Lab Members

Director

Nicholas A. Hubbard, Ph.D.

Dr. Hubbard is the Director of the NeuroCognitive Translation Lab, Assistant Professor of Psychology, and Resident Faculty at the Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior. He joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2019, after completing an NIMH-funded fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Hubbard completed his Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Texas at Dallas, and his B.S. in Psychology at Michigan State University.

His research is at the intersection of cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology, and biomedical engineering. His work focuses on the application of novel neuroimaging, behavioral, and statistical techniques to better understand the continuum of mental abilities as they manifest throughout development and in clinical populations. Dr. Hubbard’s research also strives to answer basic questions furthering our understanding of human memory.

Lab Coordinator

Saurabh Chandra

Saurabh joined the lab in August, 2023. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in December, 2023. He is incredibly fascinated by neural mechanisms that govern aspects of the human experience - particularly the intricate sentiment of nostalgia. Saurabh is currently planning on attending medical school with aspirations of specializing in neurology.

Graduate Students 

Robert Roy 

Rob joined the lab in August 2023 as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Neuroscience and Behavior PhD program. He earned his B.A. in Psychology and English from Saint Joseph’s University in May 2019, and his M.S. in experimental psychology from the same university in May 2020 for which he defended his thesis on factors leading to the formation of monogamous relationships in the California mouse. After graduating Rob went on to be a research coordinator on the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, and helped build a research program for a first episode psychosis clinic. Now, Rob is investigating changes in neurobiology in psychiatric disorders with emphasis on methamphetamine addiction and psychosis.

Katy Beth Ezell 

Katy Beth joined the lab in Summer 2023. She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Audiology degree from University of Nebraska-Lincoln while working in the NCT lab as a graduate assistant. Her doctoral capstone project looks to investigate the effects of drug use on the auditory system which led her to be interested in additional effects methamphetamines and other drugs could have on the body and brain. This has brought her to the CAMP program to help in this research effort.

Research Assistants

Abbie Bartmess

Abbie joined the lab in May 2021. She is a senior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Biological Sciences. She is interested in neuroimaging and memory, and how various factors can affect brain functions and performance. After graduation, she plans to pursue graduate school, but is unsure what she will specialize in. 

Brandon Zywiec

Brandon joined the lab in January 2023. He is a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. He is interested in researching the neurocognitive mechanisms involved in the process of encoding implicit memory and the implications it could have for treating amnesic and dementia patients. After graduation, he hopes to attend graduate school with the aspiration of becoming a neuropsychologist.

Cady Murphy

Cady joined the lab in January 2022. She is a senior majoring in Biology with minors in Biochemistry and Psychology. She is interested in neuroimaging and neurodegeneration. After graduation, Cady plans to pursue a Ph.D. degree. 

Kennedy Kadlec

Kennedy joined the lab in July 2022. She is a junior studying Psychology. She is interested in the different areas of the brain and how those specific areas impact our behavioral and cognitive abilities. After graduation, Kennedy plans to pursue graduate school in hopes of becoming a neuropsychologist.

Bryn Lang

Bryn joined the lab in August 2022. She is a senior majoring in Psychology (Pre-medicine track).  She is interested in neuroscience and neuropsychology in relation to memory. After graduation, Bryn plans to pursue medical school.

Karina Pedroza Sotelo

Karina joined the lab in August 2022. She is a senior majoring in Psychology - Neuroscience with a minor in Biochemistry. She is interested in what neuroimaging can tell of anxiety and memory disorders. After graduation, Karina plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Neuropsychology. 

Kyle Sextro

Kyle joined the lab in October 2022. He is a junior majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Psychology. After graduation, Kyle plans to go on to medical school to pursue a M.D./Ph.D. but is unsure what he will specialize in.

Jordyn Oliver

Jordyn joined the lab in Spring 2023. She is a junior majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience with minors in Mathematics and Biology.  She is interested in cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging. After graduation, Jordyn plans to a Ph.D. degree in Neuroscience. 

James Jura

James joined the lab in August 2023. He is a junior majoring Biochemistry with minors in Chemistry and Humanities in medicine. He is interested in the reward pathways of the brain and how they are altered by addiction. After graduation, James plans to pursue medical school.

Lab Alumni

Lab Managers and Staff

Danielle Clark

Joelle Sanger

Liv O'Clair

Mai Pham

Makenna Weddle

Victoria Mundorf

Scientific Programmer

Matt Semin

Post Doctoral Fellows

Jacy VerMaas, Ph.D., M.A., OTR/L, BCP

Graduate Students 

Kevin Miller

Visiting Graduate Students

Vamsi Manthena

Research Assistants

Matthew Lowry