Two Psychology and Neuroscience undergraduates have received honorable mentions for the J. Steven Reznick Diversity and Psychological Research Grant. Congratulations to Isabel Bravo and Joe Thompson!
The J. Steven Reznick Diversity and Psychological Research Grant honors Dr. Reznick, a close friend and colleague in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. He earned his B.A. in Psychology from UNC Chapel Hill, M.A. from Wake Forest University, and Ph.D. from University of Colorado. He was a proud alumnus of UNC Chapel Hill and served on our faculty from 1998 until his death in 2016. Dr. Reznick made many contributions to enriching diversity in student experiences at UNC Chapel Hill and we thank him for his lifelong commitment to education, research, and Carolina. The Reznick Research Fund honors Dr. Reznick and encourages undergraduate students who conduct exemplary research on topics of concern to diverse populations as well as undergraduates from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in psychological research.
Isabel Bravo is a third-year Neuroscience major who works with Dr. Zoe McElligot in the Department of Psychiatry and Dr. Kate Reissner in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. Her research focuses on a model of opioid use disorder that captures both the acute dysphoric symptoms of withdrawal as well as protracted symptoms. She is specifically exploring the effects of oxytocin on opioid withdrawal symptoms in female and male mice.
Joe Thompson is a third-year Psychology major who works in Dr. Keely Muscatell’s Social Neuroscience and Health Lab. Joe’s research focuses on understanding how Black Americans cope with race-related stress, exploring the psychological and physiological consequences of different coping strategies.