Professional Bio

Alyssa is a first-year graduate student in the Developmental Psychology program working with Dr. Kristin Buss and Dr. Koraly Pérez-Edgar. She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Psychological Science at Western Kentucky University through their joint undergraduate masters program. Under the mentorship of Dr. Diane Lickenbrock, she worked as an undergraduate/graduate research assistant for 5 years. Alyssa’s interests in emotion development include using a multimethod approach to understanding individual differences in cardiac autonomic reactivity (RSA/PEP), temperament (behavioral inhibition), and parent-child interactions. She is particularly interested in exploring these factors as they work dynamically, in tandem to shape the way children respond to stress. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, calligraphy, and spending time with friends and family.