My research uses electroencephalography (EEG) to examine the neural experience of empathy, exploring how different types of stimuli, emotional expressions, and forms of empathy influence the Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) associated with empathic processing in the brain. Through this work I hope to determine the fundamental neural signature of empathy independent of stimulus, emotion, and task effects. Furthermore, I am involved in research evaluating the stability and external validity of common measures of trait empathy to better understand the differences between empathy as a personality trait and as a state-level phenomenon. I am also interested in how social group membership can modulate the experience of empathy, leading to different empathic responses for members of our own social groups and those who are considered “outsiders”. Using a broad range of technologies and methodological techniques such as Mass Univariate Analysis, I aim to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of this complex cornerstone of social cognition.
Outside of school, I like to spend my time hiking, canoeing, and camping whenever I get the opportunity. I'm very passionate about the natural world and everything that lives in it, especially the parts in my own backyard. I'm also rarely seen without a book in hand, whether it be a field guide, history, or science fiction. I don't have any pets right now, but my goal is to one day have enough space for a tortoise, which has been my favourite animal since I was very young.
