The B-RAD Lab

Our team

​Studying autism, neurodiversity, social connections, and emotional wellbeing to enhance understanding of brain development and its impact on cognition and behavior.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Caitlin Hudac (she/her)

Education: 
  • University of Chicago, A.B. (2005, Human Development)
  • University of Nebraska, Ph.D. (2014, Developmental Psychology)
Current Positions:
Research interests: I study how factors within early infancy and childhood affect brain development and may have consequences for developmental trajectories. It is critical to characterize brain correlates of healthy (or "normative") development in order to  accelerate our understanding of mechanisms of atypical development. Our lab seeks to capture patterns of learning and cognition associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and  intellectual disability (ID). We evaluate possible factors -- including genetic etiology with a focus on deleterious mutations and specific connections to individual (behavioral) differences.
  • Prospective postdoctoral scholars: I am looking to hire postdoctoral scholars across a variety of areas. Contact me for more information!
  • Prospective graduate students for Fall 2024: Yes, I am taking graduate applicants! I am specifically looking for students interested in the Cognitive and Neural Sciences program at UofSC. I may take students in the Clinical & Community area, but know that priority will be given to strong CNS applicants .
Fun facts: You often will find me at a coffee shop or out in the woods with my bike. 

Post-doc: Dr. Cailee M Nelson, Ph.D. (she/her)

Education: 
  • New Mexico State University, B.A. (2018, Psychology & Human Resources Management)
  • University of Alabama, M.A. (2022, Educational Psychology & Neuroscience)
  • University of Alabama, Ph.D., (2023, Educational Psychology & Neuroscience)
Research Interests: Cailee is interested in better understanding how brain development contributes to people’s abilities to understand and engage with other people. More specifically, she is interested in understanding how brain development varies among individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism spectrum disorder) and how differences in brain development contribute to different social and motivational outcomes.
Fun Facts: Cailee loves sports! You can often find her on the pickleball and volleyball court or watching football and basketball in her spare time!

Lab Coordinator: Jackson McFadden, B.A. (he/him)

Education: University of South Carolina, B.A. (2024, Psychology)
Research interests: Jackson is interested in the intersection of cultural/racial identity and adverse social experiences and mental health outcomes. Having lived abroad in Germany and Japan, he is particularly interested in how cultural context impacts one’s perception of adversity, and one’s resilience against those experiences.
Fun facts: ​Jackson is left-handed, loves a good underground rock show, and likes to play guitar or go on hikes in his free time!

Lab Coordinator: Liv Mace, B.S. (she/her)

Education: University of South Carolina, B.S. (2025, Psychology)
Research interests: Liv is interested in exploring the complexities of autism in children. She is also very interested in speech and behavioral functioning within this population.
Fun facts: ​Liv loves all animals, especially cats! She enjoys spending time with her friends in her free time.

Autistic Friendships Coordinator: Veronica Du Plessis, B.A. (she/her)

Bio coming soon!

Graduate Student: Rebecca Revilla, M.A. ​(she/her)

Current Position: Clinical-Community Psychology Ph.D. student
Education: ​
  • University of Texas at San Antonio, B.A. (2018, Psychology)
  • University of Alabama, M.A. (2022, Child Psychology)
Research interests: Rebecca is interested in using multiple methods (e.g., EEG/ERP, ECG, behavioral, subjective) to examine how environmental systems and life experiences (e.g., trauma) shape prosocial development, particularly during adolescence. Her ultimate goal is to contribute to developmentally informed, community-based prevention and early intervention efforts.
​Fun facts:  Rebecca enjoys activities in nature (e.g., hiking, kayaking), live music, thrifting, and trying/cooking new food!
LinkedIn      Email

Graduate Student: Sophie Cramer-Benjamin, B.A. (she/they)

Current Position: Clinical-Community Psychology Ph.D. Student
Education:
  • Skidmore College, B.A. (2022, Neuroscience and Psychology)
Research Interests: Sophie is interested in using physiological measurement tools (e.g., EEG, heart rate) to better understand cognitive processes in autistic individuals who are non-speaking and/or have intellectual disability. Many of these people have rare monogenic mutations (genetic syndromes) and have been underrepresented in research. They are specifically interested in accurate and reliable measurement of processes associated with emotion and behavioral regulation. Sophie is ultimately curious about the interplay between genetics, physiology, and environment on cognition and behavior. 
Fun Facts: Sophie loves anything crafty! They have kept a bullet journal for over 5 years and love to crochet, paint, collage, and work with clay!

