The MGH Center for Law, Brain, and Behavior regularly engages students in the Center’s work. Below are profiles of current and former student research assistants, research associates, and summer research interns. Students at the CLBB come to us from a wide variety of programs and diverse backgrounds, including undergraduates, law students, medical students, and post-docs.
Student Research Assistants – Summer 2024
Edward Tie, M.D. was born in Toronto, Canada and raised in Watkinsville, Georgia. He is a graduate of Brown University’s Program in Liberal Medical Education, the only combined baccalaureate-M.D. program in the Ivy League. At Brown, he was the recipient of a Harvey A. Baker Fellowship, a Cogut Institute for the Humanities Fellowship, and the Isaac Ray Award in Psychiatry. He will be attending Yale Law School in 2025 after pursuing a public interest fellowship at the United Way of New York City as a Weil Legal Innovator. His academic interests include health care politics, criminal justice, social innovation, and neurolaw.
Natalia Erazo is a rising 2L in a dual-degree program with New York Law School for her Juris Doctor, as well as John Jay College of Criminal Justice to obtain a master’s degree in forensic psychology. She was born in Queens, NY and raised in Valley Stream, Long Island. She was a double major in psychology and criminal justice at the University of Hartford. After undergrad, she worked as a bilingual crisis case manager for the Department of Children and Families for impoverished families dealing with substance-abuse and child neglect. She is fascinated by and pursuing mental health law and has long-term plans to engage in international human rights work.
Anna Chard is a rising third-year student at the University of Chicago double majoring in Law, Letters, & Society and Philosophy. She is originally from Oakland, California and is interested in the intersection of the law, justice, and judgment/decision-making. On campus, Anna conducts law and moral psychology research at the University of Chicago Law School, serves as an Admissions Ambassador for the university’s Undergraduate Admissions Office, and plays for the Women’s Soccer Team. She is passionate about exploring the contours of ethical behavior, and she cares deeply about doing the right thing.
Jaslin Perez Monterroso is a recent graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston, where she earned a B.A. in Criminal Justice, Criminology, and Psychology, with a minor in English. Currently, she serves as a Mental Health Counselor in the Inpatient Psychiatric unit at Newton Wellesley Hospital. Prior to this role, Jaslin gained valuable experience as a Clinical Research Intern at the Health Through Flourishing Lab at Mass General Hospital. This fall, she will further her expertise by pursuing an M.S. in Mental Health Counseling at UMass Boston. Outside of her professional and academic pursuits, Jaslin enjoys reading, traveling, and trying new foods.
Seun Ogundimu is a rising junior at Harvard University concentrating in Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology. He is originally from Delaware. Seun is passionate about mental health and understanding how psychology is embedded in our understanding of wellness. Currently, Seun works as an EMT at Harvard’s CrimsonEMS organization. Outside of academics and work, Seun enjoys listening to Afrobeat music and reading novels.
Tilde Jaques is a rising junior at Georgetown University majoring in international history with minors in economics and sociology. She has always been passionate about psychology and social justice, especially when it comes to the legal system and criminology. Tilde writes for her school’s student newspaper, The Hoya, and has held several positions as a communications liaison. Outside of school, she enjoys running and doing puzzles.
Lily Reed, MA, completed her undergraduate degree at The College of the Holy Cross and received a master’s degree in forensic psychology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. At John Jay College, she participated in research involving psychopathy and police psychology and completed her masters thesis on the effects of psychopathy and malingering on inmate offending. Lily has held research positions in both psychology and financial services. Most recently, she worked as a Teacher’s Aide in a private school in New York City.
Katie Lamp, PhD, completed her undergraduate studies in psychology at Christopher Newport University and her doctoral studies in Experimental Psychology at The University of Montana. She is a law student at Maryland Carey Law and works full-time as the Associate Director for Academic Success at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She hopes to pursue a career in neurolaw upon completing her law degree.
Student Research Assistants – Summer 2023
Grace Gorman is studying psychology as a rising junior at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Grace has always had an interest in the mental health field and strives to apply her education to improve the lives of others. Grace is a member of her school’s chapter of Psi Chi, a psychology honor society. Outside of academics, she enjoys fitness, reading, and relaxing on the beach! Grace has held multiple positions in social media and public relations. She is honored to have the opportunity of being a research assistant with a focus on the marketing aspects of the program.
Rohan Kandeshwarath recently completed his first year at the University of Michigan Law School. He is a graduate of the George Washington University and holds a B.A. in International Affairs with a concentration in International Economics. Rohan previously worked as a Congressional Intern on Capitol Hill and is interested in the intersection of health, technology, and the law. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, gardening, and visiting National Parks.
Eric Little is a rising junior at Harvard University majoring in Psychology with a minor in Economics. He is originally from Atlanta, Georgia and is interested in the intersection between psychology and law. He is also a member of the Harvard Football Team. In his free time, he likes to watch sports and anime with friends, find new places to eat, and workout.
Najet Miah is a rising 2L at Albany Law School who is returning for a second summer opportunity with CLBB. She graduated from Queens College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She was also a public health fellow for the Bard Prison Initiative. There, she focused on the legal implications of New York’s Raise the Age legislation for violent adolescents in light of recent adolescent brain research. As a formerly incarcerated individual, she is passionate about reforming our criminal justice system to reflect the incredible human capacity for change, and she believes that exploring the intersection of law and neuroscience is critical to achieving this reform. She hopes to use her experiences and legal education to make society a safer place for vulnerable populations who have often been neglected or targeted by our legal system.
