Charles Lynch wins APAGS/Psi Chi Junior Scientist and NSF Honors

September 11, 2014 – Charles Lynch, who entered the department as a first year PhD student in September 2013, has already won a prestigious and very competitive award, the APAGS/Psi Chi Junior Scientist Fellowship! The APAGS Fellowship recognizes outstanding research-oriented students who are entering their first year of graduate study to help them get their research off the ground. It provides funding for a first-year research project and constructive feedback to increase recipients’ chances of achieving success on a future National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship.  Following up his APAGS Fellowship Award, Charles was also received an Honorable Mention from the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship this spring! This is considered significant national academic achievement.

Chuck, one of several outstanding students in the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, is mentored by Professor Chandan Vaidya. This award will support his first year research project, which will examine how the brain networks involved in executive function develop in young children, using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). Elucidating the neural mechanisms behind this domain of cognitive development is of critical importance not only from a perspective of basic science but also in the context of educational outcomes and developmental disorders. Many developmental disorders, including ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), are characterized by deficits in executive function, and interventions for children with learning disabilities can be informed by a better understanding of critical periods of neural development.

Congratulations, Chuck, on this accomplishment!