Curriculum  Vitae

Set up materials, including consent forms, demographic and Qualtrics questionnaires, Ishihara test for color blindness, NDA GUID tool for NIH records, and IRB checklist

Prepare computers for data processing, including the experimental paradigm through MATLAB, the eye-tracking monitor, shock workshop, and the dense waveform panel for EEG raw data visualization and recording

Guide participants through the consent process, allowing time for reading and signing, followed by a brief summary of the experiment and an explanation of the participant's condition

Prepared the EEG cap solution (warm water, baby shampoo, and salt) to apply the EEG cap to the participant, ensuring minimal impedances and explaining the potential impact of movement on EEG data quality

Provide instructions on experiment-related ratings, such as SAM rating scale, emphasizing the connection to valence, arousal, and the experiment's objectives

Supervise and support participants during the experiment, which typically lasts 40-60 minutes

Engage in ongoing learning, focusing on experiment analysis such as correlation test through JASP statistical software, preprocessing of data and processing of wavelet analysis through MATLAB, poster presentation skills, and thesis development under the guidance and regular communication of the Principal Investigator (PI)

Prepared materials before participants' arrival including saliva collection tubes, hair cutting materials for hair cortisol analysis, neuropsychological paper tests, survey questionnaires, and the experimental paradigm

Collected saliva samples for genetic sampling of Alzheimer’s, by placing a cotton swab underneath participants’ tongue for one minute and stored samples in a designated refrigerator

Collected hair samples, approximately 3cm/1in. thick from the crown of the head, for hair cortisol analysis and stored samples in specific envelopes to send-off for later analysis

Administered neuropsychological tests in English and Spanish including the Multilingual Naming Test (MINT Sprint), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Trails Making Test (TMT) Parts A & B, Digit Span Forward and Backward, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and d2 Test of Attention

​Provided questionnaires in English and Spanish including the Medical Screening Questionnaire (MSQ), Demographics Form Questionnaire, Hair Care and Medications Questionnaire,  MacArthur Scale of Subjective Status, Stressful Life Experiences Scale (SLES), Acculturation Scale (for Latinx participants only), Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Lifestyle and Exercise Questionnaire, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-42), Experiences of Discrimination Questionnaires, Religiosity Questionnaire, Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaires (LEAP-Q), and Subjective Memory Complaints Questionnaire (for older participants only)

Scored neuropsychological assessments and questionnaires and submitted data to a google sheet for storage and future analysis

Analyzed data by transferring approximately 100 participants raw encoding and retrieval files into usable data for statistical analysis such as independent sample t-test, simple ANOVAs, and correlation tests through JASP statistical software focusing on the effects of stress on the memory measures (target recognition and lure discrimination index) across three groups (US-born Latinx, Foreign-born Latinx, and non-Latinx) of interest

Coordinated participant recruitment through distribution of posters and flyers, email outreach, and phone calls for scheduling study participation

Prepared a 15-minute oral presentation and a poster for future conferences, drafted a manuscript for future publication, and reviewed articles and led discussions for journal club

Participated in weekly lab meetings, providing updates on weekly activities and discussing plans for the upcoming week with the Principal Investigator (PI), fostering strong communication and clarity among team members

Maintained a personal lab journal, updating it regularly to document daily activities and provide a record for future reference

Conducted running behavior on mice in specialized chambers, including weighing, feeding, cleaning, and keeping daily logs, followed by data storage for future behavior analysis

Performed cryostat and tissue punches on mouse brains involved in behavior analysis, brain regions include the basolateral amygdala and the nucleus accumbens, for processing of Hi-C benchwork

Contributed to the development of accessible content through a laboratory website to increase awareness of underrepresented groups in psychiatric genetics research

Implemented participant engagement strategies, sending reminders 24 and 2 hours before scheduled studies to minimize no-shows

Organized and prepared the experimental space, such as set up of GoPro for data recording and configured computers with consent forms and pre-experiment surveys

Established an Excel spreadsheet, serving as a participant log to organize and manage participant information

Conducted one-on-one interactions, explaining each step of the experiment and monitoring participants during the hour-long experiment, addressing questions or withdrawal requests

Administered a final survey post-experiment and conducted a follow-up with 10 questions to gather feedback on the study

Debriefed participants, providing an overview of the study's purpose and nature

Stored recorded data securely in a Dropbox folder for subsequent analysis