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Curriculum Vitae

Personal Profile

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Diana C. Perez, MS

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I grew up in the Sonoran desert, between Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico and Tucson, Arizona. I graduated cum laude from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor's in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science. I am an alumnus of the Undergraduate Biology Research Program (UBRP), Latino Mental Health Research Training Program (MHIRT), and York University's Center for Vision Research summer school. Currently, I am a Ph.D. Candidate in the Brain, Behavior, and Cognition Program at Northwestern's Psychology department. My research focus is on how brain networks change as we age and how they differ across individuals, and I use precision functional MRI and behavioral measures, in combination with complex computational tools to study these questions.

Education

June 2025 (Expected)

December 2021

May 2018

Ph.D. in Brain, Behavior and Cognition

Psychology Department

Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 

Adviser: Dr. Caterina Gratton

MSc in Brain, Behavior and Cognition

Psychology Department

Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Thesis: “Hemispheric Asymmetries of Individual Differences in Functional Connectivity”

Adviser: Dr. Caterina Gratton

BS in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science                       

Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Department

University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Minors: Spanish, Italian Language

Honors: cum laude (GPA 3.56/4.00)

Thesis: “Object Memories Alter the Appearance of Blurry Object Borders”

Thesis Adviser: Dr. Mary A. Peterson

Work and Research Experience

April 2022 - Present

July 2019 - Present

May 2016 - July 2019

Oct. 2018 - July 2019

May 2018 - August 2018

May 2016 - May 2018

Feb. 2017 - Mar. 2017

Jan. 2016 - May 2016

Graduate Research Assistant

Gratton Lab

PI: Dr. Caterina Gratton

Psychology Department, Northwestern University

Evanston, IL

Research Computing Student Consultant

Northwestern IT's Research Computing and Data Services

Evanston, IL

Research Associate

Visual Perception and Cognition Lab

PI: Dr. Mary Peterson

Psychology Deparment, University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ

Research Technician

Medical Imaging Laboratory

PI: Dr. Nan-Kuei Chen

Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ

Research Trainee

Neurobiology Lab (as part of the Latino Mental Health Research Training Program)

PI: Dr. Eduardo Calixto (Program director: Dr. Steve Lopez)

Department of Neurobiology, National Institute of Psychiatry

Mexico City, Mexico

Research Trainee

Undergraduate Biology Research Program (UBRP)

Program Director: Jennifer Cubeta

Molecular & Cellular Biology Department, University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ

Research Assistant

Gronenberg Lab 

PI: Dr. Wulfilla Gronenberg

Neuroscience Department, University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ

Research Assistant

Language Development Lab

PI: Dr. LuAnn Gerken

Psychology Department, University of Arizona

Tucson, AZ

Honors & Awards

2011-2012

2015-2016

2017-2018

2020

2021

  • Arizona Scholar Award 

  • Arizona Board of Regents Award 

  • Wildcat Excellence Award

  • Tucson Hispanic Scholarship Fund Award​

  • Minority Scholarship: 2011-2012 academic year

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  • ​T.F. Leehan Memorial Scholarship

  • Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Undergraduate Grant

  • Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Undergraduate Research Award

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  • Western Alliance for Expanding Student Opportunities (WAESO) Grant

  • Barbara Hesler Memorial Scholarship

  • Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Undergraduate Grant

  • Nominated for Outstanding Senior Award: May 2018

  • Nominated for Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award

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  • Ford Fellowship Foundation, Honorable Mention

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  • NINDS/NIH T32 Training Grant in Neuroscience of Human Cognition

Teaching and Mentoring

Spring 2024

Graduate Instructor

 

  • Psych 250: Intro to Research Methods in Psychology

    • Northwestern University

Spring 2020

Fall 2020

Fall 2021

Fall 2022

 

  • Psych 212: Intro to Neuroscience 

    • Northwestern University, Primary Instructor: Caterina Gratton

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  • Psych 110: Intro to Psychology

    • Northwestern University, Primary Instructor: Dr. Sara Broaders

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  • Psych 244: Cognitive Development

    • Northwestern University, Primary Instructor: Dr. Sara Broaders

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  • Psych 324: Perception

    • Northwestern University, Primary Instructor: Dr. Satoru Suzuki

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Guest Lecturer

Spring 2020

Summer 2020

Spring 2022

Mentor

2016 - 2018

2020-2022

2020-Present

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  • Psych 212: Intro to Neuroscience

    • Northwestern University, Topic: Aging in the Brain

 

  • Principles of fMRI

    • Northwestern University, Topic: Precision fMRI

 

  • Research Methods in Psychology

    • Northwestern University, Topic: Measuring brain networks with functional connectivity 

 

  • NSCS peer mentoring program

    • University of Arizona

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  • Psychology peer mentorship program 

    • Northwestern University

 

  • Mentoring of undergraduate students in research

    • Northwestern University​

Community & University Service

2016 - 2018

2020-Present

2021-Present

2021-Present

  • Pen Pals Program 

    • University of Arizona

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  • Sneak Peek Organizing Committee Member

    • Northwestern University

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