Introducing New Graduate Student Ashley Hayden

August 12, 2024 - Shelly DeJong

Meet Ashley Hayden, an incoming graduate student in the Clinical Science research area. 

Name: Ashley Hayden 

Hometown: Lapeer, MI 

Education Background: BA in Psychology and Dance from Hope College 

 

Tell us about your background/experience.   

 As an undergrad I examined positive emotion constructs such as accountability, empathy, self-regulation, forgiveness, and gratitude using peripheral physiology. Afterwards, I worked in the Division of Neurotherapeutics at Massachusetts General Hospital. There, I integrated neuroimaging and physiology methods to examine effects of neuromodulation and neurotechnology within anxiety and mood disorders. 

 

Why grad school?  

I am pursuing a degree in Clinical Psychology in hopes of eventually gaining an academic position at a university or academic medical center. I am highly interested in pursuing research while also teaching and mentoring as well as working directly with clients/patient populations. 

 

What do you hope to research while you're here? 

 I am broadly interested in positive and negative emotions and emotion regulation and how these constructs impact to cognitive outcomes. I am also interested in understanding the neurophysiological mechanisms of positive emotions compared to negative emotions in individuals with and without anxiety/depression. 

 

Why are you interested in Clinical Science?   

 I really enjoy understanding emotion and cognition from scientific perspectives because it can potentially provide insight into risks, causes, and treatment of clinical conditions. 

 

In your free time, what do you like to do? 

In my free time, you could find me taking ballet classes, rowing, or baking (specifically bread).