Dr. Aaron T. Mattfeld
Principal Investigator
Dr. Mattfeld is the Director of Mattfeld MaDLab. His research is focused on understanding the neurobiological mechanisms that support learning and memory, and how these mechanisms change as a result of development and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Dr. Mattfeld obtained his M.A. in Cognitive Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. He later completed his Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of California, Irvine. He then received his postdoctoral training in developmental neuroscience from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Graduate Students
Stephen (Steve) Suss
Steve is a Ph.D. student in the Cognitive Neuroscience program at Florida International University, co-mentored by Dr. Dana McMakin. They hold a B.S. in psychology and an M.S. in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling from the University of Pittsburgh. Steve previously worked at CMU and UPMC on studies examining mindfulness, adolescent concussion, and the effects of sleep on mental health. Their current research uses neuroimaging to inform interventions for youth with internalizing disorders. They are interested in how mindfulness, puberty, and affective processes shape emotion regulation and cognitive function.
Cortney Stedman
Cortney earned her bachelor’s degree at University of Minnesota and afterwards worked at the Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Lab in Boston College as a lab manager. Cortney is a recipient of the prestigious NSF GRFP co-mentored with my collaborator Dr. Timothy Allen. Cortney’s research is focused on investigating the role of high frequency ripple activity in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex during sequence memory.
Chris Reese
Chris is a graduate student in the Cognitive Neuroscience Ph.D. Program at FIU. His current research goal is to better understand the structure and function of brain regions involved in sleep, emotion, and memory. He is broadly interested in exploring concepts in human cognition.
Hyeonjeong (Hailee) Lee
Hyeonjeong is a graduate student in the Cognitive Neuroscience program at FIU, under the supervision of Drs. Bennett Schwartz and Aaron Mattfeld. Her research focuses on phenomenological factors that can be experienced during the memory retrieval process, such as the tip-of-the-tongue state, the feeling of knowing, and confidence in memory. The goal of her research is to explore how subjective judgments about memory relate to the accuracy of human memory, thereby gaining a deeper understanding of the nature of subjective feelings associated with memory performance.
Undergraduate Students
Sofia Fraile
Sofia is in her final year of her undergraduate degree, after which she will graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychology with a minor in Statistics. Afterwards, she intends to pursue a Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience at FIU. Her current research interests are broadly related to understanding brain regions implicated in learning, especially within the context of development of children and adolescents.
Vanesa Smielak
Vanesa is an undergraduate student double majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychology. She is interested in exploring how psychiatric disorders affect fundamental brain functions, including learning and memory. Vanesa collaborated as a research assistant on the ESI and ABD studies. Her future aspirations are to pursue a Ph.D. in Neuroscience.
Abenaa Yamoah
Abenaa is an undergraduate student pursuing a dual degree in behavioral neuroscience and psychology. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a PH.D. in developmental neuroscience. Her research interests include learning and memory in preschool-aged children, as well as, diversifying neuroscience.
Solana Varela
Solana is an undergraduate student majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience at Florida International University (FIU). She is deeply interested in studying how neurological disorders affect the brain’s anatomy and function. Her passion for helping and treating people will drive her to explore and resreach effective treatments for these conditions. Upon completing her Bachelor’s degree, Solana aspires to pursue graduate studies in Clinical Psychology with a focus on Neuropsychology.
Nicholas Dopazo
Emily Bejerano
Alumni
Dr. Vanesa Rivera – Brown postdoctoral scholar
Dr. Amanda Renfro – NIMH postdoctoral scholar
Dr. Adam Kimbler – UCI postdoctoral scholar
Dr. Nate Muncy – Research Scientist Duke University
Dr. Whitney Fosco – Pennsylvania State University
Dr. Whitney Fosco – Pennsylvania State University
Kaylee Marrero – PhD program in Biology @ FIU
Fernando Melara Barahona
Arianna Valdes
Adriana Pellot
Luisa Bermero – Clinical Psych PhD program @ U of Southern Alabama
Parsa Nilchian – MD program @ Weill Cornell Medicine
Michael Farruggia – Yale INP Program
Alejandro Hermida – University of Miami Medical School
Sofia Espinosa – Occupational Therapy School
Shridat Jadoo – University of Pennsylvania Medical School
Maya Zlitni
Massiel Dos Santos – PA school
Kevin Alzate
Isabel Thorson
Gabriel Garcia – FIU Medical School
Anibal Morales
Clara George
Jeslyn Rodriguez – SUNY Albany Medical School
Krissie Lobon – medical resident @ Vanderbilt University