Undergraduate Students
Current Team
Annie Coffey is a senior majoring in Psychology, and is currently applying to clinical psychology PhD programs to pursue a career in psychological research and behavioral assessment. Her past work centers around improving communication resources for participants, evaluating a new tool assessing autism symptom severity, and analyzing physiological markers of stress in caregivers of children during their autism evaluation. This year Annie is working closely with Dr. Hill to analyze the support provided by Bailey’s first EEG, a children’s book for families with children receiving EEGs. Outside of the PAL Lab, Annie is a peer educator for the Center for Student Support and Care; she also enjoys gardening and music in her spare time.
Caroline Keefe is a senior majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior with a minor in Science and Patient Advocacy. After graduation, she hopes to attend medical school. She is originally from Columbia, Illinois, a small suburb outside of St. Louis. She is interested in how environmental and genetic factors can affect both physical and mental health outcomes.
Carson Kniola is a senior majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior on the pre-medical track and Film, Television, and Theatre. He is from Fishers, Indiana, and he comes from a family full of Fighting Irish fans. He is really interested in research connecting the neuroscience/psychophysiology and mental health fields. Outside of research, his hobbies include volleyball, tennis, pickleball, listening to music, binge-watching TV shows, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Deborah Garcia is a senior at Notre Dame, majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior. She is originally from Phoenix, Arizona but currently live in Ryan Hall. She has a strong passion for psychophysiology and a love for working with families. She is thrilled to be a part of the PAL Lab, where she looks forward to exploring the intricacies of affect and engaging with families in South Bend.
Daniel Parilo is a senior studying Neuroscience and Behavior and Data Science. His primary interests are perception and consciousness. He is curious about how the structure of neuronal signals encodes the structure of experience. He loves reading, getting outdoors, and good coffee.
Grace Merfeld is a junior majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior. Grace is from Charlotte, NC, and lives in Ryan Hall. She enjoys cooking, taking long walks, and lifting weights at the Smith Center. She has recently become an NREMT and is super excited to be able to work with Notre Dame on-campus EMS. Grace is very passionate about mental health and is interested in cognitive development. She loves meeting new people and is grateful to be a part of such an awesome team!
Henry Oh is a junior double majoring in Psychology and Pre-Health. He is from Baltimore, Maryland. He is interested in adolescent development, particularly the personality and moral development processes. He is excited to work in the PAL Lab and with families too. In the future, he hopes to attend medical school to explore the field of psychiatry. Outside the classroom, he enjoys rock climbing and spending time with friends and family.
Jairo Soto Leon is a senior studying Neuroscience and Behavior + Spanish. Additionally, he is on the pre-medical track. His research interest revolves around psychophysiology. Specifically, how it can illuminate psychological states like stress, emotion, and cognition. He really enjoys how it deepens the understanding of human behavior. He is excited to be part of PAL lab and engage with people from with community.
Jenisse Jarquin is a senior on the pre-med track studying Neuroscience and behavior with a minor in science and patient advocacy. She was born and raised in Miami, Florida, but currently living in Lyons Hall. Her research interests include childhood trauma and how it pertains to altering brain functionality and connectivity. She started her research during the fall semester abroad in Galway, Ireland with Dr. Canon and will continue onward with psychophysiology research and how it all interconnects. Her hobbies include reading, going to the gym and hanging out with friends and families. In the future, she hopes to complete a master’s degree in clinical neuroscience and then continue into medical school to pursue an MD.
Loren Alfaro González is from San Juan, Puerto Rico. She is currently a senior majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior and minoring in History and Italian. After graduating, she plans on attending medical school and becoming a doctor. She joined the PAL Lab because, among other things, she is highly interested in how affective disorders manifest and develop differently across the various stages of life, and am very excited to work with individuals of differing ages, particularly children. She also enjoy reading, hanging out with friends and family, and generally relaxing in her free time.
Leia Jones is a senior majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior (pre-med) with a minor in Korean. She is originally from Greenwood, Indiana, but currently live in McGlinn Hall. On campus, she is part of the Galvin Scholars Program and am a tutor for general chemistry. Off campus, she spends time tutoring elementary school students at the RCLC and volunteering at Elkhart General Hospital. In her free time, she likes to play the guitar and go to concerts. In the future, she hopes to go to medical school and, eventually, go into a career in neurology.
Leslie Gamboa is a senior, majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior with a minor in Latino Studies. I am originally from Weslaco, Texas, but currently reside in Flaherty Hall. Her interest in psychology and neuroscience stems from her passion for holistic medical care and curiosity about the complexity of psychophysiological processes. She is very excited to extend her experience using EEG and witness its utility in research. After graduation, she plans to take a gap year and proceed to apply to medical school. Outside of research, her hobbies include reading, doing service work, volleyball, and going for walks.
Mia Chiong is a junior Psychology major with a minor in Compassionate Care in Medicine. She is from Tampa, Florida. Working as a teacher’s assistant for an elementary school in the Philippines before she entered college, she saw first-hand how mental health is often overlooked in young school children, especially amongst those in poverty. With that experience, she grew interested in the field of psychopathology with a desire to research more about the psychological disorders that affect young children, adolescents, and their families. Outside of academics, she really enjoys playing the guitar and watching movies.
Mary Rice is currently a senior at the University of Notre Dame, majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior (B.A.) with a supplemental major in Spanish. She has grown up in the South Bend community, with her family currently living in Niles, Michigan. She has gained previous psychology research experience through an internship at the William J. Shaw Center for Family and Children. Her extensive experience working with children has deepened her interest in understanding emotional regulation and physiological changes in children, particularly when compared to adults, and their implications for mental health. She is eager to continue her work in the PAL Lab after studying abroad the past 2025 spring semester, and looks forward to deepening her connection to the community she grew up in.
Natalie Wood is a senior at the University of Notre Dame, majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior with a minor in Science and Patient Advocacy. Originally from Samaná, Dominican Republic, she now considers Davenport, Florida, and Breen-Phillips Hall her homes. Natalie's research interests focus on how maternal adversity in prenatal care influences children's mental health and behavioral patterns long-term. She is a Teaching Assistant for Organic Chemistry and Neuroscience labs, roles that reflect her passion for research and the importance of "enjoying science". In her free time, Natalie enjoys baking cakes for friends and diving.
Patrick Kenny is a junior majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior. He is originally from Seattle, Washington, but his home on campus is Graham Hall. He is interested in studying the psychophysiology and psychopathology of various disorders such as depression. He is excited to work with members of the community of all ages and to participate in the research being conducted in the PAL lab. Outside of school, he enjoys baking desserts and hiking with family and friends.
Alumni
Adriana Simons is a junior majoring in Business Analytics and Psychology with a minor in Musical Theatre. She is from Panama City, Panama. Her previous work with local NGOs in Panama focused on mental health sparked her passion for understanding the cultural and societal factors that influence mental health, particularly in children and their families. She is excited to collaborate with members of the PAL Lab and deepen her knowledge in this area. Outside the classroom, she enjoys hiking with her family, cooking, and listening to music.
Caroline Isom is a senior from Miami, Florida studying Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics (ACMS) and Psychology with a minor in Theology. She loves working with children and value the importance of families to mental health and development. She is a clarinetist in the marching band, and in her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, working out, and anything outdoors. After graduating, she hopes to blend psychology and my passion for the Catholic faith to serve children and families in the community.
Kate Wiser is a senior studying Psychology. Her research interests are depression, anxiety, eating disorders and body image. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, especially hiking, biking, running and playing sports. She loves dogs and have a mini bernedoodle named Bella.