Click on the names below to read their biographies:
Nicole Russo‐Ponsaran, Ph.D.
Research Director
Assistant Professor of Behavioral Sciences
Education and Training
- Northwestern University, Ph.D., Neuroscience
- Loyola University Chicago, B.S., Biology
- Certified research reliable in administration of the Autism Diagnostic Interview‐Revised, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), and ADOS‐2
Areas of Expertise
- Autism spectrum disorders, fragile X syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and language‐based learning problems
- Neurophysiology, speech‐evoked auditory brainstem response
- Nonverbal awareness, prosody, facial affect
- Social information processing
Research Interests
- Improving objective assessment of functioning for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities
- Direct assessment of social‐emotional learning skills and self‐regulation in typically‐developing and clinical pediatric populations
- Evaluation of intervention efficacy and the development of new treatment programs
Clark McKown, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Behavioral Sciences
Education and Training
- University of California, Berkeley, PhD, Psychology
- Stanford’s Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Predoctoral internship
- Yale University, BA, Psychology
Areas of Expertise
- Child assessment and therapy
- School consultation
- Academic, social, behavioral, and emotional disorders of childhood
- Social development and friendship
Research Interests
- Typical and atypical social development
- Assessment and treatment of social problems
- Instructional environments and children’s well‐being
- Program evaluation
Irene Wu, M.S.
Research Study Coordinator III
Education and Training
- M.S. Psychology — University of Michigan
- M.A. Applied Psychology — New York University
- B.A. Social Work — Soochow University (Taipei)
Research Interests
- Academic and socio‐emotional development of low‐income and ethnically diverse children
- Investigating ways to enhance research dissemination and implementation
- Bioecological contexts and its influence on children’s development
- Developing and testing culturally sensitive protocols and assessments
Ashley Karls, B.A.
Research Study Coordinator I
Education and Training
- National University, B.A. in Business Management, Minor in Psychology
Research Interests
- Social‐emotional and executive functioning skills and deficits
- Assessment and treatment of social deficits in children
- Emotional regulation and self‐perception
In memory of Jason Johnson, B.A.
Research Study Supervisor (2008–2016)
Education and Training
- Monmouth College, B.A., Biology and Chemistry
Research Interests:
- Development of assessment tools to identify children and adolescents at risk for social‐ emotional difficulties
- Direct assessment of social‐emotional learning skills and self‐regulation in typically‐developing and clinical pediatric populations
- Evaluation of intervention efficacy and the development of new treatment programs, specifically facial emotion recognition
- Sociometrics and Peer rejection
