Lab Director

Professor Inge-Marie Eigsti, PhD
Professor Inge-Marie Eigsti, PhD
Department of Psychological Sciences
Co-director: Cognitive Neuroscience of Communication-Connecticut Training Grant
Research Scientist, Haskins Laboratory
Dr. Eigsti is interested in finding links between social communication difficulties in autism spectrum disorder, and mechanistic processes in the brain, by examining low-level cognitive processes such as working memory and auditory processing that can be linked to genetic, neurophysiological or neuroanatomical domains. The aim is to better understand autism at multiple levels: molecular (genetic), neurofunctional (brain imaging), and behavioral (symptomatology). Dr. Eigsti received a dual Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and Cognitive Science from University of Rochester in 2001.
Current CV. See Research and Publications page for downloads/pdfs.
Office: Bousfield
Contact: inge-marie.eigsti (AT) uconn.edu
Lab Manager
Jhanvi Parikh
jhanvi.parikh@uconn.edu, altos@uconn.eduJhanvi Parikh is Project Coordinator on the ASD Long-Term Outcomes Study (ALTOS).
Postdoctoral Fellows
Caroline Larson, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychological Sciences Dr. Larson's research focuses on relationships between language and other cognitive factors in children with language disorders, including Developmental Language Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder, with the long-term goal of improving differential diagnosis and treatment. She will be joining the faculty at the University of Missouri. |
Teresa Girolamo, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychological Sciences Dr. Girolamo just joined the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences department at San Diego State University. She directs the Brain, Environment, and Language Lab (BELL), which focuses on how individual differences in language, together with environmental influences, shape life outcomes for racially and ethnically minoritized autistic individuals. She uses behavioral methods and functional near-infrared spectroscopy, as well as community-based participatory approaches. The long-term objective of this work is to translate longitudinal knowledge into community-based supports. She will be joining the faculty at San Diego State University. |
Graduate Students (click on name for more info)
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![]() Elise Taverna (2018) |
![]() Jason Crutcher (2018) |
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Lab Alumni
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INTERNATIONAL VISITORS

DCN Lab Members (2019)

DCN Lab Members (2004)
Undergraduate Lab Members
2021-2022 | Margaux Acorda
Aditi Sirsikar Karina Patel Amanda Yagan Chinedu Nwko |
2022-2023 | Karina Patel
Marissa Birmingham Olivia Kapustka Talia Szozda Alyssa Daniels Alexis Trojahn |
2023-2024 | Marissa Birmingham
Karina Patel Malak Nechnach |
2020-2021 | Margaux Acorda Jacey Anderson Aditi Sirsikar |
2014-2015 | Parah Shah (Pre-med) Didem Ozcan (PNB/Bio) Morgan Smith (pre-med) Ryan Morris (Pre-med) |
2009-2010 | Caitlin Dombrowski: (Honors) UConn, Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology Jose Casares: Teachers College/Columbia University, Counseling Psychology Danielle Loughrey Liz Tzatkin: Research Assistant Kathryn Post: Research Assistant Juliana Hartley: Teach for America (Honors); MA student in Speech-Language Pathology at Univ New Hampshire |
2019-2020 | Klaudia Ptaszek Harkaran Dhillon Jacey Anderson Aditi Sirsikar |
Summer 2014 | Molly Waterhouse (Syracuse University) Griffen Burrows (Wheaton College) |
2008-2009 | Justine Marsh: Practicing Speech-Language Pathologist, CT Ashley Lepack Terry Gustafson: Pre-med Lauren Long: Ph.D. program in Behavioral Neuroscience, UConn |
2019-2018 | Anusha Mohan Ariana Caruso Roisin Healy Holly Labrecque Regina Weissenberg |
2013-2014 | Emily Thompson (SURF grant, Honors Program) Katy Piotrowski (Honors Program) |
2007-2008 | Jessica St. Pierre David Roy David Morrow Heather Washburn Kim Markoff Kim Hayhurst Stefanie Riegler |
2017-2018 | Ariana Caruso Holly Labrecque Regina Weissenberg Abigail Sapiro Sindhu Dokuru (M.A., Healthcare Administration) |
2012-2013 | Christopher Andrade (Ling Major); English Teaching in Japan (JET Program) Allison Fitch (Psych/Human Development): Ph.D. in Developmental and Brain Sciences at UMass Boston, 2012 Amanda Makol (Pre-med) Emily Thompson (SLSH) |
2006-2007 | Kayla Marot Mark Rogalski Melissa Martinez Corey Alexa Tuhina Joseph |
2016-2017 | Parah Shah (pre-med) Snigdha Wadhwa (pre-med) Sindhu Dokuru (pre-med) Tanya Rao (pre-med) Caitlin Emmett (SLHS) Meghan Robitaille (SLHS) |
2011-2012 | Christopher Andrade (Ling Major) Allison Fitch (Psych/Human Development): Ph.D. in Developmental and Brain Sciences at UMass Boston, 2012 Amanda Makol (Pre-med) Emily Thompson (SLSH) Bonnie Stas |
2005-2006 | Lauren Czepizak Cara Orazietti Judith Shulman Stephanie Ceniccola |
2015-2016 | Parah Shah (pre-med) Morgan Smith (pre-med) Ryan Morris (pre-med) Snigdha Wadhwa (pre-med) Sindhu Dokuru (pre-med) Molly Waterman (IGERT Program Assistant) Jessa Sahl (post-bac RA in the lab of Bonnie Nozari at Johns Hopkins) |
2010-2011 | Elira Fifo, 2010 Danielle Daley (Honors) Kaitlin De Yoe (Honors, SURF award) Karissa Burgess Sonia Altavilla Abby Morriso |
2004-2005 | Nojan Bakhtiari (pre-dental) Lisa Cataudella Jessica Bennett Kelly Chang |