Graduate Student: Kendall Nelson, B.S. (she/her)

Current Position: Cognitive Neural Science, Psychology Ph.D. Student 
Education:
  • East Carolina University B.S. (2024, Exercise Physiology with a Concentration in Exercise as Medicine) 
Research Interests: Kendall is interested in the neural underpinnings of emotional regulation and social cognition. Specifically, she is interested in understanding how these processes shape human interactions and well-being, intending to translate this knowledge into strategies that help people better engage with others and build stronger skills to regulate themselves. 
Fun Facts: Kendall is certified in Reiki and is learning how to play the guitar!

Extended Lab Family: Kalyn Prothro, B.A. ​(she/her)

Current Position: Clinical-Community Psychology Ph.D. Student
Education:
  • University of North Texas, B.A. (2021, Psychology)
Research Interests: Kalyn is interested in using community-engaged methods to study how family, peer, and community contexts can promote resiliency, specifically in African American youth who have experienced adversity and trauma. 
Fun Facts: Kalyn wants to buy land to own farm animals and grow her own fruits and vegetables one day. 

Extended Lab Family: Rachael Rice, B.A. (she/her)

​Current Position: Cognitive Neural Sciences Psychology Ph.D. Student 
Education: 
  • Bard College, B.A. (Psychology)
Research interests: Rachael's primary research examines the impact of visual art interventions on emotional well-being and cognitive functioning. Her work focuses on how engagement with art can enhance core cognitive processes, including memory and attention, while also promoting broader psychological health.
Fun Facts: Rachael has a 9-year-old goldfish that she won at the country fair. When she is not doing research, she loves to make pottery from mugs and bowls to small scale sculptures. 

Extended Lab Family: Aren Tucker, B.A. (he/him)

Current Position: Clinical-Community Psychology Ph.D. Student 
Education:
  • Duke University, B.A. (2022, Psychology and Philosophy)
Research Interests: Aren is interested in using intensive longitudinal designs to capture daily fluctuations in self-concept, social connection, and well-being in youth with ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders. By integrating self-report measures (e.g., ecological momentary assessment, daily diaries) with objective measures (e.g., EEG), he aims to develop a more comprehensive picture of how these factors are expressed in daily life. In the long term, he hopes this work will clarify how these factors contribute to functional impairment and eventually inform the development of interventions to support youth academic, social, and emotional functioning.​
Fun Facts: Aren has seven guitars and loves composing and playing acoustic arrangements in his free time.

Extended Lab Family: Britney Donovan, ​B.S. (she/her)

Current Position: Cognitive Neural Sciences Psychology Ph.D. Student
Education:
  • Middle Tennessee State University, B.S. (2022, Psychology)
Research Interests: Britney is interested in broadening her understanding of the human brain and sensory systems with cognitive neuroscience after doing primarily non-human behavioral neuroscience. This includes using physiological measurement tools, like EEG, to explore the many facets of neuroscience she could not do previously. Some topics of rising interest include the current attention crisis of children and adolescents, as well as music and its separation from typical memory areas in the brain. 
​Fun Facts: Britney is ranked as a decided camouflage belt in Songahm Taekwondo and has been to Costa Rica three times!

Undergraduate Interns

Wae Man Chan
Year: Junior
Major/Minor: Neuroscience/Biological Sciences + Medical Humanities and Culture
Fun Fact: I love to travel, and I have been to almost 20 countries!​
Jake Arcement
Year: Senior
Major/Minor: Neuroscience/Spanish​
Fun Fact: I've played piano since I was young, and I play guitar in my free time!
Allie Cobb
Year: Sophomore
Major/Minor: Biology/Psychology​
Fun Fact: coming soon!
Jessica Snyder
​Year: Sophomore
Major/Minor: Neuroscience​
Fun Fact: coming soon!
Lorelai Wilson
Year: Junior
Major/Minor: Neuroscience​
Fun Fact: coming soon!
Madeleine Noller
Year: Sophomore
Major/Minor: ​Neuroscience​
Fun Fact: coming soon!
Varun Kaithi
Year: Sophomore
Major/Minor: BARSC-MD​
Fun Fact: coming soon!
If you are interested in joining the B-RAD Lab as an undergraduate intern, please fill out our interest form. We are not currently accepting applications, but we will reach out to you when we open applications for the next cycle. Reach out to Liv Mace ([email protected]) and Jackson McFadden ([email protected]) for any questions!
Copyright: B-RAD Lab, Dr. Caitlin Hudac
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Website updated: June 2024