Publications
- Vessel EA, Maurer, N, Denker AH, & Starr GG (2018). “Stronger shared taste for natural aesthetic domains than for artifacts of human culture”. Cognition, 179, 121-131.
- Denker, AH et. al., (2015) Anatomical Coupling and Individual Differences in Visuospatial Skills as Assessed by the Benton Judgment of Line Orientation Task. Manuscript in preparation.
- Giedd, JN, & Denker, AH. (2014). The Adolescent Brain: Insights from Neuroimaging. Brain Crosstalk in Puberty and Adolescence. Springer Verlag. In Press.
- Vessel EA, Stahl J, Maurer N, Denker AH, Starr GG (2014) “Personalized Visual Aesthetics,” Paper presented at Human Vision and Electronic Imaging, Feb 2014, San Francisco, CA
Conference Presentations
- Denker AH, Raznahan A, Clasin L, Giedd JN, Lee NR (2014) “Anatomical Coupling and Individual Differences in Visuospatial Skills in a Developing Population as Assessed by the Benton Judgment of Line Orientation Task,” Poster presentation at the American Academy of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry, Oct 2014, San Diego, CA DOWNLOAD HERE
- Maurer N, Denker AH, Starr GG and Vessel EA (2014) “Higher agreement of preferences for natural landscapes versus for architecture suggests that evaluations of “environmental fitness” influence preference,” Poster presentation at International Association of Empirical Aesthetics, August, 2014, New York, NY
- Denker AH, Raznahan A, Clasin L, Giedd JN, Lee NR (2014) “Anatomical Coupling and Individual Differences in Nonword Reading Skills,” Poster presentation at Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Hamburg, Germany, June 2014. DOWNLOAD HERE
- Denker AH, Starr GG and Vessel EA (2012) “Aesthetic preferences for architecture do not rely on commonly shared semantic distinctions,” Poster presentation at Association for Psychological Sciences, May, 2013, Washington, D.C. DOWNLOAD HERE
Abstracts
- Angela D, Lalonde FM, Blumenthal JD, Clasen LS, Hicks RL, Denker AH, Giedd JN, Crowley WF, Balasubramanian R (2014) “Delayed Sex Hormone Exposure During Puberty is Associated with Differences in Brain Cortical Thickness, Spatial Ability, and Recognition Memory,” Endocrine Society, June 2014, Chicago, IL
EXPERIENCE
Health Policy Fellow | Georgia Institute of Technology Center for Advanced Communications Policy
- Manage production of policy briefs and publications to advance health policies concerning health technologies, mental health resources, elder care, and intellectual disability services
Doctoral Student | Emory Psychology Department Neuroscience and Animal Behavior Program | Advisors: Patricia Brennan, Ph.D. (Psychology) and Jessica McDermott Sales, Ph.D. (Rollins School of Public Health Department of Behavioral Sciences & Health Education) | August 2015-April 2019
- Dissertation (in process) examining the contribution of depression and personality factors to alcohol and marijuana use in adolescent and young adult African American women.
- Master of Arts (advisors Michael Treadway, Ph.D. and Hillary Rodman, Ph.D.): Functional and Morphological Markers of Adolescent-Onset Depression. Collaboration with the Emory Child and Adolescent Mood Program utilizing neuroimaging to study outcomes of two behavioral treatments for adolescent-onset depression.
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Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award (IRTA) Recipient | National Institute of Mental Health, Child Psychiatry Branch | June 2013-present
- Coordinator of a longitudinal pediatric twin study and volunteer recruitment in the Brain Imaging Unit of the NIMH Child Psychiatry Branch; conducted cognitive testing; assisted with MRI scanning and patient training; organized recruitment and patient visits.
