Welcome to the Life Experience And Resilient Neurodevelopment (LEARN) Lab!
What we do
In the LEARN lab, we study neural and psychological development during childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood in order to understand how different life experiences and ways of responding to them affect youth mental health. Our research leverages several methods including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), behavioral tasks, and interviews to study developmental processes and outcomes. The ultimate goal of this research is to identify ways to promote adaptation across varied developmental contexts and advance wellbeing across the lifespan.
Where to find us
Please see our Research and Publications pages for more info on what the lab is up to! Our lab is co-located in Kastle Hall on the University of Kentucky campus and just off campus at 343 Waller Avenue. We also collect data at the Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center (MRISC) on UK's campus.
Our values
Research in the LEARN lab examines the ways that life experience shapes and interacts with neural and psychological development across childhood and adolescence. In our work, we recognize the diversity of experiences youth encounter and respect and privilege the invaluable knowledge provided by research participants’ and lab members’ lived experiences. Our research is grounded in a person-centered approach that moves beyond deficits frameworks to consider the unique strengths and adaptations that allow individuals to flourish across diverse developmental contexts.
As stewards of the research we conduct, it is our responsibility to open the doors of science as widely as we can, both because this improves the quality of the work we do and more importantly because we believe that all individuals deserve to exist in and be supported by academic spaces. Towards this end, we celebrate our unique backgrounds, challenge our own blind spots and those of our field, and work to create a lab environment in which all members are valued and able to achieve their own self-defined goals.
As stewards of the research we conduct, it is our responsibility to open the doors of science as widely as we can, both because this improves the quality of the work we do and more importantly because we believe that all individuals deserve to exist in and be supported by academic spaces. Towards this end, we celebrate our unique backgrounds, challenge our own blind spots and those of our field, and work to create a lab environment in which all members are valued and able to achieve their own self-defined goals.
Mentorship & collaboration
Like our research, mentorship in the LEARN lab takes a developmental approach. As the lab director, I structure my role to complement mentees' knowledge and stage of development as independent scientists. Each semester every member of the lab establishes short-term goals aligned with their aims for professional growth and the current directions of the lab. I meet regularly with lab members (weekly for grad students, bimonthly or when needed for undergrads) to review research progress and address challenges. I typically work closely with undergraduate and early graduate students on skill development, providing a high degree of scaffolding that is decreased as students develop their independent expertise and take the lead on identifying areas where they need support.
Multi-method, longitudinal research like that conducted in the LEARN lab requires collaboration between lab members and with colleagues in the field and community partners. I endeavor to create a sense of community and a lab environment that values team science. Members of the lab contribute to this atmosphere by teaching each other new skills, working together on data collection and analysis, and contributing to projects led by others in the lab. The scientific process is a long one, but by supporting one another and celebrating individual and collective achievements, we sustain ourselves and maximize the value of our work.
Multi-method, longitudinal research like that conducted in the LEARN lab requires collaboration between lab members and with colleagues in the field and community partners. I endeavor to create a sense of community and a lab environment that values team science. Members of the lab contribute to this atmosphere by teaching each other new skills, working together on data collection and analysis, and contributing to projects led by others in the lab. The scientific process is a long one, but by supporting one another and celebrating individual and collective achievements, we sustain ourselves and maximize the value of our work.