Benjamin J. Clark PhD, Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico
Lab Members
Principal Investigator:
Benjamin J. Clark, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Psychology
Graduate Students:
Gabriela Acosta, B.S. (Psychology) Project: Lateral Thalamic Function in Spatial Memory and after Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Lilliana Sanchez, M.S. (Psychology) Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA Predoctoral Fellowship (F31 NIAAA)2022-2025 Alcohol Research Training in Neurosciences Program (T32 NIAAA)2020-2022 Neuroscience Scholars Program 2017-2019 Project: Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Hippocampal Dynamics during Learning and Memory
Tia Donaldson, M.S. (Psychology) Neuroscience Scholars Program 2020-2022 Project: The Effects of Alcohol Exposure on Mouse Path Integration
Undergraduate Research Assistants:
Ariyana LaCour (Chemical Engineering/Pharmacy) Project: Theta-Gamma Coupling in Mouse and Rat Models of Alzheimer’s disease
Zara Roy (Psychology) Project: The Effects of Alcohol Exposure on Memory and Navigation
Maia Salazar-Miralles (Psychology) Project: Role of Lateral Thalamus in Path Integration
Jessica Walker (Psychology/Nursing) Project: Alzheimer’s disease and Sex Differences in Anxiety and Depression
Enhui Wang (Psychology/Family & Child Studies) Project: Lateral Thalamus and Spatial Frames of Reference
Lab Alumni:
Over 50 students have participate in our research program. This includes students enrolled in graduate studies (MS and PhD programs) and the Psychology Honors program, including a recipient of the Rachael Dowler Outstanding Honors Thesis Award. Graduate students have participated in the Alcohol Research Training in Neurosciences Program (T32 NIAAA). We have also had undergraduate students participate in Psych 499 courses, the McNair Scholar program, El Puente Research Fellow program, PREP Scholar program, New Mexico AMP, IMSD Student program, and UNM ASSURE program. Some of our alumni have gone onto professional, post-doctoral, and graduate studies. Below is a partial list of our alumni and where they are now.
Rhudovic Ramos, Psych 499 – Technician at Cancer Care Center (UNM)
Judit Huerta, McNair Scholar – Grad Student (Arizona State)
Erin Melendrez, Psych 499 – Biomedical Research Institute of New Mexico
Tram Le, Psych 499 – Biotechnologist at BennuBio
Gabriela Acosta, Psych 499 – Grad student (UNM)
Kimberly Rogge-Obando, McNair Scholar – Grad student in Neuroscience (Vanderbilt)
Zachary Villasenor, Psych 499 – Technician (UNM)
Laura Berkowitz, PhD student – Post-doc (Cornell)
Ryan Harvey, PhD student (T32 ARTN trainee) – Post-doc (Cornell)
Jonathan Goss, Technician – Systems Administrator at SystemsMD
Monica Goncalves-Garcia, Psych 499 – Grad student (UNM)
Danielle Benthem, Psych 499 – Grad student (Florida State)
Krystalyn Madden, Psych 499 – Clinical Mental Health Counselor
Jack Madden, Psych 499 – Grad student (UNM)
Shannon Thompson, PREP Scholar – Technician (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center)
Elizabeth Sneddon-Yepez, Psych 499 – Post-doc (UCSD)
Systems Neuroscience and Behavior Lab 