Team

Cory Inman is the director of the Immersive Neuromodulation and Neuroimaging Laboratory in the Psychology department at the University of Utah. He received his BA in Psychology from Georgia State University and his PhD from Emory University. He completed his first postdoctoral fellowship in the Neurosurgery department at Emory University and a second postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA. He has broad interests in helping to establish approaches that push our understanding of emotion and memory from the laboratory into the wild, real world. Outside of the lab he spends his time playing guitar, playing basketball, and exploring as many outdoor adventures as possible including white water rafting, snowboarding, hiking, and climbing.

Krista Wahlstrom is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the INMAN laboratory at The University of Utah. She received a BA in Biology and Psychology from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and a PhD in Psychology from The University of Iowa. In her doctoral research, she studied the amygdala’s role in modulating memory consolidation. More specifically, she used optogenetics to examine the role of various amygdala projections in the consolidation of hippocampal-dependent vs. striatum-dependent learning in rats. In her current postdoctoral work, Krista is interested in how the amygdala modulates memory consolidation in the human brain and the mechanisms by which electrical stimulation of the amygdala differentially enhances memory for objects and scenes. Outside of the lab, Krista loves to go hiking, play the piano, scuba dive, play soccer, and sing in a local community choir.

Amy McDonnell is a Postdoctoral Research Associate working in the Applied Cognition Laboratory and the INMAN Laboratory at The University of Utah. She received her BS in Psychology with a Neuroscience Concentration from Boston College, her MS in Psychology from The University of Utah, and her PhD in Psychology with a Cognitive Neuroscience Concentration from The University of Utah. She studies neural correlates of human attention and emotion and how they dynamically change when you shift outside of the laboratory and into real-world, applied contexts. In one line of research, she takes participants on either a 1-hour walk in nature or a 5-day wilderness trip to understand the effects of immersion in nature on brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG). In another line of research, she utilizes EEG, driving simulators, and on-road, naturalistic methods to explore driver attention and arousal when operating self-driving cars. She is broadly interested in developing reliable neuroscientific methods for understanding the human experience outside of the traditional laboratory setting. When not at work, find Amy reading a novel in the sunshine, preferably next to a body of water. 

Alireza is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the INMAN Laboratory at The University of Utah. He received his B.Sc. in Electronic Engineering and M.Sc. in Bioelectronics from the University of Tehran, and his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on the foundations of human memory, specifically how different memory mechanisms are supported by the hippocampus and medial temporal lobe. During his Ph.D., he employed a variety of methodologies, including eye-tracking, fMRI, and computational modeling, to study the development of memory and its contribution to other cognitive capacities. In his current postdoctoral work, Alireza is developing novel technology to record multimodal data, including intracranial EEG, from human participants to investigate the real-time dynamics of memory processes in the brain during everyday experiences. Outside of cognitive neuroscience, Alireza enjoys exploring topics in theoretical physics, philosophy, and indeed debating on the related topics.

Chris graduated from UCSD with a B.S. in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and a minor in Biology. Before beginning his Neuroscience PhD at UofU, he worked as a lab manager in the cognitive neuroscience laboratories of Drs. Lara Rangel, Andrea Chiba, and Douglas Nitz. Under Dr. Rangel's guidance, Chris conducted electrophysiology research, employing rhythmic and information theoretic analysis to examine how cells and micro-circuits in the dentate gyrus transform multidimensional inputs for associative memory. In graduate school, Chris hopes to investigate how interventions like deep brain stimulation can be optimized to nudge circuit dynamics into states that gate or enhance information flow through the brain, thereby increasing their therapeutic potential. Outside of his academic pursuits, Chris enjoys mountain biking, rock climbing, meditation, attending live music events, and spending quality time with friends.

Justin Michael Campbell is an MD-PhD student at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He received a BS in Philosophy and a BS in Psychology from Utah State University. Prior to medical school, Justin worked at the Center for Consciousness Science at the University of Michigan Medical School. While there, he used tools like fMRI and deep learning to determine whether comatose patients were covertly conscious. Justin is currently pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Utah and plans to investigate how neuromodulation changes the dynamics and connectivity of the brain. When not in the lab, Justin loves to go mountain biking, rock climbing, backcountry skiing, and hiking in the mountains with his German Shepherd.

Martina Krisztina Hollearn is a first-year PhD student in the INMAN lab. She was born and raised in Hungary, then moved to the California and got her BA in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach. After graduating, she was a junior research specialist in the Translational Neuroscience Laboratory at University of California, Irvine led by Dr. Michael Yassa. There she was involved with several neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies using PET and MRI scans. The work she did consisted of studies about memory, aging, Alzheimer’s Disease, Down Syndrome models of Alzheimer’s Disease, and cognitive decline resiliency in adults over 90 years old. In graduate school at the U, Martina investigates how amygdala stimulation enhances episodic memory precision and how long does this effect last. Additionally, she is involved in real-world navigation project with drug-resistant epilepsy patients with implanted RNS systems that, in part, aims at investigating the neurophysiological signatures of event boundaries. Outside of the lab, Martina engages in painting, pottery, DJing, learning piano, hiking, reading fiction thrillers to her cat, and experimenting with new recipes. As a multilingual person, one of Martina’s passions is to be an efficient science translator between Hungarian and English.

