Hi, nice to meet you.

I'm Cathy, a Client Experience Strategist for the CX Research & Design team at Comcast Advertising.

I grew up in New Jersey before moving to Delaware to complete my undergraduate degree at the University of Delaware. I quickly stumbled into research after taking my first psychology course. I joined a cognitive neuropsychology lab as a Research Assistant, where I conducted extensive research on topics such as neuroplasticity, multisensory integration, and mirror touch synesthesia. Ever since, I have been passionate about research and data analysis, and using them as tools to answer meaningful questions.

I completed my undergraduate career with an Honors Bachelors of Arts degree Cum Laude in Psychology with minors in statistics, statistical data analytics, and cognitive science. My degree was fulfilled with distinction for completion and successful defense of a senior thesis (which you can read more about here). Upon graduating, I remained eager to explore complex questions and continue to develop my research toolkit. For a few years as a Research Specialist & Lab Manager, I researched spatial navigation in a cognitive neuroscience lab at the University of Pennsylvania. The foundation I developed in academia in research methodology, effective storytelling, and technical problem-solving is one that I carry with me as I continue my career in industry research.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch! When I'm not working, you can find me under a barbell at the gym, out on a nature walk, or taste-testing quirky (non-dairy) ice cream flavors. Thanks for checking out my website!

Research Projects

Mixed-Method Researcher

I am a strong advocate for the use of robust methodology, statistical rigor, and ecological validity when conducting empirical research of all disciplines. I also believe that using a multimodal approach, by combining different methodologies to answer questions, is crucial to enhancing our understanding of research findings. Select research projects I've worked on are briefly described below. Along the way, I've gained hands-on experience with complex statistical/data analysis and many types of research methodologies.

Examining somatosensory and motor plasticity after stroke using fMRI

Role: Undergraduate Research Assistant
Research Method: Behavioral + fMRI Experiments, Neuropsychological Assessments
Research Type: NIH-Funded Research
Location: University of Delaware

TLDR; I researched somatosensory and motor plasticity after stroke, and found that tactile representation after damage to somatosensory cortex reorganized to motor cortex in a patient case study.

Understanding the neural correlates of visual-tactile multisensory integration

Role: Lead Researcher
Research Method: Behavioral + fMRI Experiments, Mixed Methods
Research Type: NIH-Funded Research
Location: University of Delaware

TLDR; I worked to expand on theories of multisensory integration in humans by researching the effect of viewed touch on felt touch. My research on the subject demonstrated a profound effect of viewed touch on felt touch through behavioral experimentation, but no strong neural correlates of the same effect.

The form of the cognitive map depends on the structure of the environment

Role: Lead Researcher
Research Method: Behavioral Experiment, Questionnaires, Virtual Study, Virtual Reality (VR)
Research Type: NIH-Funded Research
Location: University of Pennsylvania

TLDR; I investigated the basis of non-Euclidean (route-based, or graph-like) navigation strategies in environments that do not encourage Euclidean learning, and found that that environmental features (i.e. visibility, availability of distal cues) result in differences in the accuracy of learning.

Additional Research Projects

For more detail about any of the following projects, please contact me.

Hierarchical spatial learning

Role: Research Assistant
Research Method: Behavioral + fMRI Experiments, Questionnaire
Research Type: NIH-Funded Research
Location: University of Pennsylvania

The use of schemas to represent segmented environments

Role: Research Assistant
Research Method: Behavioral + fMRI Experiments, Questionnaire
Research Type: NIH-Funded Research
Location: University of Pennsylvania

The relationship between mirror-touch synesthetes and levels of empathy

Role: Undergraduate Research Assistant
Research Method: Behavioral Experiments, Questionnaires
Research Type: NIH-Funded Research
Location: University of Delaware

Forgiveness in the workplace

Role: Student Researcher / Team Member
Research Method: Online survey
Research Type: Exploratory Course Project
Location: University of Delaware

The relationship between course of study and political affiliation

Role: Student Researcher / Team Member
Research Method: Online survey
Research Type: Exploratory Course Project
Location: University of Delaware

Perception of leadership across genders

Role: Lead Researcher
Research Method: Secondary Research
Research Type: Exploratory Course Project
Location: University of Delaware

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