Hi everyone! My name is Bella Falo, and I am a rising junior at The University of Pittsburgh, Frederick Honors College. I am studying Psychology and Sociology with a Certificate in Sport Studies. I am honored to be part of the Brackenridge Fellowship this summer and have had quite a fulfilling experience to this point. On campus, I am involved in a Psychology lab as well as both academic and social organizations in which I get to explore the various experiences that Pitt has to offer. When I’m not researching, I enjoy journaling and spending time outside. I am very excited about this opportunity to learn and grow as researchers together!

My research falls in the realm of Psychology and focuses on Cognitive control, specifically executive functioning. I am exploring how early life adversity impacts mental flexibility and executive skills while controlling for a potential third variable, genetic confounds. Early life victimization is crucial to investigate as it is a factor that hides behind the walls of so many homes around the world. The definition of victimization currently has a broad range, which we hope to specify further through our research. Currently, victimization ranges from experiences like direct and indirect emotional and physical abuse to experiences like parental divorce. Another core variable of the research is executive functioning, it is a main contributor for cognitive processing, impulse control, and problem-solving skills. These skills are vital for individuals to develop relationships and maintain a healthy psychological state. Research is revealing victimization can hinder executive functioning skills, but there is a potential third variable to consider, which is the genetic propensity. It is important to analyze the effects of genetic confounds in this project so we can determine if association between victimization and executive functioning is driven by genetic risk. Through our research, we hope to better understand the extent to which victimization can lead to executive functioning deficits and contribute this back to the developing psychological research.

I am very excited to continue learning from Dr. Frances Wang, who is my mentor supporting me in this fellowship. I joined her lab at the beginning of my sophomore year where I am learning about genetic and environmental risk factors contributing to alcohol use disorders. I am fortunate enough to shadow her across various disciplines as we pivot into this new learning opportunity. This project inspiration is part of a larger group effort throughout her Alcohol Survey Knowledge lab. Individually, I am responsible for the specific details explained above like variable creation and data manipulation.  

After my undergraduate education, I plan to continue a career in psychology. Specifically, I hope to pursue a doctorate in psychology through either a PhD or PsyD program. I am very curious and excited to dive into clinical psychology practices. My career aspirations include delivering therapy while also expanding on research in mental health disorders. An element of my field that particularly piques my interest and curiosity is mood disorders in adolescents and the developing interventions. I am eager to tie in my future research aspirations related to mood disorders as another variable to potentially consider in the future of this research project. The Brackenridge fellowship is special as it grants me an opportunity to grow in my individual academic journey while being surrounded by inspiring classmates and mentors. Through this program, I am challenged by new perspectives and discover new techniques to navigate them as I continue my research career.  I am honored to participate in this experience!