Principal Investigator
Victoria L. Templer, Ph.D.
My lab develops animal models of memory, learning, and attention that answer both behavioral and neurobiological processing questions. The goal is two-fold: 1) to characterize cognitive and neural substrates of different memory systems implicated in human aging, disease, and mental health, and 2) inform cognitive evolution in the comparative cognition tradition.
Email: vtempler@providence.edu
Undergraduates
Senior Lab Manager
Rachael Layden ’23
I am a Senior pursuing a B.A. in psychology as well as a certificate in neuroscience. I have always been fascinated by the functions of the brain and it’s relationship with behavior. Working with animal models allows us to better understand the processes of the brain and apply this knowledge to humans. In the future, I wish to continue research in neuroscience and psychology to better understand neuropsychological abnormalities. Through this, I will be able to apply my skills in a clinical setting and be able to diagnose and treat human patients. I aspire to work in the field of clinical psychology as a pediatric clinical neuropsychologist.
Christopher Walsh ’23
I am a senior currently pursuing a B.S in biology and a B.A in psychology. As I learned more about the brain during my time at Providence College, I became interested in the connections between different areas of the brain and how they work in unison to enable behavior and cognition. I look forward to working in the NAC lab because I believe it will bring a great understanding of these different areas of the brain and I hope to make valuable comparisons between human and animal models.
Shelby Bawden ’23
I am a senior currently pursuing a B.A. in biology and psychology and a certificate in neuroscience. The brain and its connection to the body and how humans and animals behave as a result has always fascinated me. The NAC Lab has enhanced my passion for neuroscience through the use of animal models because my peers and I are to compare animal and human cognition and behavior. I look forward to completing more research with rodents in the NAC Lab for the remainder of my college career and aspire to continue animal research after graduating.
Margaret Low ’24
I am a junior pursuing a B.A. in psychology, health policy & management, and a certificate in neuroscience. I am interested in the connection of the mind and body, and how neurological brain processes manifest in our behaviors and perceived emotions. In the NAC lab, I look forward to learning about what animal models can reveal about homologous human brain structures. In the future, I hope to apply this information, and the skills I gain in the lab, to improving our approach to cognitive therapies.
Jose Pena ’25
I am currently a sophomore pursuing a B.S. in Biology. I am interested in neuroscience because I would like to know more about the bond between biology and psychology. I think that through research using rats as a model we can discover things that are applicable to the human brain. I am also really fascinated by the cognition of animals, especially in comparison to humans. I want to know if animals are comparable to humans in terms of their cognition and psychological complexity. I am thrilled to be a part of the NAC lab and to participate in research that studies the brain and its functions.
Tess Cody ’25
I am currently a sophomore pursuing a B.A. in psychology and potentially a certificate in neuroscience. The ways in which the brain functions and, more specifically, malfunctions has always intrigued me. Having just entered the NAC lab, I am eager to conduct research and witness the animals’ brains in action. In the future, I aspire to study Law and I believe that knowing why people do what they do as a result of their brain’s way of functioning could be invaluable. I hope to learn more about the human brain through the use of these animal models!
Neuroscience & Animal Cognition 