V

Vanessa Brown (she/her)

@vanessabrown.bsky.social

1223 Followers 837 Following

Clinical psychologist/comp neuroscientist studying how anxious people learn about threat | fave topics: models, theory, inclusive science, behavior, cats | #DisabledInSTEM

Tabby cat laying on his side on plaid and gray blankets. The cat's front paws are tucked under and his eyes are closed. He looks very relaxed.
Screenshot with text: The Computational Mechanisms of Psychopathology Lab (COMPLab; PI: Vanessa Brown, PhD) is recruiting for a postdoctoral fellow to join the lab. Research in the lab uses behavioral tasks (administered in-lab and remotely), functional and structural imaging, computational modeling, and mechanistic interventions (brief psychotherapy, neuromodulation) to investigate learning alterations in anxiety and related disorders. In particular, this position will support research funded by a new NIH R01 using predictive and generative modeling of threat imminence to understand and manipulate avoidance in anxiety. This position is ideal for someone with a background in some combination of behavior/learning theory approaches to anxiety, computational modeling of behavior, and fMRI analysis; and who wishes to gain or deepen expertise in these areas. The postdoctoral fellow will be expected to design experiments, analyze data, present and publish findings, apply for external funding, and assist with training other lab members and with lab management. Dr. Brown and the COMP Lab are strongly committed to mentorship, and support will be provided to assist the postdoctoral fellow to prepare for an independent research career.
Screenshot of email reading: NIH Peer Review meetings are held under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which requires that a Federal Register Notice be published 15 days in advance of the meeting. It remains unclear when publication of such notices will resume, and therefore while April 8 & 9 has been confirmed with reviewers, this review meeting date is tentative and remains contingent on appropriate publication of a Federal Register Notice.
Core responsibilities include, but are not limited to data collection, data management, participant recruitment and retention, and lab administration. Opportunities to contribute to computational modeling and other analyses of behavioral, clinical, and neuroimaging data are also available. Prior experience in these latter areas, while advantageous, is not required. The following skills are preferred: experience with psychopathology and behavioral assessment; programming (R, Python, Matlab, Bash or similar); [f]MRI processing and analysis (FSL, AFNI, SPM). The ideal candidate will have strong interpersonal and quantitative skills, programming experience, some experience in psychology or neuroscience research, and an interest in clinical applications of computational/cognitive neuroscience. However, applicants are not expected to have expertise in all areas and applicants with strong interests, but limited exposure, in these areas are also encouraged to apply.
Stylized map of the United States with each state colored. A legend shows what the colors indicate: lived here: 5 points; stayed here: 4; visited here: 3; stopped here: 2; passed here: 1; want to be here: 0; never been here: 0. At the top it says "US level 160" indicating the total points from all states.
Tater tot hot dish in a white baking dish