collection
Salivary cortisol collection
Actigraphy
Polysomnography (PSG)
EEG
Structural MRI
Functional MRI
Resting state MRI
Research Software
Freesurfer
CLAN
SALT
Actiware
MemsCaps
Redcap
Qualtrics
Statistical Software
Statistical Method
SPSS
R
MATLAB
MPlus
Lisrel
Structural Equation Modeling (Including moderation/mediation analysis, factor analysis, path analysis)
General Linear Models
Hierarchal and Mixed Effects Models
Survival Analysis
Affiliations
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