Emily Woolsey is a fourth-year undergraduate student with plans to continue her education in medical school. She is currently working towards a degree in psychology with a minor in chemistry. During her schooling she has worked with the University of Utah’s Pediatric Neurology department helping with research on inherited neuromuscular disorders. These studies primarily consist of observational studies to determine disease progression as well as drug studies looking to make treatments like gene therapy widely available. Emily is also working as an EMT with Unified fire authority to further her understanding of patient interactions. While not in lab Emily likes to be outdoors rock climbing, sailing, and scuba diving. She also enjoys designing and sewing clothes.

Wyatt Wilson is an undergraduate research assistant at the University of Utah. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree of Science in Biology and Psychology, with an Honors distinction in Psychology. This is his first lab experience, and he is very excited to get in the lab and contribute to the super interesting research being done here. His research interests mainly revolve around memory and neural interventions to enhance declarative memory, as well as how the brain itself is impacted by electrical stimulation. He currently works at the University of Utah Rehabilitation hospital with patients that have suffered from traumatic brain injuries and strokes and hopes to continue his work through medical school. When not in the lab, Wyatt loves to be outdoors, whether that be skiing or hammocking. He also enjoys reading and watching movies whenever he can.

Carson Miller is an undergraduate student at the University of Utah and a research assistant in the INMAN lab. He is currently in his fourth year of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology and Mathematics with an emphasis in Statistics, accompanied by a minor in both Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry. In his previous lab, Carson researched the underlying mechanisms of Peyronie’s Disease with the goal of developing more targeted, effective treatment therapies. Specifically, he examined the effects of the NELL-1 growth factor on fibrotic tissue deposition by studying mice deficient in NELL-1. Carson plans to continue his education and research experience in graduate school, with hopes of becoming a Psychology research professor. Outside of the lab, Carson loves to paint, draw, hike, attend museums, read books, and participate in a local chalk art festival every summer. 

Griffin Light is an undergraduate honors student of Psychology at the University of Utah, currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in psychology with minors in music and cognitive science. His research interests center around perception and memory, and he is proud to be able to contribute to the Inman Lab's work. When not in the lab, he enjoys flute playing, rock climbing, creative writing, and Dungeons and Dragons.

Kiersten Olson has been interested in studying the brain since middle school. She graduated from Utah Valley University in 2020 with her bachelor's degree in Psychology before taking a short break from schooling to move to Denver with her husband and infant son. A year and a half later, she came back to Utah to join the INMAN lab at the University of Utah as a Research Assistant. Kiersten hopes to get a few years' experience assisting in a research lab before applying to PhD programs, and eventually she would love to study the intersections between neuroscience and health psychology, especially as they relate to women. In her free time, Kiersten loves reading, running, hiking, playing (and teaching) piano, and of course, spending time with her husband and boys. 

Grant Gutzwiller is a high school student at The Athenian School in Danville, California. He recently began the college search process, and what he will pursue is undecided. However, neuroscience and psychology currently fascinate him. This is Grant’s first experience in a lab; he finds great enjoyment in seeing what other lab members work on and experiencing their study firsthand, his main job being shadowing throughout the lab. Over time, he has discovered that memory and the formation and functions of habitual actions continue to interest him the most.  While not working, Grant enjoys reading, hiking, skiing, and spending time with friends.

Lensky Augustin is a first year Psychology PhD student in the INMAN Lab at the University of Utah. Prior to graduate school, he was an undergraduate student at Colby College where he received a BA in Psychology. In his previous lab, Lensky researched the potential treatment properties of the nutrient choline on amphetamines in male and female rats. Additionally, through the SPUR program, he conducted research in the Applied Cognition Lab where he examined how nature imagery impacts our cognitive resources. While in graduate school, Lensky plans to investigate whether certain environmental contexts are more effective at enhancing memory compared to direct brain stimulation. Outside the lab, Lensky loves to be outdoors, hiking, nerd out about anything Star Wars, loves to have discussions about Christianity, and loves to explore new places and activities.

Aydin is a first-year Ph.D. student working in the INMAN Lab. He received his BS in Psychology from the University of Utah, where his research explored a range of topics in both social psychology and cognitive neuroscience. After graduating from Utah, he worked as a research coordinator for Dr. Scott Murray at the University of Washington, where he used a combination of neuroimaging, psychophysics, and computational modeling to study visual processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder. As a graduate student, he is interested in understanding how the brain transforms experiences into memories and how these memories, in turn, help us understand ourselves and the world around us. Outside the lab, Aydin enjoys skiing, hiking, photography, and traveling back to his hometown of Sarajevo, Bosnia, to eat food.

