Recent Graduates from the Rasmussen Lab
Olivia Law, B.S.
Olivia earned her B.S. with Honors in Psychology in 2022. She joined the Rasmussen lab in 2018 and continued until 2022. She completed an INBRE Fellowship in the summer of 2021 where she did research on delay discounting and food cues in binge eating prone and binge eating resistant rats. Her honors undergraduate thesis examined the relations among stress, sleep quality, and food delay discounting and was published in the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making. Olivia is now working on a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology at Arizona State University.
Olivia earned her B.S. with Honors in Psychology in 2022. She joined the Rasmussen lab in 2018 and continued until 2022. She completed an INBRE Fellowship in the summer of 2021 where she did research on delay discounting and food cues in binge eating prone and binge eating resistant rats. Her honors undergraduate thesis examined the relations among stress, sleep quality, and food delay discounting and was published in the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making. Olivia is now working on a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology at Arizona State University.
Joy Lee, Ph.D
Joy graduated from ISU's Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program in 2021. She earned her B.S. degree from University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her Masters degree from Villanova University. She was awarded a Sidney and Janet Bijou research grant to conduct her dissertation on delay discounting for food across the lifespan, which was published in Appetite. Joy completed her clinical internship at the Hershey Medical Center at Penn State in 2021. She began post-doctoral training at Yale School of Medicine in 2021, where she studied binge eating in bariatric populations. She is now an Associate Research Scientist at Yale School of Medicine.
Joy graduated from ISU's Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program in 2021. She earned her B.S. degree from University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her Masters degree from Villanova University. She was awarded a Sidney and Janet Bijou research grant to conduct her dissertation on delay discounting for food across the lifespan, which was published in Appetite. Joy completed her clinical internship at the Hershey Medical Center at Penn State in 2021. She began post-doctoral training at Yale School of Medicine in 2021, where she studied binge eating in bariatric populations. She is now an Associate Research Scientist at Yale School of Medicine.
Luis Rodriguez, Ph.D
Luis graduated with his doctoral degree from ISU's Clinical Psychology doctoral program in 2021. He is interested in understanding behavioral mechanisms that underlie obesity and how they could be used to guide treatment. In addition, Luis is interested in the use of acceptance- and mindfulness-based interventions, specifically Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, in promoting health-related behaviors such as weight control. He has published papers in Behavioral Processes, Health Psychology, and the Journal of Experimental Psychology. He earned his B.A. in Music in 2014 and B.S. in Psychology 2015 from Idaho State University. Luis completed his internship at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, TX (2021), completed a post-doctoral fellowship at VA North Texas Health Care System in Dallas, TX, and returned to the VA Medical Center in Houston as a clinical psychologist.
Luis graduated with his doctoral degree from ISU's Clinical Psychology doctoral program in 2021. He is interested in understanding behavioral mechanisms that underlie obesity and how they could be used to guide treatment. In addition, Luis is interested in the use of acceptance- and mindfulness-based interventions, specifically Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, in promoting health-related behaviors such as weight control. He has published papers in Behavioral Processes, Health Psychology, and the Journal of Experimental Psychology. He earned his B.A. in Music in 2014 and B.S. in Psychology 2015 from Idaho State University. Luis completed his internship at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, TX (2021), completed a post-doctoral fellowship at VA North Texas Health Care System in Dallas, TX, and returned to the VA Medical Center in Houston as a clinical psychologist.
Stephen Robertson, Ph.D.
Stephen graduated with his doctoral degree in Experimental Psychology in 2017. He joined the Rasmussen lab as a graduate student in the Experimental Psychology program in 2013, where he worked in the animal and human laboratories and served as an INBRE-funded Research Assistant. Stephen's dissertation was on the developmental effects of a high-fat, high-sugar diet on dopaminergic alterations in impulsive food choice and is published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. He also has publications in Behavioural Pharmacology and Behavioural Processes. He earned his B.S. and M.A. at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. Before he came to ISU, he worked at the Lifespan Institute in Parson, KS and the US Army Medical Research Institute for Chemical Defense in Baltimore, MD. He is currently a post-doctoral fellowship at University of Michigan Medical School in the Department of Pharmacology, where he examines developmental and opioid-related mechanisms related to psychological disorders, such as depression and substance abuse. He will begin an assistant professor faculty position at Susquehanna State University in 2022.
