Lab Director/Principal Investigator

Ashley F. Curtis, PhD

Ashley F. Curtis, PhD

Bio

Ashley Curtis, PhD, received her doctoral degree in Psychology (with a specialization in Brain, Behavior and Cognitive Science) from York University in Toronto, ON, Canada. Her dissertation work focused on developing and evaluating strategies to improve cognition in younger and older adults. She completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Sunnybrook Research Institute in Toronto, ON, where she studied sex differences in risk factors and outcomes of neurodegenerative disorders. She most recently completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship with Christina McCrae, PhD, in the Mizzou Sleep Research Lab in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri.

Dr. Curtis is currently an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri and the Director/Principal Investigator of the Cognition, Aging, Sleep, and Health (CASH) Lab. Dr. McCrae and Mary Beth Miller, PhD, Lab Director and Principal Investigator of the Behavior and Addictions Research Lab, in the Department of Psychiatry remain close research collaborators. Dr. Curtis’s research focuses on the bidirectional associations between sleep and cognition in healthy and pathological aging populations. Current research investigates how cognitive training paradigms impact sleep and cognition. She is also interested in sex differences and other risk factors (e.g., pain, medication) that alter sleep and cognitive profiles across the lifespan. She employs clinical, behavioral, and neuroscience methods to examine novel research questions in these areas.

Lab Staff

Chloe Rzeppa

Chloe Rzeppa

Senior Research Assistant/Project Coordinator

Bio

Bio: Chloe Rzeppa is currently an undergraduate research assistant at the University of Missouri from Geneva, IL. Her dream is to get her PhD in Psychology to do research on Neurodevelopmental and Neurocognitive disorders. During her free time, Chloe enjoys writing, doing activities outdoors, and working out.

Amy Costa, MA

Amy Costa, MA

Graduate Research Assistant

Bio

Bio: Amy is a doctoral student in the Cognition and Neuroscience Psychology program. Amy holds a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Chemistry from Missouri University of Science and Technology. Her research interests involve studying the discrepancies between subjective and objective measures including cognition and sleep. She also has a research interest in better understanding the role stress has on creative thinking and cognitive flexibility. In addition to her work in the CASH lab, Amy also works with Dr. David Beversdorf in his Cognitive Neuroscience lab.

Madison Musich

Madison Musich

Graduate Research Assistant

Bio

Bio: Madison Musich is a doctoral student in the Cognition and Neuroscience Psychology program. Madison earned a BS in Psychology with a concentration in Mind, Brain & Behavior and a minor in Statistics from Colorado State University. Her research interests include studying healthy aging, neuroimaging, and data analysis.

Anthony Schmiedeler, MS

Anthony Schmiedeler, MS

Graduate Research Assistant

Bio

Bio: Anthony (he/him/his) is a second-year doctoral student in the University of Missouri counseling psychology program. Anthony earned a B.A. in human biology with a minor in religious studies from the University of Kansas and a M.S. in psychology from Avila University. In addition to the CASH Lab's ongoing projects, Anthony's research interests include examining relationships between mental health concerns and vocational psychology constructs.

Aliza Ahmed

Aliza Ahmed

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bio

Bio: Aliza Ahmed is an undergraduate research assistant at the University of Missouri-Columbia from Saint Louis, MO. She is currently pursuing her BS in both Biology and Psychology. She hopes to attend medical school after graduation. Aliza enjoys spending time with friends and family, cooking, and being involved in her on-campus organizations.

Angela Atkinson

Angela Atkinson

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bio

Bio: Angela Atkinson is an undergraduate research assistant from St. Louis, Missouri. Angela is currently studying Biology and Psychology at the University of Missouri and aspires to go to medical school and continue pursuing research. In her free time, Angela enjoys traveling and cooking.

Vanessa Lamply

Vanessa Lamply

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bio

Bio: Vanessa Lampley is an undergraduate pre-med student majoring in mathematics from Elkland, Missouri. She hopes to go to medical school to pursue neurology. In her free time, she enjoys singing, drawing, and hanging out with her friends

Karina Lui

Karina Lui

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bio

Bio: Karina Liu is an undergraduate research assistant majoring in Biochemistry at the University of Missouri. She is also on the pre-med track with plans to attend medical school. In her free time, she enjoys reading, YouTube, and hanging out with her cats. 

Aniyah Modacure

Aniyah Modacure

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bio

Bio: Aniyah is an undergraduate research assistant/volunteer majoring in Biology on a Pre-Med track. After graduation, she plans to attend medical school and become a Pediatric Surgeon. In her free time, she enjoys practicing acrobatics, listening to music, and watching TV.

Jenny Park

Jenny Park

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bio

Bio: Jenny Park is a first-year student at the University of Missouri, studying biology on a pre-med track. She is an undergraduate research assistant at the CASH Lab and the Cognitive Neuroscience Lab. Jenny’s current interests lie in cognitive decline and cognitive training. She is also curious about neurological disorders and investigating pathological and correlational studies within that field. As of right now, Jenny hopes to go to medical school to become a physician who specializes in neurology.

Victoria Salathe

Victoria Salathe

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bio

Bio: Victoria (Nikki) is a research assistant from Springfield, Missouri. She recently graduated from the University of Missouri - Columbia with a BS in Biology and will be taking a gap year before applying to medical school. In addition to volunteering at the CASH Lab, she works as a phlebotomist in the MU Healthcare system. Victoria enjoys baking, spending time with friends and family, reading and Andy’s Frozen Custard.

Jackson Weller

Jackson Weller

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Bio

Bio: Jackson Weller is an undergraduate pre-med student majoring in biochemistry. He hopes to attend medical school after graduation. In his free time he plays basketball and works with the Mizzou men's basketball team as a student manager.