This poster focuses on my experiences with the Sydney Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (SCAN) Research and Teaching Unit at the University of Sydney in Australia. The SCAN Unit is a psychophysiology laboratory with members researching topics including heart rate variability, event-related brain potentials, electrocardiography, electroencephalography, perception, and more. While working with the SCAN Unit, I found myself involved in multiple projects as both a researcher and a participant. In addition, I was assigned to individual tasks. I completed literature reviews on specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the brain and body to analyze their relationship with mood disorders and affect. Moreover, I helped to design and develop a website for the new laboratory. In regards to experiments, I served as both a participant and researcher in a design measuring how bimodal and unimodal stimuli of light and/or sound with varying amounts of time lapsing between may affect the perception of a participant. Another large research experiment that I was involved in focused on heart rate variability and whether unmedicated patients suffering from major depression disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or posttraumatic stress disorder, suffer from reduced HRV independent of medication. I served as a model and instructor on how to setup and operate the lab’s electrocardiography and electroencephalography equipment. While these experiments are ongoing, the data express support for the hypotheses. In particular, the heart rate variability experiments going on at the lab could potentially lead to important discoveries that further tie the psychology field to the medical field and clinical aspects. Current studies are indicative of helping change how we measure the risk for myocardial infarction, heart disease, and more.

1. Psychophysiology Internship with the Sydney Cognitive and Affective
Neuroscience Unit
University of Sydney – Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Reduced HRV is indicative of potential harmful conditions, such as
myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, etc.
Previous Experience
Correlating Experiment, lead by Dr. Andrew Kemp (ongoing):
 Courses at the University of Louisville pertaining to
biology, chemistry, and psychology. Focus: To determine whether unmedicated patients suffering from
major depression disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder
 Summer 2011: Medical internship in Kalutara, Sri Lanka (GAD), or posttraumatic stress disorder, suffer from reduced HRV.
Results: Experiment is still ongoing, but participants to date portray
Sydney Project Goals reduced HRV, independent of the medication use for treatment.
My Roles: Serving as a model for ECG setup, actually setting up
 Discover more about the field of psychophysiology ECG with participants, analysis of data.
and its relationship to the field of medicine.
 Become further informed about proper procedures
and etiquette of research design, development, and data
collection with human subjects.
Research Projects, Participation, and Tasks
1. Audio/Visual Perception Experiment with Lars Boenke:
Focus: How bimodal and unimodal stimuli of light and/or Future Plans
sound with varying amounts of time lapsing between may
2. Lab Website Development and Promotion:  Further connect enrichment
affect the perception of a participant.
www.psych.usyd.edu.au/lab/scan projects and studies with a focus on
Results: Experiment is ongoing, but current data
water treatment and environmental
indicates a subconscious effect in subjects that influences
sustainability in regards to health
perception of stimuli order based on prior stimuli exposure.
3. Heart Rate Variability and Implications for and medicine
My Roles: Serving as an actual participant, setting up
Cardiovascular Risk:
experiment for other subjects, analysis of data.
What is heart rate variability (HRV)?  Water for Life - Kosovo:  Foundation for the International
Physiological event where the time interval (RR intervals) Well rehabilitation, septic Medical Relief of Children – El
between heart beats varies. Can be measured by ECG. installation, river restoration, Salvador: Water treatment,
purification systems, and waste/recycling program design,
equipment training. nutrition groups for 6-12 year olds