Awa-Victoria Morel is a rising senior at Middlebury College studying Psychology and Global Health. She is originally from New York City and has spent a semester studying Forensic Psychology in Stockholm, Sweden. Moreover, at her university, Awa serves as a representative of the Middlebury College Psychology StudentAdvisory Council. Besides her passion for psychology, she is also an avid women’s rights activist and lover of music. Thus, she splits her time between her research assistant position, where she surveys changes in abortion access across the US, and her supervisory role at the Mahaney Arts Center box office. Awa is passionate about justice system reform and the intersections of psychology, law, and forensic studies.
Elliot Ping is a first year J.D. candidate at Yale Law School. She holds a B.S. from The Ohio State University in Neuroscience, with a minor in the History of Environment, Health, Science, and Technology. Prior to law school, she worked in neuroscience research studying human information processing and decision- making, environmental history research on massive agribusiness complexes, and in public libraries. Outside of school, Elliot likes to self-study languages, play the guitar, and invent intricate inner lives for her dog (Dave) and cat (Smudge).
Nika Rudenko is a junior at Harvard College concentrating in Integrative Biology and receiving her secondary in Psychology. She is passionate about exploring the intersection of law and medicine. On-campus, Nika is a facilitator for Life Sciences courses, which entails supporting fellow students in understanding and learning challenging scientific concepts. She is also a research assistant for the Radcliffe Institute program that focuses on ensuring justice and equity in clinical settings as psychiatry embraces data and artificial intelligence to treat mental illnesses. Outside of the classroom, she is a co-chair of the Intercollegiate Bussiness Conference committee for Women in Business, where she organizes various exploratory events to expose undergraduate women to real-life opportunities.
Student Research Assistants – Fall 2022
Olivia White is a graduate of the University of Iowa with degrees in Psychology and Enterprise Leadership. She also took extensive courses in neuroscience and is passionate about all things related to brain sciences. Her work in this area includes doing research for publication with Des Moines University, as well as working in the clinical setting as a psychological technician. These opportunities allowed her to interact directly with clients and engage in a longitudinal case study as well as conduct research related to extensive degenerative brain disorder. Olivia’s plan for the future is to further her education by obtaining a law degree combined with advanced studies in neuroscience in order to facilitate better models of rehabilitation for those involved in the criminal justice system. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, spending time outdoors boating, attending sporting events, and traveling with her family.
Student Research Assistants – Summer 2022
Naicha Christophe is a rising junior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst double majoring in Psychology and Public Health while perusing a certificate in Public Policy. On campus she works as an Undergraduate Admissions Representative, and sits on the executive board for the Students of Caribbean Ancestry. She is extremely passionate about combatting the racial injustice that occurs in this country to members of the black community from all angles; during her freshman year Naicha volunteered her time at a local climate action organization that focused on how the current climate crisis disproportionately affects communities of color. In her free time she enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with friends and family. This summer she is looking forward to working at CLBB and learning more about the important work that they do.
Priya Bajwa recently completed her first year at Duke University School of Law. She holds a BS in Neuroscience with a minor in Political Science from the University of Nevada, Reno. She has previously worked as a Congressional Intern and is interested in the ability of neuroscience to effect changes in law and policy. In her spare time, Priya enjoys traveling, watching sports, and playing tennis.
Victoria Hawekotte recently completed her first year at University of Pennsylvania Law School. She holds a B.A. from University of California, San Diego in Sociology with a concentration in Science and Medicine. Before law school, she served in the National Health Corps alongside medical case managers, managing a caseload of chronically ill, low income Philadelphians. She spent her last year before law school working on housing equity in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. She is interested in health policy and the intersection of bioethics and law. In her free time, Victoria likes to perform stand up comedy, listen to FBI podcasts, and is building a model ship.
Riley Hoffman is a rising senior at Harvard College studying Psychology on the Cognitive Neuroscience and Evolutionary Psychology track. She is originally from Gaithersburg, Maryland and plans to pursue PhD studies after college. Riley has previously been a research assistant at McLean Hospital in the Center for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Research. Outside of the classroom, she helps organize Harvard Model Congress and loves to read, knit, and spend time outside.
Adele Mah is a junior at Wellesley College majoring in Neuroscience. She is incredibly passionate about the implications of accurate neuroscience research and education to shape the legal system and advocate for a more just society. She desires to pursue a joint degree after graduation. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, editing videos, watching sunsets, and exploring new coffee shops.
Nika Rudenko is a sophomore at Harvard College concentrating in Integrative Biology and receiving her secondary in Psychology. She is passionate about exploring the intersection of law and medicine. On-campus, Nika is a facilitator for Life Sciences courses, which entails supporting fellow students in understanding and learning challenging scientific concepts. She is also a research assistant for the Radcliffe Institute program that focuses on ensuring justice and equity in clinical settings as psychiatry embraces data and artificial intelligence to treat mental illnesses. Outside of the classroom, she is a co-chair of the Intercollegiate Bussiness Conference committee for Women in Business, where she organizes various exploratory events to expose undergraduate women to real-life opportunities.
Emma Schultz is a rising second-year student at Boston College Law School. She has a BA in Chemistry and a minor in Science in Human Culture from Northwestern University. As an undergraduate, Emma worked in Professor Thomas V. O’Halloran’s research lab, and she currently serves as a section representative for the Health Law Society. Emma is interested in using scientific research to promote justice and equity in the law. In her free time, Emma enjoys swimming, reading poetry and memoirs, and exploring Boston.
Caitlyn Tabor, JD is a Master of Bioethics candidate at Harvard Medical School. She holds a JD from Albany Law School. Caitlyn teaches courses on the intersection of law and bioethics to MD and MA students at the Renaissance School of Medicine at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Caitlyn’s recent work in bioethics includes scholarship on access to care and considerations of justice in health care. She plans to expand her work into the realm of policy to achieve reform in the legal and medical spheres.
