Team

Lab director

Monica Thieu, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience, Cognition, & Behavior at the University of San Diego. She uses behavioral, computational modeling, and neuroimaging methods to quantify the contributions of perceptual information to emotional experience. She also contributes to community maintenance for open-source scientific computing software.

Monica earned her B.A. in psychology from Stanford University under Drs. Melina Uncapher and Anthony Wagner, where she also worked as a lab manager, and her Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University under Dr. Kevin Ochsner. She then completed postdoctoral training as an NIH IRACDA FIRST fellow at Emory University, both in research under Dr. Philip Kragel, and in teaching at Spelman College under Dr. Jimmeka Wright.

CV

Undergraduate research assistants

Valentina Alvarado, ’28 is an undergraduate student at the University of San Diego majoring in Neuroscience. She is especially interested in how neuroscience can be applied to clinical practice, with a focus on understanding brain disorders, neural injury, and the biological basis of mental health disorders. Through research and clinical exposure, she plans to integrate scientific knowledge with patient care. Valentina plans to attend medical school and pursue a career in neurology or psychiatry, where she hopes to combine her passion for neuroscience with patient-centered medicine.

Ari Bradford, ’26 is an undergraduate student at the University of San Diego, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience with a minor in Philosophy. Her acadmic interests focus on the intersection of neuroscience with the human experience. Her research interests include Alzheimer’s disease, psychiatric disorders, and the neural mechanisms underlying emotion.

Lucy Cook, ’28 is an undergraduate student at the University of San Diego, pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Neuroscience with a minor in Chemistry. Her academic interests focus on the intersection of Neuroscience with Pharmacology. Her primary research interests lie in the study of medications and drugs and their specific effects on the brain. She plans to attend medical school and specialize in anesthesiology and applying her knowledge of neuro-pharmacology to clinical practice.

Clara Geuzaine, ’28 is an undergraduate student at the University of San Diego pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, with minors in Chemistry, Biology, and French. Her academic interests focus on how neural injuries affect cognition and emotions, and how changes in brain function influence behavior. She plans to attend medical school and apply her knowledge of neuroscience to clinical practice. In addition to her studies, Clara is a member of the University of San Diego Women’s Soccer Team.

Sophie Johnston,’29 is a student majoring in Neuroscience at the University of San Diego. Her research interests focus on the intersection between Neuroscience and Engineering, with a particular focus on brain-computer interface (BCI) technology. Her academic path reflects a passion in advancing neurotechnology, while preparing to translate innovations into the Business and Entrepreneurial sphere. She is especially motivated by the challenge of developing BCI tools that can restore function and expand human–machine interaction, redefining how humans connect with technology.

Sonya Patel, ’29 will graduate from the University of San Diego ’29 with a B.A. in Psychology and minor in Cognitive Science. She is interested in understanding the structures of the brain and how they relate to our internal beliefs and behaviors. She plans on pursuing her PhD in clinical psychology. Her current studies include childhood adolescence & development and neuroscience statistics.

If you are an interested USD student, please contact Dr. Thieu to submit a statement of interest! I recruit research assistants on a fluctuating, rolling basis depending on project needs and fit.