A Brief History

The CANLab was founded in 2006 when Dr. Kensinger arrived at Boston College, becoming one of the first laboratories at BC to use cognitive neuroscience methods to understand human behavior. Since then, neuroscience has blossomed at Boston College and we are thrilled to be among a number of neuroscience laboratories within the Psychology and Neuroscience department. We are also among the labs that partner within the Human Neuroscience Laboratory.

Since its inception, the CANLab has seen 7 postdoctoral fellows transition into independent research careers, graduated 11 M.A. and Ph.D. students, and had the pleasure of mentoring over 150 undergraduate students who have gone on to graduate school, medical school, and careers in literally everything from A (advertising) to Z (zoology).

Want to Join Us?

If you are interested in participating in one of our research studies, please  email us at canlab@bc.edu or give us a call at 617-552-6949. 

If you are interested in joining our laboratory as an undergraduate research assistant, please fill out the online application.  We do not always have openings, but we will be sure to keep your application on file.

If you are potentially interested in joining the laboratory as a full-time research assistant, graduate student, or postdoctoral fellow, please contact Dr. Kensinger directly or use the email link below.

click here to CONTACT US by email ▸

Collaborators

Michael Anderson, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit

Andrew Budson, Veterans Affairs (VA) Boston Healthcare System

Donna Rose Addis, University of Auckland

Angela Gutchess, Brandeis University

Jessica Payne, University of Notre Dame

Benton Pierce, Texas A&M Commerce

Suparna Rajaram, SUNY Stonybrook

Patricia Reuter-Lorenz, University of Michigan

Maureen Ritchey, Boston College

Daniel Schacter, Harvard University

Scott Slotnick, Boston College

Robert Stickgold, Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center and Harvard Medical School

Robert Waldinger, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital

Liane Young, Boston College

Alumni

Postdoctoral Fellow Alumni

Samantha Williams (2020-2023) Consultant for Resource Systems Group LinkedIn

Tony Cunningham (2018-2022) Member of the Faculty of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center LinkedIn

Eric Fields (2017-2021) Asst. Professor of Psychology, UNC Greensboro LinkedIn

Holly Bowen (2014-18) - Asst. Professor of Psychology, SMU LinkedIn

Stephanie Sherman (2016-17) - Data scientist LinkedIn

Christopher Madan (2014-17) - Assistant Professor of Psychology, MacEwan University LinkedIn

Eric Allard (2010-14) - Associate Professor of Psychology, Cleveland State University LinkedIn

Anne Krendl (2010-12) - Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington LinkedIn

Christina Leclerc (2006-10) - Professor, University of New England LinkedIn

Graduate Student Alumni

Julia Maybury - Master’s Student (2022-2023) - Ph.D. student at Cambridge University. LinkedIn

Ryan Daley - Ph.D. student (2017 - 2022) - Assistant Professor of Psychology, Gordon College. LinkedIn

Kelly Bennion - Ph.D. student (2011-2016) -Associate Professor of Psychology, California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo LinkedIn

Sandry Garcia - Ph.D. student (2020-2025) - postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Maureen Ritchey and Dr. Yakeel Quiroz, LinkedIn

Sarah Kark - Ph.D. student (2013-2019) - postdoctoral fellow at UC Irvine, followed by position as Senior Digital Neuroscientist in the private sector LinkedIn

Laura Paige - Master's student (2012-2013) - Ph.D. student at Brandeis University LinkedIn

Brendan Murray - Ph.D. student (2008-2013) - scientific project manager in the private sector LinkedIn

Alisha Holland - Ph.D. student (2007-2012) - Lecturer at Trinity College LinkedIn

Jaclyn Portelli - Master's student (2009-2011) - research assistant at the Kessler Institute - Physician at UNC Health

Katherine Mickley Steinmetz - Ph.D. student (2006-2011) - Associate Professor of Psychology, Wofford College LinkedIn

Jill Waring - Ph.D. student (2006-2011) - Asst. Professor of Psychology at Saint Louis University LinkedIn

Jonathan Romiti - Master's student (2007-2009) - law student at BC Law School LinkedIn

Research Staff Alumni

Lauren Voso - laboratory coordinator (2024-2026) - Ph.D student at SUNY Stony Brook

Hannah Piccirilli - laboratory coordinator (2024-2026) - Clinical Research Coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital

Ryan Gerald Monkman - laboratory coordinator (2022-2024) - Ph.D student at University of Oregon LinkedIn

Brianna Lenza - laboratory coordinator (2022-2024) Head Clinical Research Coordinator at Massachussets General Hospital LinkedIn

Cortney Stedman (Flory) - laboratory coordinator (2020-2022) - Ph.D student at Florida International University LinkedIn

Michelle Marchesi - research assistant (2019-2020) - medical school at New York Medical College. LinkedIn

Sandry Garcia - laboratory coordinator (2017-2020) - Ph.D. student at Boston College

Ryan Daley - laboratory coordinator (2016-2017) - Ph.D. student at Boston College

Tala Berro - research assistant (2015-2016) - Boston University, Genetic Counseling Program

Haley DiBiase - research assistant (2014-2015) - New England College of Optometry LinkedIn

Sarah Scott - laboratory coordinator (2013-2015) - AthenaHealth

John Morris - research assistant (2011-2014) - medical school at Michigan State University. LinkedIn

Halle Zucker - laboratory coordinator (2010-2013) - Ph.D. student in Psychology at UC Davis LinkedIn

Jenny Wong - research assistant (2010-2011) - Ph.D. student in Psychology at UT Dallas LinkedIn

Katherine Schmidt - research assistant (2009-2010) - nursing student at University of Pennsylvania

Ranga Atapattu - laboratory coordinator (2008-2010) - Ph.D. student in School Psychology. LinkedIn

Keely Muscatell - laboratory coordinator (2006-2008) - Asst. Professor, UNC Chapel Hill. LinkedIn