Get to Know Us

Principal Investigator

Adam

Dr. Adam Grabell
 Associate Professor
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
135 Hicks Way, Tobin 614
Amherst, MA 01003-9271

** Dr. Grabell will be reviewing applications for both the UMass Clinical Psychology and Developmental Science PhD programs for the 2024/2025 application cycle**

Dr. Adam Grabell’s research focuses on emotion regulation and its relation to cross-diagnostic symptoms of psychopathology in early childhood. Dr. Grabell is particularly interested in the fine details of how the emerging emotion regulation system works and which parts of this system aren’t functioning well in young children on the cusp of persistent mood and behavior problems.

Graduate Students

Katie Gonzalez, MS

Katie is a six year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. She graduated from California State University, Northridge in 2018 with a B.A. in Psychology, where she studied neuropsychology and patterns of cognitive decline in individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. She later worked at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where she worked in the ADHD and Development Lab and studied executive functioning and risk-taking behaviors in individuals with ADHD. Her research interests lie in early childhood development and different underlying factors that effect mental and physical health outcomes across development. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, watching horror movies, reading books, and going on hikes.

Zachary Bivins, MS

Zachary is a fifth year graduate student in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. He graduated from Hamilton College with a B.A. in Psychology and is originally from Cherry Hill, New Jersey! Zachary is interested in investigating emotion regulation, and is particularly fascinated with how our appraisals, beliefs, and other cognitions about emotions (i.e., metaemotions) impact emotion regulation outcomes.

Truc Do

Truc is a second year graduate student in the PhD in Developmental Science program. She graduated from Birkbeck, University of London in 2020 with a Master of Science in Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology, where her Masters thesis focused on investigating the relationship between sleep and social attention in infant siblings of children with autism. During her time in the UK, Truc volunteered at the BabyLab at the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development at Birkbeck, and later worked as a Teaching Assistant for children with special needs in primary schools in London. Her current research interests lie in understanding more about emotional regulation and emotional dysregulation in young children, especially in relation to sleep quality and early diagnosis of mental disorders.

Co-Coordinators

Mackenzie Louison

Mackenzie is in her last semester of undergraduate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Psychology with certificate in Social Work and Social Welfare and minors in Business and Education. Mackenzie is interested in attending graduate school for Clinical Psychology. In the future Mackenzie wishes to have her own private practice where she can work with children and families. Mackenzie is a Peer Mentor for first year students where she helps them transition into college and supports them academically. Mackenzie loves watching New Girl, baking chocolate chip cookies, and surrounding herself with friends and family.

Sujin Lee

Sujin is a fourth student in the Commonwealth Honors College at UMass majoring in Psychology. She enjoys working with children and is interested in Psychiatry. At school, she is an Admission Diversity Fellow for UMass Admissions, UMass Running Club member and is the President of the Korean Students Association. She loves spending her free time outdoors playing spike ball, tennis, swimming, jokgu and pickleball. 

Paige Alcott

Paige is a fourth-year student majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and Psychology. She one day hopes to pursue a career in child psychology. At school, she is a part of the radio club, participates in Special Olympics, and works at the Center for Women & Community. Paige is extremely excited to continue working with children as a member of this lab. Previously, she was an after-school teacher at a Montessori school and a horseback riding counselor at a summer camp. In her free time, you can catch her listening to ‘70s classics or running around the block.

Srika Raviraj

Srika is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is on the Pre-Med track. She loves working with children and is interested in proactive approaches to mental health, including preventative care. In the future she is interested in becoming a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist. Currently, she works as a medical scribe, and is working towards her EMT certification. On campus, she is a member of the UMass Fiber Arts Club: In Stitches and the UMass Board Game Club. In her free time, she loves to read mystery novels, sing, and crochet.

Research Assistants

B. Francis Andersen

Francis is a third-year undergraduate student in the Commonwealth Honors College at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a Minor in Education. With a rich background working with kids to resolve issues and recenter mental states, Francis looks forward to what they can learn at the SEED Lab regarding conflict prevention and neurological connections to different emotions in children. On Campus, Francis can be found at the Ascend rock climbing gym, or in the songwriting and production club. Francis hopes one day to conduct research on how music can be beneficial in classroom environments, and teach music psychology on the college level.

Libby Staples

Libby is a third-year student at the University of Massachusetts, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Business and Spanish. She is passionate about working with children and currently works as an America Reads tutor at a local elementary school. Libby hopes to one day become a clinical psychologist and open a private practice. In her free time, she enjoys kayaking, doing arts and crafts, and traveling.