Stephen graduated with his doctoral degree in Experimental Psychology in 2017. He joined the Rasmussen lab as a graduate student in the Experimental Psychology program in 2013, where he worked in the animal and human laboratories and served as an INBRE-funded Research Assistant. Stephen's dissertation was on the developmental effects of a high-fat, high-sugar diet on dopaminergic alterations in impulsive food choice and is published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. He also has publications in Behavioural Pharmacology and Behavioural Processes. He earned his B.S. and M.A. at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. Before he came to ISU, he worked at the Lifespan Institute in Parson, KS and the US Army Medical Research Institute for Chemical Defense in Baltimore, MD. He is currently a post-doctoral fellowship at University of Michigan Medical School in the Department of Pharmacology, where he examines developmental and opioid-related mechanisms related to psychological disorders, such as depression and substance abuse. He will begin an assistant professor faculty position at Susquehanna State University in 2022.
Andra Cates, B.S.
Andra Cates joined our lab in 2014 and graduated with a BS in Psychology in 2016. She earned a Master of Science in Human Factors at the University of Idaho 2019. She is from American Falls, ID and loves animals, classic rock, and reading.
Andra Cates joined our lab in 2014 and graduated with a BS in Psychology in 2016. She earned a Master of Science in Human Factors at the University of Idaho 2019. She is from American Falls, ID and loves animals, classic rock, and reading.
Maxwell Moholy, Ph.D.
Maxwell earned his doctoral degree in the Clinical Psychology program at Idaho State University in 2016. He moved to Pocatello from San Diego, CA, where he received his B.S. in psychology from UC San Diego. Max also received his M.S. from ISU's Experimental Psychology program. His research interests focus on human decision processes, particularly factors that contribute to risk taking, including acute stress, alcohol, sexual arousal, and mindfulness. His dissertation examined relations among mindfulness, risky and impulsive choice, and health predictors. Max completed his clinical internship at the Veterans Care System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, AR and is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the Boise Veterans Administration Medical Center.
Maxwell earned his doctoral degree in the Clinical Psychology program at Idaho State University in 2016. He moved to Pocatello from San Diego, CA, where he received his B.S. in psychology from UC San Diego. Max also received his M.S. from ISU's Experimental Psychology program. His research interests focus on human decision processes, particularly factors that contribute to risk taking, including acute stress, alcohol, sexual arousal, and mindfulness. His dissertation examined relations among mindfulness, risky and impulsive choice, and health predictors. Max completed his clinical internship at the Veterans Care System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, AR and is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the Boise Veterans Administration Medical Center.
Kelsie Hendrickson, Ph.D.
Kelsie graduated from ISU in 2015 with her doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Her dissertation, which was fully funded by the Sidney W. and Janet R Bijou grant through the Association for Behavior Analysis International, examined age-related differences in food and money delay discounting, and the extent to which mindful eating alters impulsive choice. Kelsie is originally from Lyons, Oregon and completed her undergraduate work at Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, WA) with degrees in Spanish and Psychology. She earned her MS degree at ISU; her thesis and dissertation examined the effects of mindful eating on impulsive food and money choices and are published in Behaviour Research & Therapy. and Health Psychology. Kelsie completed her pre-doctoral internship intern at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO (Clinical Child track) and a post-doctoral fellow for the San Antonio Military Medical Center in San Antonio, TX. She currently woks as a pediatric clinical psychologist at St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls, ID.
Kelsie graduated from ISU in 2015 with her doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Her dissertation, which was fully funded by the Sidney W. and Janet R Bijou grant through the Association for Behavior Analysis International, examined age-related differences in food and money delay discounting, and the extent to which mindful eating alters impulsive choice. Kelsie is originally from Lyons, Oregon and completed her undergraduate work at Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, WA) with degrees in Spanish and Psychology. She earned her MS degree at ISU; her thesis and dissertation examined the effects of mindful eating on impulsive food and money choices and are published in Behaviour Research & Therapy. and Health Psychology. Kelsie completed her pre-doctoral internship intern at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO (Clinical Child track) and a post-doctoral fellow for the San Antonio Military Medical Center in San Antonio, TX. She currently woks as a pediatric clinical psychologist at St. Luke's Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls, ID.
