Dr. Ben Katz
Ben Katz is an Associate Professor of Adult Development and Aging within the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on interventions to improve executive function capacities, including non-invasive brain stimulation, cognitive training, and lifestyle change. He received his PhD from the University of Michigan in 2017. Prior to his time in academia he worked as a game designer.

Elayna Seago

Elayna is a Ph.D. student in Human Development at Virginia Tech. Her research focuses on cognitive changes across the life course and in older adults. She is also interested in lifestyle factors and interventions that ameliorate cognitive decline in aging.

Kate Singer

Kate is a doctoral candidate in Human Development and Family Science, with a focus on aging. Her research examines cognitive effects of familial caregiving, specifically for family members who experience cognitive decline. She has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and a background in neuroimaging research, and is continuing to investigate cognition through the use of neuroimaging techniques.

Marrium Mansoor

Marrium is a Ph.D. student in Human Development at Virginia Tech. Her research focuses on the development of attention and cognition throughout the lifespan and the role of environmental factors. She is also interested in tech-based cognitive interventions for individuals with ADHD.

Georgia Katsapis

Georgia is a senior majoring in biological sciences with the biomedical option at Virginia Tech. Her research interests include: cognition in older adults, ways to mitigate cognitive decline in aging and Alzheimer’s. She is also a pre-med student involved in many activities on campus, as well as in the Blacksburg community. Outside of being a undergraduate research assistant (URA) for the CAATS Lab, one of her favorite activities is volunteering at Warm Hearth Village.

Erin Embroski

Erin is a senior at Virginia Tech majoring in Human Development (HD) and Psychology, with a minor in Adaptive Brain & Behavior (ABB). Her research interests include executive functioning as it relates to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s in older adults. Her postgrad plans include attending grad school, and obtaining a full-time job related to HD and Psychology. Although she’s reluctant to admit it, she spends the majority of her free time watching reality TV shows like Love is Blind, The Bachelor, and Love Island. She also likes to run (occasionally), read, and journal.

Alyssa Verruto

Alyssa is a Public Health major graduating this December! She plans to attend nursing school after graduation (she’s not sure where yet, though) and is so excited to explore all the career paths available. She has always had a strong interest in being a travel nurse but she knows she wants to do that only for a while. She also wants to explore clinical research opportunities. In women’s health, there is a lot of misinformation regarding birth control, how to check for breast cancer, and so much more. In a perfect world, she would like to be a part of a research team that would develop methods to share accurate information with women regarding their health and what options are available so that they are equipped to make decisions for their health and well-being.

Laura Zhang

Laura is a senior majoring in Human Development and minoring in Biological Sciences. She is interested in cognition and neuron development.