Research Associates
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Steven Arias
Research Psychology Technician, VA San Diego Healthcare System
858-552-8585
Steven received his Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Physiology & Neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego in 2019. He is a psychology technician for the Veterans Medical Research Foundation and VA Hospital. Steven has previously worked as a research assistant focused on learning more about disparities in language concordance and cancer treatment within the latino population. He plans to, eventually, go on to pursue a medical degree and practice medicine in underserved communities. However, for now, his focus is on the study of conditions that include: anxiety disorders, depression, substance abuse and traumatic brain injuries and their effects on the brain and overall behavior.
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Brittany Bramer
Research Psychology Technician, VA San Diego Healthcare System
858-552-8585 x2521
Brittany Bramer received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Social Behavior from the University of California, Irvine in 2009. For the last 8 years, Britt has focused on research involving the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Substance Use Disorders and Traumatic Brain Injury. She is currently a Research Project Coordinator for the Stress and Neuroimaging Lab at the San Diego VA.
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Danielle Dun
Research Psychology Technician, VA San Diego Healthcare System
858-552-8585
Danielle received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from University of California, San Diego in 2020. During undergrad, she worked as a research assistant focused on investigating whether biases in social perceptions emerge from rational inference of a complex, ambiguous world. Danielle recently worked with the Morrison Research Lab at California State University, Sacramento on a project exploring whether cognitive deficits that accompany aging can be attributed to declining hearing levels. Currently, she is a Psychology Technician for the Stress and Neuroimaging Lab at the San Diego VA, studying the effects of PTSD, depression, and anxiety on the brain and behavior.
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Svein Gonzalez
Research Psychology Technician, VA San Diego Healthcare System
858-552-8585 x2635
Svein received his Bachelors of Science in Social Psychology from University of California, San Diego. Before arriving at the VA, Svein explored eating disorders and related comorbidities at the Eating Disorders Research Center using neuroimaging. Now, in affiliation with Veterans Affairs Hospital, Svein works as a research coordinator for the Stress & Neuroimaging Lab to study the impacts of clinical disorders (PTSD, MDD, Anxiety, SUD) in the veteran population and investigate potential treatment solutions. Future prospects include attending graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
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Morgan Marvin
Research Psychology Technician, VA San Diego Healthcare System
858-552-8585 x2509
Morgan Marvin received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from San Diego State University, in 2018. She is a psychology technician for the Veterans Medical Research Foundation and Veteran Affairs Hospital in La Jolla, California. Her research interests include neuroimaging and treatment of PTSD, substance abuse, depression, and anxiety. Previously she worked as a research assistant with a focus on utilizing EEG to study cognitive control and emotional processing in the Spatiotemporal Brain Imaging Lab. She plans to pursue a PhD in clinical psychology.
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Alex Skupny
Research Psychology Technician, VA San Diego Healthcare System
858-552-8585
Alex Skupny received her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience & Cognitive Science at the University of Arizona in 2019. In her time at the University of Arizona, she was a member of the Neuroscience of Reinforcement Learning and Decision-Making Lab doing research focused on the effects of aging on decision-making and cognition. Alex currently works as a Psychology Technician for the Stress and Neuroimaging Lab at the VA in San Diego, CA.
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Brittney Steele
Research Psychology Technician, University of California, San Diego
VA San Diego Healthcare System
858-552-8585 x2872
Brittney Steele received her Bachelor of the Arts in Literature from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2011. From 2013- 2015, she studied psychology through San Diego State University. She is currently a staff research technician through the University of California, San Diego in affiliation with The Veterans Medical Research Foundation and Veteran Affairs Hospital in La Jolla, California. Previously, she served in a clinical research environment focused on the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder and alcoholism/polysubstance abuse among OIF/OEF/OND veterans. She currently works in the Stress and Neuroimaging Lab, focused on the study of conditions including posttraumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, traumatic brain injury, pain, and depression and their effects on the brain and behavior.
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