Team
Director
Amy L. Stamates, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Amy L. Stamates, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)
Dr. Stamates is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and a Faculty Affiliate in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at the University of Rhode Island. In the Department of Psychology, she is a faculty member of the Behavioral Science concentration and teaches graduate research methods, undergraduate cognition, and undergraduate alcohol use and misuse. Her research interests primarily include to examine risky decision making while drinking and factors that heighten risks associated with alcohol use. Dr. Stamates is a first-gen student, and she graduated from the Applied Experimental Psychology doctoral program at Old Dominion University in 2019 and received her B.S. in Psychology (Honors) from Northern Kentucky University in 2010. She joined URI in Fall 2019. She enjoys spending time with her family and dog, Belle, gardening, home renovation, and reading. Learn more about Dr. Stamates.
Current Graduate Students
Sabrina Todaro, M.A.
Sabrina is a doctoral candidate in the Behavioral Science Ph.D. program. After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in 2016, she became an integral member of both the Cardiac Neuroscience Laboratory and the Athlete Health and Neuroscience Laboratory at the Rutgers Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies. During her time as an RA, she earned her master’s in psychology from Rutgers University – Camden, defending her thesis on the effects of treatment engagement on substance use outcomes. In the HARP lab, she is continuing to explore her research interests in risk and protective factors for substance use. Sabrina recently submitted an F31 application to NIAAA assessing protective behavioral strategies on alcohol and cannabis co-use occasions, which will serve as her dissertation project. Outside of the lab, her interests include animals & the environment, baking (and really anything involving sugar), puzzling, party planning, and playing ultimate frisbee. She will gladly chat for hours about any of the above!
Melissa Rothstein, B.A.
Melissa Rothstein is a doctoral student in the Behavioral Science Psychology program. Melissa graduated from SUNY Purchase College in 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and with the Purchase College Natural and Social Sciences Service Award. She is currently working on her Master’s thesis regarding perceived norms and impulsivity facets in young adults who co-use alcohol and cannabis simultaneously. Her primary research interests include the impact of peer influence and personality traits on individuals who co-use alcohol and cannabis, both concurrently and simultaneously. Melissa has also developed a niche for quantitative methods in psychology and enjoys reading, painting, and traveling in her free time (when she finds any).
Anna Sherman, B.S.
Anna Sherman is a graduate student in the Behavioral Science PhD program. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree for URI in 2017, she spent four and a half years working at Butler Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. While at Butler she assisted in running studies investigating the epigenetic impacts of early life stress (ELS), coordinated multiple studies involving neuromodulation for OCD, impulsivity, and depression, and acted as clinical coordinator in the OCD Neurosurgery program. Her primary research interests include impulsivity’s relationship to negative health behaviors and outcomes (alcohol/substance use, obesity, binge eating, gambling, etc.). In her free time she enjoys reading, portrait drawing, painting, and spending time with her dog Laika.
Current Undergraduate Students
Max Dooley
Max is a Junior at the University of Rhode Island from Portsmouth, RI. He is enrolled in URI’s Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, and is also involved in URI’s Pre-Med Program. He anticipates to graduate in Spring 2024 with a bachelors degree in Clinical Neuroscience and after plans to go to medical school to earn his M.D., with aspirations to practice Neurology. Max has an interest in studying substance use disorders, and particularly how different neurological conditions can impact one’s susceptibility to disorders such as alcohol use disorder.
Helin Can
Helin Can is an undergraduate student currently pursuing her studies at the University of Rhode Island. She is enrolled in URI’s Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, with a specialization in Clinical Neuroscience. Helin aspires to complete her undergraduate program in Spring 2024 and has ambitions to attend PA school in the future. Her academic interests revolve around the field of neuroplasticity and executive functioning, particularly in understanding how it evolves in response to various experiences, substances, and disorders like ADHD. Outside of academics, Helin finds interests in traveling, cooking, and spending time with her friends and family. A fun fact about Helin is that she speaks three languages!
Sarah Amore
Sarah Amore is a senior at the University of Rhode Island from West Warwick, RI. She is enrolled in URI’s Psychology program and anticipates graduating this winter with a Bachelor’s in psychology. After she graduates, she plans to gain further research experience in hopes of applying to a PhD program studying clinical psychology. Her research interests are vast, however she is primarily interested in personality disorder, specifically in relation to physiological health outcomes, such as the onset and development of disease. Apart from education, Sarah works at a school for adults and children with autism, and enjoys leisure activities, such as lifting, reading, and journaling.
Mia Silva
Mia is a senior at the University of Rhode Island from West Haven, CT. She is majoring in Psychology and anticipates graduating in Spring 2024. She plans to pursue a master’s in Social Work after graduating. Her research interests include substance use disorders and their relationship with other mental disorders. In her free time, she enjoys reading, spending time with friends, and going to the beach.
Hannah DeMarco
Hannah is a senior undergraduate in the Psychology B.S. program here at the University of Rhode Island. She anticipates graduating in May 2024 with minors in Spanish and Cannabis Studies as well. Hannah’s still unsure what she would like to do after graduation, but plans to attend graduate school after taking some time off to do some self-reflection and traveling. Her primary research interests this semester include the impact of alcohol and cannabis use on individuals with ADD/ADHD. Hannah enjoys volunteering, and recently took over presidency of the URI Habitat for Humanity club. In her rare free time, she also enjoys reading, game nights with her friends, live music, and hanging out with her cats, Lucy and Ricky.
Isabel Healy
Isabel Healy is a senior undergraduate at the University of Rhode Island. She is majoring in psychology with a minor in biology, planning on graduating with her B.S. in May 2024. Isabel is on the Pre-Health track, with goals to continue her education at a graduate program for occupational therapy. Isabel is interested in research that investigates social determinants of addiction, along with psychological changes associated with long-term substance use.
Daisy Williams
My name is Daisy Williams and I am a junior Interdisciplinary Neuroscience student who is also in the pre-health advising program. I will be graduating in May 2025 and will be attending medical school afterwards, with the goal of practicing either Neurology or Psychiatry. For my clinical experience, I currently work as a medical scribe for Brown Emergency Medicine. My research interests include the relationship between neurological disorders and how that affects the risk of someone developing substance abuse issues. My interests outside of the lab include hiking with husky Gracie, traveling, swimming, and hanging out with friends.
Honorary HARP Lab Members
Drew, Giles, and Sean (partners of Anna, Mel, and Sabrina)
Former Graduate Students
Christina Schulz, Ph.D. (she/her)
Christina Schulz graduated from the Behavioral Science program in Spring 2022 with a certificate in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Certificate program. Christina was a postdoctoral student in the DART NIAAA T32 program at the University of Pittsburgh and is currently a Health Program Administrator at the RI Executive Office of Health and Human Services.
Former Undergraduate Students
- Hannah Anderson
- Emma Cohen
- Sarah Cook
- Sarah DelBonis
- Emily Glatt
- Agnes Holm
- Jianna Iaciofano
- Gillian Mitkowski
- Michael Moran
- Ritsuko Tani
- Bella Simone
- Kira Zanetti
- Emily Renzoni
- Faith Tanski