The CAP Lab is dedicated to the involvement of student researchers across all areas of the research process. Students may be involved in data collection, data processing, presenting research findings, or the design of a new research study (for thesis students).

If you are interested in getting involved in the lab please reach out to Dr. Egan ([email protected]).

*Denotes student author

Poster Presentations

*Passarelli, J. & Egan, L. J.. (2021, March). Uncertainty paralysis for teachers during the initial transition to remote learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Poster session presented at the annual convention of the Eastern Psychological Association.

Egan, L. J., *DeMartino, F., *Ortiz, L., *Osemwegie, A., & *Generoso, D. (2020, March). Psychophysiological responses to anticipatory stress in social anxiety. Poster session presented at the annual convention of the Eastern Psychological Association.

Egan, L. J. (2019, September). Ambiguous threat and stress-related heart rate variability in social anxiety. Poster session presented at the annual convention of the Society for Psychophysiological Research, Boston, MA.

Paper Presentations

Egan, L. J. (2021, March). The forest, trees, and leaves of social justice advocacy. Paper presentation at the annual convention of the Eastern Psychological Association, New York, NY.

Publications

Egan, L. J. & *Passarelli, J. (in preparation). Uncertainty paralysis for teachers during the initial transition to remote learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Egan, L. J. (in preparation). Ambiguous threat and stress-related heart rate variability in social anxiety.

Please check back soon for opportunities to participate in research studies!

Dr. Laura Egan is an assistant professor of psychology and the director of the Cognition, Affect, and Psychophysiology (CAP) Lab at St. Francis College. She graduated from The State University of New York at Binghamton with a B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy before completing her Ph.D. in Biopsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York. In addition to her research in the CAP Lab, she teaches both core courses (statistics and experimental) as well as other topics (psychobiology and development) for the psychology major.

Current Research Assistants

Jazmine Craig is a second-year master's student in the General Psychology program as well as the assistant coach for Men's and Women's volleyball at St. Francis College. She is interested in how chronic stressors affect student athlete's academic success, mental health, and well-being.

Tate Renata is in her second year of the Applied Behavioral Psychology BA/MA program. As an athlete on the Women's Water Polo team, she is interested in sports psychology. Her research focuses on how international athletes' motivations are influenced when they move to American colleges. At the completion of her Master’s degree, she hopes to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology and become registered to the New Zealand Psychologist Board.

Lisamarie Trezza is in her second year of the Applied Behavioral Psychology BA/MA program. She is the President of the Psi Chi Honor Society chapter at St. Francis College. She is interested in neuropsychology and plans to pursue her doctorate in Clinical Neuropsychology after competing her Masters. For her research, she is interested in looking at the relationship between awe, frisson, and positive emotions.

Former Research Assistants

Lexis Ortiz graduated from the BA/MA program at St. Francis College in spring 2022 after having previously been an undergraduate research assistant in the CAP Lab and working with Dr. Egan on her honor’s thesis. Her master’s thesis “Predictors and Biomarkers of Burnout in Student Athletes” was the 2022 recipient of the Florence Denmark Award for Excellence in Graduate Research.

Catalina Agui Acker graduated from the BA/MA program at St. Francis College in spring 2021. Her master’s thesis “Cognitive Implications During the Menopausal Transition Phase” was the 2021 recipient of the Florence Denmark Award for Excellence in Graduate Research.

Helena Brankovic graduated from the BA program at St. Francis College in spring 2021. She completed her honor’s thesis on the “Role of Intolerance of Uncertainty, Anxiety Sensitivity, Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms, and Health Anxiety in COVID-19 Pandemic.” She currently works as an Area Manager of Operations at Amazon.

Ashleigh Osemwegie graduated from the MA program at St. Francis College in spring 2021 after having previously been an undergraduate research assistant in the CAP Lab. Her master’s thesis was titled, “The Effects of Background Music on Studying.”

Tim Cecere graduated from the Communication Arts BA program at St. Francis College in spring 2020. His honor’s thesis was titled, “Social Media Exposure and Body Dysmorphic Symptoms.”

Fabia DeMartino graduated from the MA program at St. Francis College in spring 202. Her master’s thesis was titled, “Coping with Anticipatory Processing in Social Anxiety.”

Dareen Generoso graduated from the BA/MA program at St. Francis College in spring 202. Her master’s thesis was titled, “Probing the Phenomenological Underpinnings of Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response and Mindfulness in Relation to Interoception.”

Lucy Liotta graduated from the BA/MA program at St. Francis College in spring 2020. Her master’s thesis “The Effect of Awe on Increasing Curiosity: Depression as a Moderator” was the 2020 recipient of the Florence Denmark Award for Excellence in Graduate Research. She currently works as an Assistant Research Scientist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute.