My Research Background
Before pursuing my education in Neuroscience and Psychology, I worked professionally as an aerial performer and circus coach. This lived experience sparked a deep interest in the neural underpinnings of movement, cognition, and social learning — particularly how embodied activities like circus can influence health, decision-making, and emotional development.
In January 2018, I joined the laboratories of Drs. Pearl Chui and Brooks King-Casas at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute (FBRI), first as a volunteer intern and then as a research technician. The CKC Lab gave me foundational training in neuroscience, human decision-making, and clinical research, and allowed me to contribute to cutting-edge studies exploring the social and neural influences on behavior, including in clinical populations.
During my time in the lab, I:
Received hands-on training in fMRI neuroimaging and BOLD signal analysis
Assisted with participant recruitment, data collection, and experimental design
Completed scientific ethics and CITI training
Became familiar with IRB protocols and research regulations
Attended and presented at weekly scientific lab meetings
This experience taught me how to critically evaluate data, understand the mechanics and limitations of neuroimaging, and appreciate the complex pathways through which research becomes real-world practice.
One project in particular shaped my trajectory: I worked alongside the team on a Veterans Affairs study exploring Trauma Management Therapy (TMT) as a treatment for PTSD. This led me to ask an important question: From bench to bedside - how is knowledge actually implemented in clinical practice?
With mentorship from Drs. Chui and King-Casas, I designed and led an independent research project examining the dissemination and implementation of PTSD treatments in both VA and civilian healthcare settings. Through a comprehensive literature review, I uncovered major barriers to care: although effective, evidence-based treatments exist, the vast majority of people diagnosed with PTSD do not receive them.
I synthesized this research into a review-style manuscript and delivered an hour-long presentation to the lab, weaving together findings across independent studies to form a broader picture of how clinical science is translated — or often, not translated — into practice.
This early research experience gave me:
Confidence in my ability to ask scientific questions
Skills to critically assess literature
Tools to communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively
It also laid the foundation for my later fellowship, where I brought together neuroscience, motor development, and expressive movement to explore new approaches to supporting children with neuromotor disorders — work that continues to inform everything I do through Cirqulation.
Cirqulation is grounded in my neuroscience research background, which focuses on how movement and creative expression support child development and brain function.
I was awarded a highly competitive research fellowship to conduct independent, interdisciplinary research on the relationship between speech and motor development in children with neuromotor disorders in the Neuromotor Clinic under the advisement of Dr. Strephanie DeLuca. This work explored how early motor experiences — especially those involving coordinated, playful, and goal-directed movement — can support neuroplastic changes that contribute to improved communication and functional outcomes.
In collaboration with clinician-researchers, I also helped design and adapt aerial and circus-based activities for therapeutic use. While our small sample size meant our findings were qualitative and anecdotal, we consistently observed meaningful functional gains — such as improvements in motor planning, coordination, social engagement, and expressive communication.
These activities appeared to support:
Neuroplasticity — by engaging sensorimotor systems in novel, multi-modal ways that challenge the brain and encourage new neural connections
Self-efficacy — by helping children experience success and agency in their movements and self-expression
Intrinsic motivation — by providing joyful, meaningful experiences that children are excited to participate in,
Functional neuromotor gains
This body of research continues to shape Cirqulation’s approach — blending movement, neuroscience, and creativity to create programs that support real growth, joy, and connection.