Seed Lab
Self-regulation, emotions, and early development lab
Get to Know Us
Principal Investigator
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
Gabriela (Gabi) Kovarsky Rotta
Gabi is a Clinical Psychology Ph.D. student in her second year at UMass Amherst. She graduated from Williams College in 2023 with B.A.s in psychology and English, and then worked at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School for two years as a research assistant in the CARE Lab. For both research and clinical practice, she focuses on early and middle childhood; she’s especially interested in how early experiences shape self-regulation, how to help children navigate challenging emotions, and how to engage caregivers as active partners in supporting their kids.
In her free time, Gabi enjoys reading, hiking, and seeing live music performances.
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 seventh 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. Currently he is on an internship.
Truc Do
Truc is a fourth year graduate student in the Ph.D. 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.
Research Assistants
Eva DeJong
Eva is pursuing a Neuroscience degree with a minor in Biology on the pre PA track, and plans to graduate in 2028. She is a pre-PA student from Vermont with a strong interest in women’s health and mental health. On campus, she works as a phlebotomist at UHS, contributes to the SEED Lab, and is completing an internship with Protect Our Breasts (POB). She is also involved in Women in Medicine and MedConnect, which have allowed her to further explore her interests in healthcare and connect with others pursuing careers in medicine. Through her clinical and research experiences, Eva has developed a strong appreciation for both patient care and research, and finds the process of using research to better understand and improve health outcomes especially fascinating. She has a particular passion for working with children and hopes to incorporate her interests in patient care, research, women’s health, mental health, and pediatrics throughout her future career as a PA.
Outside of academics and my involvement on campus, Eva loves spending time outdoors, especially hiking and exploring new places. She also enjoys playing soccer with her friends, which is one of her favorite ways to stay active and spend time with people she cares about. In her free time, she loves drawing and getting lost in a good book.
Hannah Morehouse
Hannah is a fourth-year student pursuing a B.A. in psychology in the commonwealth honors college and earning a specialization in developmental disabilities and human services. Previously, she has worked as a crisis counselor for Samaritans Southcoast and as a preschool teacher at Bright Horizons, which have deepened her passion for mental health support systems and child psychology. On campus, she is the public relations manager and outreach coordinator for Psi Chi Honor Society and works as an undergraduate research assistant in the DICE and IRSJ labs. In the future, she aspires to become a therapist for children and adolescents, and her primary focuses are investigating psychosocial factors that influence physical and psychological wellbeing, and promoting mental health initiatives for children and adolescents.
In her free time, Hannah enjoys hiking and exploring outdoors, reading, baking, and playing music in ensembles on campus.
Mai Hong Ngo
Mai is a senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst pursuing a B.S. in psychology. She is interested in how early experiences within the family shape children’s emotional development and later mental health, and she plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology to work with children and families. At the SEED Lab, she helps recruit and enroll families and supports data collection.
In her free time, she enjoys painting, digital illustration, knitting, and the occasional game of basketball.
