Ana Sheehan

Ana Sheehan NSF Graduate Research Fellow

Meet the NSF GRFP recipients – Ana Sheehan

Ana Sheehan is pursuing a doctorate in clinical science in UD’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Her research on personality and individual differences focuses on understanding not only why adults engage in risk-taking behaviors, such as aggression, substance abuse and suicidality, but identifying when they are most at risk for engaging in these behaviors.

“A significant barrier to reducing engagement in risk-taking behavior is our inability to predict windows of heightened risk,” said Sheehan. “I’m interested in using assessment techniques, including wearable devices and ecological momentary assessment, to trach physiological and behavioral changes associated with increases in risk-taking behaviors as they occur in real time.”

Sheehan, who was awarded a bachelor’s degree from Vassar College, has served as a research assistant at Brown University. Through her work at Brown, she became fascinated with how everyday technology, from iPhones to Fitbits, could be leveraged to tell us more about how risky behaviors emerge in real time.

“I think technology offers a really unique opportunity not only to learn more about these behaviors but also to inform prevention and intervention efforts targeting these pervasive health problems,” said Sheehan.

At UD, Sheehan has been mentored by Naomi Sadeh, assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences. Along with Sadeh, Sheehan’s lab mates, Nadia Bounoua and Rickie Miglin, have been integral in helping her develop and conceptualize her research ideas and encouraging her to bring these concepts to the lab. She also thanks them for their support during the application process, including reviewing her submission materials.

The recipient of a University of Delaware Graduate Scholar Award, Sheehan’s career goal is to become a researcher at an academic institution or academic medical center, working on projects that integrate novel technologies to help us understand the cognitive mechanisms underlying risky and self-destructive behaviors.

Akilah Alleyne

Akilah Alleyne

Doctoral student Alleyne encourages all UD learners to 'get involved'   Article by Adam S....

Emily Mongold

Emily Mongold

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) has awarded fellowships to six University of Delaware doctoral students, two students who recently received bachelor’s degrees from UD, and six alumni who earned their undergraduate degrees at UD and are currently enrolled in graduate studies at other institutions. In addition, two students from other institutions plan to matriculate at UD to use their fellowships, and five UD students and six alumni received honorable mention recognition.

We are pleased to continue to introduce you to some of these students. Emily Mongold graduated from UD in May with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and is enrolling at Stanford University in a doctoral program in structural engineering and geomechanics. Her research will be related to structural resilience and the impact of natural disasters, specifically tsunamis.

Ariel Hannum

Ariel Hannum

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) has awarded fellowships to six University of Delaware doctoral students, two students who recently received bachelor’s degrees from UD, and six alumni who earned their undergraduate degrees at UD and are currently enrolled in graduate studies at other institutions. In addition, two students from other institutions plan to matriculate at UD to use their fellowships, and five UD students and six alumni received honorable mention recognition.

We are pleased to continue to introduce you to some of these students. Ariel Hannum graduated from UD in May, with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering, and is heading to California to enroll in a doctoral program in bioengineering at Stanford University. She is interested in the application of MRI as a tool to detect and diagnose disease in the human body.

Brandon Vance

Brandon Vance

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) has awarded fellowships to six University of Delaware doctoral students, two students who recently received bachelor’s degrees from UD, and six alumni who earned their undergraduate degrees at UD and are currently enrolled in graduate studies at other institutions. In addition, two students from other institutions plan to matriculate at UD to use their fellowships, and five UD students and six alumni received honorable mention recognition.

We are pleased to continue to introduce you to some of these students. Brandon Vance, a chemical and biomolecular engineering doctoral student, is focusing on converting polyolefins into gasoline, jet and diesel-ranged fuels, and high-grade lubricants. His primary objective is to develop fundamental knowledge pertaining to the reaction network and catalysts that facilitate those reactions.

Elizabeth Smith

Elizabeth Smith

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) has awarded fellowships to six University of Delaware doctoral students, two students who recently received bachelor’s degrees from UD, and six alumni who earned their undergraduate degrees at UD and are currently enrolled in graduate studies at other institutions. In addition, two students from other institutions plan to matriculate at UD to use their fellowships, and five UD students and six alumni received honorable mention recognition.

We are pleased to continue to introduce you to some of these students. Ana Sheehan is pursuing a doctorate in clinical science in UD’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Her research on personality and individual differences focuses on understanding not only why adults engage in risk-taking behaviors, such as aggression, substance abuse and suicidality, but identifying when they are most at risk for engaging in these behaviors.

Alexandra Oliveira

Alexandra Oliveira

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) has awarded fellowships to six University of Delaware doctoral students, two UD students graduating with bachelor’s degrees this spring, and six alumni who earned their undergraduate degrees at UD and are currently enrolled in graduate studies at other institutions. In addition, two students from other institutions plan to matriculate at UD to use their fellowships, and five UD students and six alumni received honorable mention recognition.

We are pleased to continue to introduce you to some of these students. A first-generation college student, Patricia L. Hurley is pursuing her doctorate in civil engineering with a concentration in environmental engineering at UD. She plans to study the fate of macrolide antibiotics in septic tank systems with the goal of finding out if concentrations of these compounds are high enough to threaten nearby groundwater supplies, which may be used as sources of drinking water, and learning if sorption plays a role in attenuation of these compounds.

Patricia Hurley

Patricia Hurley

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) has awarded fellowships to six University of Delaware doctoral students, two UD students graduating with bachelor’s degrees this spring, and six alumni who earned their undergraduate degrees at UD and are currently enrolled in graduate studies at other institutions. In addition, two students from other institutions plan to matriculate at UD to use their fellowships, and five UD students and six alumni received honorable mention recognition.

We are pleased to continue to introduce you to some of these students. A first-generation college student, Patricia L. Hurley is pursuing her doctorate in civil engineering with a concentration in environmental engineering at UD. She plans to study the fate of macrolide antibiotics in septic tank systems with the goal of finding out if concentrations of these compounds are high enough to threaten nearby groundwater supplies, which may be used as sources of drinking water, and learning if sorption plays a role in attenuation of these compounds.

Rebecca Davis

Rebecca Davis

Meet the NSF GRFP recipients – Rebecca Davis Rebecca Davis, who is enrolled in UD’s doctoral...

Hannah Segrave

Hannah Segrave

Hannah Segrave is a Ph.D. candidate in art history at the University of Delaware pursuing the interdisciplinary curatorial track focused on preparation for curatorial careers in specialized art historical fields. In the fall of 2017, Segrave presented at an art history conference in Rome, partly funded by a research travel grant from UD’s Center for Material Culture Studies, and remains in Rome for the research and writing of her dissertation, “Conjuring Genius: Salvator Rosa (1615-1673) and the Dark Arts of Witchcraft.” Segrave is pictured here from Rome, overlooking the church of Santa Caterina da Siena a Magnanapoli and the monument to Vittore Emanuele II (the “Wedding Cake”) in Piazza Venezia.

Andy Jenks

Andy Jenks

A conversation with Andy Jenks – Ph.D. candidate, inclusion advocate, Paralympian Andy Jenks is a...