People
The Brain and Behavioral Dynamics Lab, part of the Psychology Department at Penn State, is looking for research assistants to study brain development in infants, children, and adolescents for Fall 2025.
You can earn research project (PSY 494) credit or work study funds, and learn video, computer, and communication skills. Prior research experience and computer skills are a plus, but aren’t required. We are especially interested in students who have morning availability, computer skills, or are interested in developing skills in advertising, marketing, or public relations. You may apply by completing an application. At least a TWO semester commitment is required.
Lab Director
Rick O. Gilmore is Professor of Psychology, a Huck Institute of the Life Sciences faculty member, and an Associate of the Institute for Cyberscience. He earned his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in Cognitive Science from Brown University, and master’s and doctoral degrees in Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University where he participated in the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC) training program in cognitive neuroscience. Gilmore’s research focuses on the development of visual perception and memory. He is particularly interested in the development of brain networks that enable perceivers to extract information about the layout of the environment, the shape of objects, and the speed and direction of self-movement from patterns of visual motion called optic flow. Gilmore is also keenly interested in developing tools and practices that make scientific research more open, transparent, and reproducible. He is co-founder and Co-Director of the Databrary.org data library, and is co-PI on the Play & Learning Across a Year (PLAY) Project. From 2008 to 2014, Gilmore served as the founding Director of Human Imaging at Penn State’s Social, Life, and Engineering Sciences Imaging Center (SLEIC). He has won the College of the Liberal Arts tenure-line faculty teaching award, leads the Open Data in Developmental Science (ODDS) initiative for the Penn State Child Study Center, and has had support for his research from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
Gilmore has served as president of the Centre Region Bicycle Coalition, the Acoustic Brew Concert Series, and the State College Community Theatre. An active radio amateur or ham (callsign W3TM), he is member of the Board of Directors of the Nittany Amateur Radio Club and served as the faculty adviser and K3CR license trustee for the Penn State Amateur Radio Club from 2018-2023.
Contact Information
114 Moore Building
Department of Psychology
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16801
814-865-3664, voice
814-863-7002, fax
rogilmore AT-SIGN psu DOT edu
Current Staff
Andrea Seisler, Lab Manager
Andrea R. Seisler is the Laboratory Manager of the Brain and Behavioral Dynamics Laboratory directed by Dr. Rick O. Gilmore and the Support and Authorizations Specialist at Databrary. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from The Catholic University of America. During her graduate studies, she was a recipient of the Clare Booth Luce Fellowship award.
She completed MRI based neuroscience and orthopedics research while working at The National Institutes of Health from 2001-2007. After her move to State College, she served as an IRB Compliance Coordinator for the Human Research Protection Program at Penn State and then moved on in 2009 to manage the Human Electrophysiology Facility located at the Social, Life, and Enginineering Sciences Imaging Center through 2014.
She is active in Scouts BSA as a Committee Member in Troop 245, an Executive Board Member of the Juniata Valley Council, BSA, and the Council Training Committee Vice-Chair. She completed her Wood Badge leadership training course in September 2020 and was a Troop Guide on Wood Badge staff in the Spring of 2022. She has been the Assistant Scoutmaster of Administration for National Youth Leadership Training since 2021. She was nominated and joined the Order of the Arrow in Fall 2024. In addition she enjoys dancing ballet and teaching preschoolers and adults at Dance Academy.
Contact Information
503 Moore BuildingDepartment of Psychology
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802
ars17 AT-SIGN psu DOT edu
Seunghee Ham, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Seunghee Ham is a class of 2025 majoring in Psychology with a life science focus. Currently, she is an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Gilmore’s Lab and Dr. Erika’s Labs at Penn State. This role allows her to develop her research skills and contribute to projects in the Lab, a crucial step in becoming a clinical psychologist. She is learning how to use R and GitHub!
Her academic interests are primarily in Clinical Psychology, and she intends to pursue an MD and/or Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She aspires to pursue a career as a clinical psychologist. She wants to improve her perspectives on psychotherapy and provide & settle better psychotherapy/counseling services at the University in Korea.
Kassandra Marin, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Kassandra Marin is an undergraduate student at The Pennsylvania State University, aiming to graduate with a degree in Psychology with a focus on neuroscience and a minor in Spanish, with the Class of 2028. She plans to pursue further studies in neuropsychology, either through a PsyD or PhD, with the goal of becoming a neuropsychologist. Her academic interests center around cognitive processes and brain dysfunction. Currently, Kassandra works as an undergraduate assistant in the Brain and Behavioral Dynamics Lab. Outside of her studies, she enjoys figure skating, painting, and hiking.
Gavin Robinson, Undergraduate Research Assistant
Gavin is a Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar double majoring in Psychology and Sociology intending to graduate in 2026. Gavin is a member of Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology, and a Peer Advisor in the college of the Liberal Arts. After college, Gavin plans to pursue a career in brain imaging, hopefully working with rTMS technology in treatment of depression. Outside of school he enjoys playing guitar, going to concerts, and playing basketball.
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Recent Alumni
- Bruna Baldiveso
- Brianna Beamer
- Nicole Cruz
- Julia DiFulvio
- Paige Haplea
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- Ysa Fernandez
- Yiming Qian, Ph.D.
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- Bowen Deng
- Anjali Jivan
- Maureen Burke
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- Shahir Rayes
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- Anna Capria
- Emily Herman
- Chelsea Davis
- Sandy Rayes
- Luka Kelly
- Amar Bhatia
- Zhichun Zhao
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- Charmi Mehta
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- Raya Willoughby
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- Daved Fared
- Auburn Lattanzio
- Michelle Shade
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- Jun Oh
- Amanda Thomas, Ph.D.
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- Shivam Vedak, MBA, MD
- Dan Elbich
- Jeremy Fesi, Ph.D., Research Analyst, U.S. Marine Corps
- Lorena Gonzalez
- Ricky Groner
- Ken Hwang
- Matthew Lee
- Patricia Jones