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Cognitive Motor Neuroscience Laboratory Kinesiology @ Washington State University

The Team

Lab Director

Dr. Shikha Prashad

Dr. Prashad is an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at Washington State University. She received a B.A. in Biology and Computer Science from Bryn Mawr College and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science from the University of Maryland, College Park under the mentorship of Dr. Jane Clark in the Department of Kinesiology. She then worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Dallas with Dr. Francesca Filbey.

Dr. Prashad spent her childhood moving to cities around the world with her family, ultimately graduating from an international high school in Rome, Italy. She then moved to the US and made her way across the country to the best coast via Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Texas. Having lived over three years each in nine cities across six countries, it has always been difficult for her to answer the question, “So, where are you from?” without going into a 10-min tirade 😊

Dr. Prashad teaches KINES 461: Motor Learning and Control (offered in the fall and spring semesters), KINES 561: Motor Control Theory (offered in the spring semester), and KINES 564: Movement Disorders (offered in the spring semester). Take her classes for a peek into how our brain accomplishes its most amazing feat―movement!

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Andrew Paek

Dr. Paek received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Houston. He studies the neural processes underlying motor learning and control with a focus on applications in brain-computer interfaces. He was recently awarded an Engineering Postdoctoral Fellowship (eFellows) from the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Graduate Students

Ashley Murray

Ashley is a Masters and Doctoral student in Prevention Science here at WSU. She has a B.A. in Psychology from California State University, East Bay (2023). Her research interests include the neural basis for movement disorders in adult and aging populations, cognitive processes that underlie motor learning and how these change throughout the lifespan. A self-proclaimed cat lady, Ashley has four cats she’d love to tell you about (and show pictures). In her free time, you’ll find her exploring nature, going for bike rides, gardening, going to the movies, (trying to) play guitar, or reading.

Undergraduate Research Assistants

Kiersten Tresch

Kiersten is part of the Honors College and is majoring in Bioengineering. She also plans on pursuing a mechanical engineering minor and hopes to go into prosthetics one day. She grew up in San Jose, CA, and then moved to Vancouver, WA. When she is not working, she is either crocheting or reading.

 

 

 

Michelle Roman

Michelle is a fourth-year student majoring in Kinesiology and double minoring in Strength & Conditioning and Psychology. She is originally from Cartersville, GA and hopes to become an Aerospace and Operational Physiologist for the Air Force one day.
 

 

 

 

 

Kate Corneliuson

Kate is a second-year student in the Honors College and is majoring in Kinesiology and minoring in Biology and Psychology. She is from Renton, Washington and hopes to attend medical school. She enjoys going to Mariners games and listening to music.

 

 

 

Nahaila Serrano

Nahaila is a first-generation student in her fourth undergraduate year majoring in Kinesiology. She is still deciding her options on what to do as a career because she has interests in so many things. One thing she aspires to do is to be a certified personal trainer and help advocate the importance of mental health and how much movement helps with so.

 

 

 

Gianna Bratcher

I am a junior in the Honors College and I am majoring in Biology and minoring in Spanish I am from Reno, Nevada. I hope to go to medical school to become a sports physiologist.  In my free time I like going to the gym and going on hikes with my dogs.

 

 

 

Paige Simons

I am from Bellingham, Washington, and am a second-year student at Washington State. I plan to major in Kinesiology, and dual-minor in Strength and Conditioning and Psychology, with the later hope of obtaining a doctorate in physical therapy. When I am not in school, I am usually hiking and spending time outdoors, painting, or listening to music.

 

 

 

WSU logoSamuel Song

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gianna Bratcher

I am a junior in the Honors College and I am majoring in Biology and minoring in Spanish I am from Reno, Nevada. I hope to go to medical school to become a sports physiologist.  In my free time I like going to the gym and going on hikes with my dogs.

 

 

 

 

Emma Ames

I am a Junior with a major in Neuroscience and a minor in Spanish and Psychology. I am in the Honors College as well. I am from Nine Mile Falls, Washington. I am still deciding which post-grad route I want to take but my overall goal is to study neurodegenerative diseases. Outside of school, I love to hike, travel, and read!

 

 

 

 

Anoop Sangera

Anoop is a third-year undergraduate student in the Honors College, majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Psychology. He grew up in Pullman, WA and plans to attend medical school in hopes of achieving a MD/Ph.D. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends as well as doing outdoor activities and traveling.

 

 

 

 

Gracie Stockert

Gracie is a third-year student majoring in Kinesiology and minoring in Psychology. She is still exploring career paths. She is originally from Nine Mile Falls, WA. In her free time, she likes to play sports and go thrifting.

 

Alumni

Graduate students

Nelson Rojas (M.S. in Kinesiology, 2022)

Undergraduate students

Thomas Kleingartner (B.S. in Kinesiology, 2022)

Joseph Arinaza (B.S. in Kinesiology, 2022)

Joshua Gallardo (B.S. in Kinesiology, 2022)

Jedidiah “Jed” Canfield (B.S. in Biochemistry, 2024)

Juan Medina (B.S. in Kinesiology, 2023)

Victoria Rednoske (B.S. in Kinesiology, 2023)

Jacob Osler (B.S. in Neuroscience, 2024)