The ROAR Lab Team

Emma Jane Rose Ph.D.

Director/Principal Investigator

Dr. Rose is a psychologist and neuroscientist with expertise in brain imaging with clinical and non-clinical populations. Her research focuses on the ways in which adversity and trauma impact brain development in children and adolescents and how these impacts are associated with high-risk outcomes, like substance use..

(CV)

814-865-0114

emmajanerose@psu.edu

Hungry Brain Study Team

220 Moore

This study aims to characterize the neurobiological impacts of food deprivation within the context of food insecurity (FI) in an attempt to delineate the mechanism(s) by which childhood FI may increase the risk for substance use in adolescence.

Betsy VanNoy

Lab Manager

bmv111@psu.edu

Betsy joined the ROAR team in 2023 as the lab manager for the Hungry Brain Study.

Dasia Cornelio

Research Assistant

dac6158@psu.edu

Dasia joined the ROAR team in January 2022 to work on the Hungry Brain Study. She graduated with a bachelor of science in psychology in the Spring of 2023. Dasia is dedicated to working on the Hungry Brain Study through July 2024.

Melissa

Monteza Becerra

Research Assistant

msm6158@psu.edu

Melissa joined the ROAR team in the Fall of 2022 and primarily worked on the Hungry Brain Study. She graduated with a bachelor of science degree in pre-med/general science in the Spring of 2023.

Kaelyn Charnitsky

Research Assistant

kac6891@psu.edu

Kaelyn is a rising junior and is majoring in Psychology She joined the ROAR team in the Spring of 2023. Currently, she is supporting the Hungry Brain Study.

Nicole Orbe-Munoz

Research Assistant

nqo5099@psu.edu

Nicole is a rising junior and is majoring in psychology. She joined the ROAR team in the Spring of 2023 and currently supports the Hungry Brain Study.

Student Life Survey

This pilot project will consider how the different types of experiences that undergraduate students have on campus influence personal and academic outcomes. Study measures include indices of racism and discrimination, food insecurity, and mental health. (Funded by the Child Study Center at Penn State; PIs: Rose and Bruening)

Contact the study team: psu.student.life.survey@gmail.com

Eliot DeVita

Research Assistant

ezd5319@psu.edu

Eliot joined the ROAR team in the Spring of 2023 and supports the Student Life Survey project. She graduated in the fall of 2023 and will attend Towson University to pursue a master's degree in clinical psychology in the fall of 2024.

Shreya Parikh

Research Assistant

sjp6450@psu.edu

Shreya is a biology major at Penn State and minoring in Neuroscience. She joined the ROAR team in Spring 2023 and is currently supporting the Student Life Survey Project.

Antonio Ambris

Research Assistant

apa6150@psu.edu

Antonio is majoring in psychology and joined the ROAR team in the Spring of 2023. He currently supports the Student Life Survey project.

Alec Gossman

Research Assistant

abg5873@psu.edu

Alec joined the ROAR team in the fall of 2023 and supports the Student Life Survey project. He will graduate in the summer of 2024.

ROAR Lab Alumni

Phenomenal students have contributed to the ROAR lab and moved on to new adventures.

Here's an update on where they are now.

Olivia Grace-Chau

Daniel Joseph

Estelle Beneke

Ashley Catron

ashleycatron@gmail.com

Estelle graduated in 2024 with a bachelor of science with honors in science and a biological science and health professions option. She is working in a clinical setting for a year prior to applying to medical school. Estelle supported the Hungry Brain Study.

Daniel is a recent graduate from Penn State. He majored in psychology (neuroscience concentration) and graduated in the summer of 2022. He has been working with Dr. Rose and the ROAR team since the summer of 2020. Daniel provides support to our project on mindfulness-based practices for opioid use disorder.

Olivia-Grace ('Liv') majored in psychology Penn State and joined the ROAR team in June 2022. Liv primarily supported the Hungry Brain Study and graduated in 2023.

star.beneke@gmail.com

Ashley graduated in 2024 with a bachelor of science of science and a minor in psychology. She supported the Hungry Brain Study and will work as a research assistant prior to attending medical school.

otchau5016@gmail.com