Project Liaison | National Institute of Mental Health; Creative Associates International; The Allen Institute for Brain Science | March 2014-June 2015
- Representative of Dr. Jay Giedd’s adolescent brain research in collaboration with Creative Associates International, a DC-based nonprofit and The Allen Institute for Brain Science, to publish articles, host symposia, and develop a blog on the significance of brain research in the study of global youth development.
Research Assistant | NYU Center for Brain Imaging | May 2010-June 2013
Assisted in the design of fMRI imaging experiments regarding aesthetics for multiple domains with Edward Vessel, Ph.D. and Gabrielle Starr, Ph.D.; data analysis, coordinated subjects, data collection, review of scientific literature; trained with Electromyography (EMG) and Galvanic Skin Response (GSR).
Notable lab projects:
- Vessel EA, Starr GG and Rubin N (2012) “The brain on art: intense aesthetic experience activates the default mode network.” Front. Hum. Neurosci., April, 2012
- Gabrielle Starr: “Feeling Beauty: The Sister Arts and the Neuroscience of Aesthetic Experience,” MIT Press http://www.amazon.com/Feeling-Beauty-Neuroscience-Aesthetic-Experience/dp/0262019310
- Oral Presentation by Dr. Vessel, “Unlike Adults, Infants’ Visual Preferences are Driven by Lower-Level Visual Features;” Cognitive Neuroscience Society, 2012, Chicago IL
- Oral Presentation by Dr. Vessel, “Aesthetic Science Symposium;” Psychonomics Society Annual Meeting Aesthetic Science Symposium, 2010, St. Louis, MO
Research Assistant | NYU Department of Psychology | June 2010-August 2011
Conducted research with Gary Marcus, Ph.D. on the psychology of music.
Notable projects:
- Guitar Zero: The New Musician and the Science of Learning, Marcus, G., Penguin Press (2012)
TEACHING and MENTORING EXPERIENCE
Instructor | Emory University
- Research Methods | Spring 2018
Mentored teams of students to design and perform original collaborative research studies. Taught scientific writing, statistical analysis, and presentation skills.
- Emory University Pipeline Collaborative Mentorship Program | Graduate Mentor | Spring 2018
Mentored and taught mental health curriculum in a multi-tiered, interdisciplinary mentorship and health science education program connecting Atlanta Public High School students with Emory undergraduate, doctoral, public health, and medical students.
- Teaching Assistant | Emory University
Lecturer, mentored and taught students, assisted in course and exam design, and evaluation • Behavioral Neuroscience | Fall 2018
• Neuroscience of Evolution, Religion and Human Cognition |Spring 2017-Fall 2017
• Introduction to Psychology II: Development and Social Behavior| Fall 2016
• Introduction to Psychology I: Psychobiology and Cognition |Guest Lecture | Spring 2016
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE AND OUTREACH
- Society for Neuroscience Brain Awareness Outreach | Present
Neuroscience education outreach to local community science events and schools; taught over 140 local elementary school students on neuroscience, psychology, and mental illness.
- Emory University Psychology Department Curriculum Committee | Present
Senior student representative. Committee designs and implements undergraduate and graduate curriculum changes and mentorship programs.
- Emory University Psychology Department Student Advisory Committee | Present
Senior student representative. Committee meets with and advises the department Director of Graduate Studies and Chair on graduate student affairs.
- Student Recruitment and Outreach | Gallatin Dean’s Team |March 2011-June 2013
Organized programs for prospective students and their families; assisted with marketing; participated in recruitment activities and information sessions
- Chair | 4th Annual Gallatin Senior Symposium | April 2012
Hosted intellectual showcase of Gallatin seniors; interviewed applicants; coordinated presentations and event
EDUCATION
Emory University | Laney Graduate School | Psychology Department
Doctor of Philosophy, 2019 | Psychology: Neuroscience and Animal Behavior
Master of Arts, 2017 | Psychology: Neuroscience and Animal Behavior
New York University | Gallatin School of Individualized Study
Bachelor of Arts| Concentration: The Neuroscience of Art | January 2013