Principal Investigator
20140224, Jennifer Robinson, College of Liberal Arts, Psychology,Jenny Robinson, Ph.D. received her B.A. in Psychology and Biochemistry, as well as her M.A. and Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from Case Western Reserve University, under the guidance of Heath Demaree, Ph.D. She completed a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship in psychiatric neuroimaging at the Research Imaging Institute at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio under the mentorship of David Glahn, Ph.D.. Following her postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Robinson joined Baylor Scott & White Health and Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine where she established and directed the functional neuroimaging program, bridging research efforts among 5 academic departments, and managing the neuroimaging component of over 15 studies.  Dr. Robinson joined the Department of Psychological Sciences at Auburn University in 2012, where she has built the only 7T MRI laboratory with the capability to collect over 6 channels of psychophysiological measurements. Dr. Robinson is interested in the dynamic interaction between the central and autonomic nervous system, and how these two systems support emotional processes.  She is also interested in how emotions affect cognition, especially in clinical disorders such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Lab Managers
Dorothy Dreelin recently graduated from Auburn University and will be applying to Clinical Psychology Ph.D. programs for Fall 2023. She is interested in studying stress related conditions such as PTSD and how the brain processes stress and anxiety. She is also interested in studying underlying risk factors that contribute to the comorbidity of stress-related conditions and substance abuse. During her time at Auburn, Dorothy was an undergraduate research fellow and rode horses competitively for the Auburn Eventing Team in her free time.

Merlina Rodas received her Bachelor’s in psychology and anthropology from Brooklyn College. Her academic interests include substance use disorders, human perception, and cognitive function. Personal interests include fitness, general well-being and culinary arts.
Graduate Students
Steven Nichols is a fourth-year graduate student interested in neuroimaging and the effects of psychoactive substances on brain anatomy and behavior. His master’s thesis focuses on understanding the neurometabolic signature of pain processing in the anterior cingulate. 
Mackenzie Leavitt is a fourth-year graduate student interested in complexity measures applied to neuroimaging data and their relationship to the central and autonomic nervous systems, especially in the context of emotion and personality differences. In his spare time, he enjoys fiction, music, meditation, and philosophy. 
Lab Alumni

Graduate Students

  • Ryan Bird, Ph.D. (2022) – Research Scientist,
  • Julio Yanes, Ph.D. (2020) – Postdoctoral Fellow, National Institutes of Health-National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
  • Jay Murphy, Ph.D. (2019) – Research Scientist, United States Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory
  • Lauren Ashley Jessica Kirby, Ph.D. (2018) – Assistant Professor, University of Texas – Tyler
  • Jessica Busler, Ph.D. (2015) – Postdoctoral Fellow, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School

Undergraduate Students

  • Zach McKinnell – Experimental Psychology (University of Kansas)
  • Tres Bodet – Fulbright Scholar, Experimental Psychology (University of Houston)
  • Katie Bottenhorn – Cognitive Neuroscience (Florida International University)
  • Jordan Brown – PREP Program at University of Alabama – Birmingham
  • Nikki Christ – Clinical Psychology (University of Toledo)
  • Robert Cooper – Industry
  • Rachel Haley – Marriage & Family Therapy
  • Brian Jantzen – Clinical Mental Health Counseling (Auburn University)
  • Anna Kirkland – Nutritional Neuroscience (American University), earned Ph.D. in 2020
  • Sally Kirklewski – Counseling Psychology (University of Georgia)
  • Paul Kornman – Experimental Psychology (University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth)
  • Emerson Larios – Clinical Psychology (University of Texas – San Antonio)
  • Cade Loftin – South Alabama School of Medicine
  • Clayton Ridner – Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences (Auburn University)
  • Megan Thomas – Clinical Psychology (Morehead State University)
  • Tyler Toledo – Clinical Psychology (University of Tulsa)
  • William (Patrick) Wilson – Emergency Medical Technician
  • Victoria Zona – Pharmacology (Georgetown University)