Monica Thieu

Postdoctoral Researcher

Monica is a FIRST-funded postdoctoral fellow in the ECCO Lab. In the lab, she uses behavioral, modeling, and neuroimaging methods to quantify the contributions of perceptual information to emotional experience. In the classroom, she develops innovative methods for teaching concepts in psychology, statistics, and scientific computing. Monica earned her Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University under Dr. Kevin Ochsner, and her B.A. in psychology from Stanford University under Drs. Melina Uncapher and Anthony Wagner, where she also worked as a lab manager. Outside the lab, Monica may be found on her e-bike, at bar trivia, or at a yarn shop.

 Graduate Students

Grace Jang

Grace is a graduate student in the neuroscience program under the Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at Emory University. She is interested in understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of emotions and how these brain dynamics influence behaviors. She graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience and a Master of Public Health. Prior to joining the ECCO lab, Grace worked with Dr. Bruce MacIver at Stanford University studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of action of ketamine using in vitro electrophysiological techniques. Outside the lab, Grace enjoys traveling internationally, trying new art mediums, and taking long walks with her dog, Bear.

Katherine Soderberg

Katherine is a graduate student in the ECCO lab. She is interested in using neuroimaging and computational approaches to investigate how humans understand others’ perspectives and emotions. As a student in the Clinical Science concentration, Katherine hopes to apply these insights across the spectrum of mental health to promote well-being. She graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience in 2019. At Yale, she worked in the labs of Dr. Jutta Joormann and Dr. Tyrone Cannon, contributing to research on depression, anxiety, and psychosis. Before coming to Emory, she worked with Dr. Karen Berman in the Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Branch at NIMH, studying social cognition in Williams syndrome. Outside of lab, she loves baking/cooking, reading, and going on bike rides.

Nilo Vafaie

Nilo is a clinical science graduate student in the ECCO lab. She is interested in applying advanced computational methods to understand the neural and cognitive bases of emotion dysregulation and their role in the development and maintenance of psychopathology. She graduated with a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering from Northwestern University. Post-graduation, she worked with Dr. Hedy Kober at Yale University, carrying out research across the substance use spectrum. Outside of the lab, she enjoys hiking, reading, and dabbling in creative writing.

Yumeng Ma

Yumeng is a graduate student in the Psychology Program concentrating on Cognitive and Computational Sciences. She is interested in using behavioral, neuroimaging and computational methods to study self-related processing and how it is associated with our well-being and mental health. She graduated from University College London with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience in 2023. At UCL, she worked with Dr. Jeremy Skipper studying the neurobiology of wellbeing using naturalistic fMRI dataset, focusing on its relationship with embodied and narrative self. Outside the lab, she enjoys reading and spending time in nature.

 Undergraduate Students

Xiaonan Li

Xiaonan is a rising junior pursuing a major in Psychology and a minor in Computer Science. She is interested in how the human brain recognizes and categorizes emotional expressions and how it will affect decision-making. Outside of the lab, she loves carving rubber stamps, playing the bamboo flute, and watching anime.

Alan Na

Alan is a junior studying Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology on the pre-medicine track. He is interested in the neural representation of affective and cognitive constructs within the brain. Outside of the lab, Alan enjoys discovering new music and playing basketball.

Meera Sethi

Meera is a senior pursuing a major in Psychology on the pre-medicine track. She is interested in the mechanistic side of the mind and how internal and external factors influence our behaviors and decisions. Outside of the lab, Meera loves to cook and try new restaurants, hike and binge-watch crime documentaries.

Justine Borgia

Justine is a junior pursuing a major in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and a minor in Nutrition. She is interested in understanding the use of neuroimaging and other techniques to identify and quantify aspects the human experience, including emotions and well-being. Outside of the lab, she loves journaling and poetry, working as a server, learning and practicing spirituality, and cooking.

Staff