Predoctoral Trainees
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Name: Sophia Blyth Education: Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Anticipated 2031, SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program; M.S. in Clinical Psychology, Anticipated 2027. San Diego State University; B.A. in Psychology, 2023, Harvard University Mentor: Will Pelham Research Interest: Social and peer network influences on adolescent alcohol and other substance use, including patterns of substance use disclosure to peers and parents. Appointed: 2025 |
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Name: Stephanie Pedrahita Education: Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Anticipated 2031, SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program; M.S. in Clinical Psychology, Anticipated 2027, San Diego State University; M.A. in Psychology, 2023, San Diego State University; B.A. in Psychology, 2018, University of California, Los Angeles Mentor: Ksenija Marinkovic Research Interests: The excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance as a mechanistic framework for understanding how repeated alcohol exposure, particularly binge drinking, alters neural excitability. Investigating whether alcohol-induced shifts in GABA and glutamate signaling lead to long-term hyperexcitability, with the aim of identifying early biomarkers for alcohol use disorder prior to cognitive or memory decline. Appointed: 2025 |
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Name: Jake Rattigan Education: Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Anticipated 2030, SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program; M.S. in Clinical Psychology, Anticipated 2026, San Diego State University; B.A. in Psychology, 2022, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Mentors:Tom Marcotte, Igor Grant, and David Moore Research Interests: Acute and chronic effects of cannabis and alcohol on driving performance and neuropsychological functioning, along with individuals’ subjective interpretations of their health and state of being Appointed: 2024 |
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Name: Veronica Szpak Education: Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Anticipated 2030, SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program; M.S. in Psychology, 2021, University of Amsterdam; B.S. in Psychology, 2018, Loyola University Chicago Mentor: Natasha Wade Research Interest:The heterogeneity of individual trajectories of substance use disorders (alcohol, cannabis, and opioids). Risk and resilience factors associated with substance use, and their effects on neurodevelopment and cognitive functioning in adolescents and young adults. Appointed: 2024 |
Postdoctoral Trainees
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Name: Madison Kelm
Education: Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, 2025, The Pennsylvania State University
Mentor: Sarah Mattson
Research Interest: Effects of prenatal alcohol +polysubstance exposure and comorbid postnatal risk factors (e.g., psychological distress, maltreatment) on biobehavioral development from infancy through adolescence; advanced quantitative methods applied across multiple timescales and levels of assessment.
Appointed: 2025
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Name: Emily Kemp
Education: Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, 2024, Medical University of South Carolina
Mentor: Will Pelham
Research Interest: x
Appointed: 2025
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Name: Alexander Wallace
Education: Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, 2022, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Mentors: Natasha Wade and Susan Tapert
Research Interest: The intersection of adolescent and young adult substance use and externalizing disorders, such as ADHD, on neurodevelopment including both structural and functional imaging and neurocognitive outcomes.
Appointed: 2023
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Name: Zachary Tatom
Education: Ph.D. in Human Genetics, 2024, Virginia Commonwealth University
Mentor: Abraham Palmer
Research Interest: x
Appointed: 2025
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