PhD Graduate Student Class of 2023 Wrap-Up
The Institute of Child Development (ICD) would like to congratulate our 2023 PhD student graduates! In celebration of our students we’d like to take a look back at their time at ICD and learn more about what their next steps are.
Lauren Eales
“I will always be grateful to have worked under the mentorship of Dr. Gail Ferguson, whose arrival at ICD in my second year brought so much hope and helped ignite my passion for my research topics of media use, mental health, culture, and racial socialization. I am also grateful that I was able to get my degree in the very unique developmental psychopathology area, where I got great training in both developmental and clinical topics. The ICD student body also enabled me to hone my advocacy and leadership skills through being involved in the graduate student committee, Growing Brains, Next-Gen Psych Scholars Program, and Diversity in Psychology Support program – all of which contributed to my ICD experience. I am currently a psychology intern at the University of Minnesota Medical School, and I look forward to continuing both my clinical and research training once I complete this final step of my degree.”
Jasmine Ernst
“During my time at ICD, I had the privilege of being mentored by Drs. Stephanie Carlson and Michèle Mazzocco where I studied the associations between executive function and STEM achievement in early childhood. I am immensely grateful for all the faculty, students, and staff I had the opportunity to work with at ICD. I am excited to continue this line of research in my new position as a postdoctoral researcher on the Purdue University Research Program On STEM Education Postdoctoral Training Initiative with Dr. Robert Duncan.”
Cara Lucke
“I am grateful for my time at ICD, and in particular, working with Ann Masten as my primary mentor. I also collaborated with Minn-LInK and was fortunate for the opportunity to contribute to community-based research projects and policy-oriented work. For this upcoming year, I am completing my pre-doctoral clinical internship at Children’s National Hospital in Washington D.C. where I am focusing on intervention and assessment with young children and their caregivers. I will miss the amazing graduate students at ICD, but I am lucky to carry with me lifelong friendships!”
Sophia Magro
“I am immensely grateful to have had six wonderful years at ICD, where I worked with incredible faculty, collaborated with brilliant students, and made friends for life! I was mentored at ICD by Dr. Glenn Roisman, who I greatly admire for his careful thinking, deep respect for his colleagues and students, and tenacity. I was also lucky to collaborate with Dr. Betty Carlson, who is an incredible example of a researcher building bridges between the clinical, research, and policy worlds. I hope future students will benefit from their mentorship as much as I have. Currently, I am completing my doctoral training with a clinical internship at Duke University, where I am receiving advanced training in clinical supervision, early autism assessment, and early intervention. I hope my professional journey will bring me back to Minnesota before long!”
Marissa Nivison
“During my time at ICD I had the privilege to be advised by Dr. Glenn Roisman where I studied the legacy of early experiences on wellbeing across the lifespan and how we measure those experiences. I specifically focused on attachment theory and childhood experiences of abuse and neglect. I will always be thankful to Dr. Glenn Roisman for being such an outstanding mentor. I am now continuing my research career as a postdoctoral fellow at The University of Calgary working with Dr. Sheri Madigan.”
Emmy Reilly
“My time at ICD greatly advanced my scholarship, research training, and individual growth. I am incredibly grateful for the many mentors who supported me, especially Dr. Megan Gunnar. I continue to be in awe of my fellow ICD graduate students, and would encourage future grad students to build up strong connections with your peers- they will help you persevere and add to your work immensely. During my graduate studies, I focused my program of research onto the interconnections between compassion, parenting, and stress. I am currently working as a Research Scientist at the Center for Child and Family Policy at Duke University with Dr. Ken Dodge, with plans to pursue a faculty position at a research university.”
Danruo Zhong
“I am currently working as a research scientist at NYU Langone Health/NYU Grossman School of Medicine on a nation-wide parenting intervention program promoting health and development in children from low-income, racial and ethnic minority families. I have enjoyed the five years I spent in ICD- the training, winter camping, grill-out, and parties with my lovely ICD friends and colleagues, and I am immensely grateful for the warm and collaborative ICD community that has supported me throughout my graduate school years.”
Meriah DeJoseph
Dr. DeJoseph is starting a postdoctoral position at Stanford University.
Carolyn Lasch
Carolyn will be completing her clinical internship at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta in Georgia.
Liz Sharer
Dr. Liz Sharer completed her clinical internship at Wasatch Behavioral Health in Utah and will move onto a postdoctoral fellowship at Fraser in Minneapolis.