Principal Investigator:
Research Assistant Professor:
Lab Manager:
Annissa DeSilva
Annissa is a second-year graduate student in the Speech-Language Pathology program at George Washington University. She graduated from Northeastern University in 2019 with a major in Neuroscience. Her research interests revolve around understanding the unique needs of autistic individuals and implementing evidence-based interventions in speech therapy. Outside of school she loves to go thrifting and exploring the D.C. food scene.
Lab Members:
Jake Schwartz
Jake graduated from GWU with a major in public health. Over the past five years, Jake has worked as a mentor and tutor for children and teens with ASD. In his free time, Jake enjoys playing the piano, spending time with friends and traveling to new places.
Rachel Spransy
Rachel Spransy is a junior majoring in cognitive neuroscience at GW. She also works as a teaching assistant for undergraduate biology labs. Her research interests include psychopharmacology, comorbidities in ASD, and neurodegenerative diseases. In her free time, Rachel enjoys playing vinyl records, exploring DC flea and farmers markets, and working for the GW Greenhouse.
Nicolette Cure
Nicolette Cure is a graduate student at GW studying Speech-Language Pathology. She graduated from Emory University in 2022 with a double major in Linguistics and Environmental Sciences. Her research interests include eating-related and compensatory behaviors in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. In her free time, Nicolette enjoys watching cooking shows, reading Greek mythology, and listening to musicals.
Alyssa Alvey
Alyssa Alvey is a sophomore majoring in Psychology and micro-minoring in Disability Studies at GW. His research interests include comorbidity between autism spectrum disorders and other disorders, neurological disorders in aging populations, and the relationship between autism and premature death. Currently, Alyssa serves disabled veteran populations as a personal care aide, and is working towards their C.N.A as to provide support to patients with greater need. Eventually, Alyssa desires to work either as a psychologist or a neurologist emphasizing patient-first care. In his free time, Alyssa enjoys reading, creatively writing, drawing, and reviewing boba places within the greater-metropolitan area.
Sophia Cluen
Bayush Getachew
Leili Thomas
Salie Duce
Raquel Rawlins