Jennifer Peterson, Ph.D.
Jen graduated from ISU in 2014, with her doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Her dissertation compared different behavioral economic demand measures in obese and healthy weight populations. Jen is originally from Boise, Idaho and earned her B.S. from Gonzaga University and Clinical M.S. degree from Eastern Washington University. She interned at Missouri Health Sciences Psychology Consortium in Columbia, Missouri, completed a postdoctoral fellow at the Salt Lake City Veterans Administration and Medical Center. She recently joined the staff at VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics as a clinical psychologist.
Jen graduated from ISU in 2014, with her doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Her dissertation compared different behavioral economic demand measures in obese and healthy weight populations. Jen is originally from Boise, Idaho and earned her B.S. from Gonzaga University and Clinical M.S. degree from Eastern Washington University. She interned at Missouri Health Sciences Psychology Consortium in Columbia, Missouri, completed a postdoctoral fellow at the Salt Lake City Veterans Administration and Medical Center. She recently joined the staff at VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics as a clinical psychologist.
Steven Boomhower, B.S.
Steven graduated from ISU with Honors in 2013 with a BS in Psychology. While at ISU, he conducted independent research projects on behavioral economics and rodent models of obesity that were published in Brain Behavior Research and Behavioural Pharmacology. He is originally from Twin Falls, ID. He completed his doctoral work in experimental psychology at Auburn University (Auburn, AL) under the direction of Dr. Chris Newland (Rasmussen's graduate advisor) in 2018. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Harvard School of Public Health. He is currently Senior Toxicologist for Gradient in Boston, MA and also continues to instruct at Harvard.
Steven graduated from ISU with Honors in 2013 with a BS in Psychology. While at ISU, he conducted independent research projects on behavioral economics and rodent models of obesity that were published in Brain Behavior Research and Behavioural Pharmacology. He is originally from Twin Falls, ID. He completed his doctoral work in experimental psychology at Auburn University (Auburn, AL) under the direction of Dr. Chris Newland (Rasmussen's graduate advisor) in 2018. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Harvard School of Public Health. He is currently Senior Toxicologist for Gradient in Boston, MA and also continues to instruct at Harvard.
Jessica Buckley, M.S.
Jessica graduated from ISU with an MS in Experimental Psychology 2011. Her thesis examined the effects of rimonabant on choice for palatable food in obese Zucker rats. Her results were published in Physiology & Behavior and Psychopharmacology. She is originally from Ammon, ID and earned a BS in Psychology from ISU in 2008. She is currently an adjunct professor at ISU and teaches Introductory Psychology and Learning & Behavior.
Jessica graduated from ISU with an MS in Experimental Psychology 2011. Her thesis examined the effects of rimonabant on choice for palatable food in obese Zucker rats. Her results were published in Physiology & Behavior and Psychopharmacology. She is originally from Ammon, ID and earned a BS in Psychology from ISU in 2008. She is currently an adjunct professor at ISU and teaches Introductory Psychology and Learning & Behavior.
Carrie Brower-Breitwieser, Ph.D
Carrie, originally from Grand Forks, ND, came to ISU with a Masters degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from University of North Dakota. She defended her dissertation in 2011 and earned her Ph.D in Clinical Psychology. Her dissertation was on the use of concurrent operants in assessing preference for instructional treatment in children with developmental delays . Carrie interned at Johns-Hopkins University School of Medicine and is now a pediatric psychologist at Sanford Children’s Hospital, Fargo, ND.
Carrie, originally from Grand Forks, ND, came to ISU with a Masters degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from University of North Dakota. She defended her dissertation in 2011 and earned her Ph.D in Clinical Psychology. Her dissertation was on the use of concurrent operants in assessing preference for instructional treatment in children with developmental delays . Carrie interned at Johns-Hopkins University School of Medicine and is now a pediatric psychologist at Sanford Children’s Hospital, Fargo, ND.