Shane Denherder is a retired Army helicopter pilot who returned to school to study developmental psychology and philosophy of science. He hopes to go on to graduate studies in clinical psychology and is interested in the neurobiological and epigenetic changes that accompany harsh environments in early childhood and adolescence.

Amanda Holt is a postbac researcher and lab manager in the Inman Lab at the University of Utah. In May 2024, Amanda received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ballet and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Amanda is a research assistant in both the INMAN Lab and the Early Experiences Lab, interested in understanding neurodevelopment, starting prenatally and continuing through the early years of life as well as memory and how it relates to dementia and Alzheimer’s. Amanda plans to attend graduate school, pursue a PhD, and eventually work on research to enhance the current knowledge we have on the brain. Outside of school, Amanda loves to cook, travel, read, and hike.

Kyle Krantz graduated from Saint Mary's College of California in 2020 with a B.S. in Clinical Psychology before moving to Utah to build digital therapeutics for children with autism. He has been providing clinical therapy for ASD since 2018. He also serves on the behavioral intervention certification council.  Kyle is interested in translation neuropsychology and clinical interventions for neurodevelopmental and neuroinflammatory disorders.  His dream is to use translational research to build and disseminate novel treatments in a clinical and at-home setting.  Kyle has a passion for philosophy, the great outdoors, animals, and playing (and teaching) guitar.

Lillian MacKinney is an undergraduate student at Wake Forest University studying Psychology and Studio Art. At school, Lillian is part of Dr. Lara Kammrath's psychology lab, studying and conducting research on relationships, emotional regulation, and support systems. This summer (2023), Lillian is participating in SPUR (Summer Program for Undergraduate Research) where she is assisting graduate students with their work and dipping her toes in the world of neuroscience. Her favorite book of all time is The Dance of Intimacy by Harriet Lerner, which first inspired her to pursue a psychology degree. In her free time, Lillian loves to draw, listen to music, spend quality time with friends and family, and get outside. 

I’m from Arizona and working towards earning an honors bachelors of science in psychology, which has been what I’ve wanted to do since elementary school. Long term I’d like to attend graduate school to go into clinical neuropsychology to help people with neurodegenerative diseases and brain injuries. Working in this lab is preparing me for graduate school and giving me a taste of what conducting and being involved in research is like. Outside of academics and school I’m really passionate about animals and traveling, and look forward to traveling and volunteering at my local animal shelter over the summers.

Zack Wilson is an Undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Psychology with certificates in Data fluency and Human Factors. He is interested in researching neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease, with the goal of contributing to the development of innovative therapeutic methods. Outside the lab, Zack enjoys playing the guitar, mountain biking, freediving, and surfing in his hometown of Seal Beach, California.

Kaitlynn is an undergraduate at the University of Utah, pursuing a Bachelors of Science in psychology with a minor in cognitive science. She is interested in how the brain’s functions shape every day living and how it affects perception and behavior. Kaitlynn plans to pursue a PhD in neuropsychology and work in pediatrics. When Kaitlynn is not at school, she loves to hike, climb, watch movies, and be with family and friends.

Lexi is a graduate student completing an MS in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (PRT) at the University of Utah. With over a decade of experience facilitating learning, growth, and memory-making in outdoor settings, Lexi developed a keen interest in neuroscience, particularly the dynamics of memory. Their current research focuses on the effects of stress on memory in the outdoors, a topic they are passionate about exploring further in a future Ph.D. program. Lexi is also interested in how neuroprosthetic advancements may be used to improve mobility and outdoor accessibility for traditionally inhibited individuals, combining her wilderness leadership experience with cutting-edge technology. In addition to her academic pursuits, Lexi is dedicated to interdisciplinary collaboration and mentoring students, fostering a supportive and innovative research environment. Outside of academia, Lexi loves anything that involves intense joy and breathless wonder; they spend their free time ski touring, kayaking, frolicking in the mountains, and doing their best to feed all of their friends locally grown delicious treats! Her unique background in outdoor education enriches their approach to cognitive psychology, bridging practical experience with scientific inquiry.

Afton is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience with a minor in psychology at Brigham Young University. Her ultimate goal is to earn a PhD in clinical psychology and conduct research on the neurobiology of PTSD and traumatic memory. At BYU, she serves as the lab manager of the Pediatric Sleep Lab and as an assistant at the MRI Research Facility. She looks forward to participating in research with the Inman Lab. In her free time, Afton enjoys traveling, playing tennis, taking photos, and playing video games.

I am a PhD student in the Inman lab. I am interested in why people use one navigational strategy over another especially when experiencing emotion or getting amygdala stimulation. I am also interested in how people's perceptions change with emotions. When outside the lab, I enjoy reading, hiking, baking, and crocheting.