Brianna L. Yamasaki
Cognition and Cortical Dynamics Laboratory
University of Washington
Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences and
Department of Psychology
Box 351525
Seattle, WA
Education
Doctorate in Psychology Expected Graduation: June 2017
University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Focus: Cognitive Neuroscience – Individual Difference in Executive Functioning
Anticipated Minor: Quantitative Psychology
Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with Honors June 2012
University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Major: Psychology
Honors research thesis: Bilingual Brain Shaping – Mental Set Shifting and the Bilingual Brain
Publications
Yamasaki, B. L.,Prat, C. S. & Stocco, A. (in preparation).Investigating the shared neural mechanisms underpinning language and task switching in bilingual individuals.
Yamasaki, B. L. & Prat, C. S. (under review). The importance of managing interference for second language reading ability: An individual differences investigation. Discourse Processes.
Prat, C. S., Seo, R., & Yamasaki, B. L. (under review). The role of individual differences in working memory capacity on reading comprehension ability.To appear in P. Afflerbach (Ed), Handbook of Individual Differences in Reading: Text and Context.
Prat, C. S., &Yamasaki, B. L. (under review). The cognitive and neural correlates of individual differences in inferential processes. A. Cook, B. Lorch, & E. O’Brien (Eds). Inferences during Reading.
Stocco, A., Yamasaki, B. L., Natalenko, R., & Prat, C. S. (in press). Bilingual Brain Training: A Neurobiological Framework of how Bilingual Experience Improves Executive Function. International Journal of Bilingualism.
Yamasaki, Brianna L. (Submitted May 2011). Bilingual Brain Shaping: Mental Set Shifting and the Bilingual Brain. Honor’s Thesis. University of Washington: Psychology Department.
Presentations
Yamasaki, B. L., & Prat, C. S. (2013). Individual differences in executive functioning and language control indices predict second language reading ability. Poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Society for Text and Discourse, Valencia, Spain.
Yamasaki, B. L. (2012). Explorations of "Mind-Set" in Executive Functioning: The Roles of Language Experience and Task Order. Oralpresentationat the Graduate Research Symposium, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Prat, C. S, Stocco, A.,Yamasaki, B. L. (2012).Bilingual brain training: Investigating the overlap between language switching and general set switching in bilinguals. Poster presentation given at the Architectures and Mechanisms for Language Processing Conference, Riva del Garda, Italy.
Yamasaki, B.Prat, C. S. (2012) Bilingual brainshaping: Mental set shifting and the bilingual brain. Poster presentation at the Honors Research Symposium, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Yamasaki, B.Prat, C. S. (2012) Bilingual brainshaping: Mental set shifting and the bilingual brain Oral presentation at the Mary Gates Research Symposium, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Research Experience
Graduate Research Assistant Sept. 2012- Present
The Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, Cognition and Cortical Dynamics Lab
University of Washington
Primary Investigators: ChantelPrat, Ph.D.; Andrea Stocco, Ph.D.
Honor Student, Undergraduate Research Assistant Nov. 2011-June 2012
The Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, Cognition and Cortical Dynamics Lab
University of Washington
Primary Investigators: ChantelPrat, Ph.D.; Andrea Stocco, Ph.D.
Research Focus: The neural mechanisms underpinning cognitive flexibilityand the biological bases of individual differences in cognitive capabilities, with an emphasis on language
Responsibilities include:
- Designing novel experiments
- Conducting literature reviews, writing a research proposal, and writing a honors thesis
- Giving scientific presentations
- Supervising and training new research assistants
- Assisting in experimental sessions using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) techniques
- Recruiting and running participants, administering consent, and administering a series of standardized, timed psychometric testsof individual difference
- Managing and analyzing data
Undergraduate Research Assistant Mar. 2010-June 2012
Center for Child and Family Well-being, Early Childhood Cognition Lab
University of Washington
Primary Investigator: Jessica A. Sommerville, Ph.D
Research Focus: The degree to which social context can permeate the immediate impression of perceptual causality, using behavioral and Event-Related Potential techniques
Responsibilities include:
- Assisting in the development of infant coding schemes
- Assisting in infant visual habituation studies
- Performing in infant action task studies
- Coding behavioral testing measures and infant eye gaze data
- Conducting literature reviews
- Compiling and organizing data
- Recruiting and corresponding with future participants
- Editing videos and still images
Teaching Experience
Graduate Teaching Assistantship
Department of Psychology, University of Washington
Psychobiology of Women Sept.– Dec. 2012
Introduction to Psychology Jan.– Mar. 2013
Developmental Psychology Apr.– June 2013
Abnormal Psychology Sept.– Dec. 2013
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant
Statistical Inference in Psychological Research Mar.– June 2011
Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Psychology Jan.– Mar. 2011
Responsibilities (for both Graduate and Undergraduate Positions) Include:
- Independently teaching and creating materials for weekly class sections
- Assisting in the creation of accurate and reliable examsand answers keys toall practice, homework,exams questions
- Holding weekly office hours
- Grading weekly assignments and tests
- Administering and supervising exams
Teaching Assistant Aug. 2008-June 2012
Easter Seals Building Blocks Child Developmental Center
Responsibilities Include:
- Collaboration with Lead Teachers on the development and facilitation of curriculum – focused on motor, social, creative, intellectual, and academic development
- Interaction with children ages 2 months - 7 years
Math Tutor
McClure Middle School Mar.-June 2010
Responsibilities Include:
- Tutoring students significantly behind in their math development on an individual and group basis
Additional Professional Experience
Resident Advisor May 2010-June 2012
University of Washington
Responsibilities Include:
- Fostering community by creating a safe and healthy environment, facilitating development of both awareness and tolerance of diversity in the halls, and organizing community programming throughout the year
- Promoting an atmosphere of personal responsibility, safety, and an awareness of personal impact and influence on others
- Helping to orient new students to the university and providing information concerning campus and community resources
- Disseminating, explaining, and upholding campus policies and regulations
- Helping students with academic, personal, emotional and physical difficulties and crises
- Maintaining detailed and accurate records
Honors and Awards
Phi Beta Kappa, National Academic Honor Society member since 2010
Psi Chi, International Honor Society in Psychology member since Jan. 2010 University of Washington Chapter President June 2011- June 2012
University of Washington Chapter Secretary/Historian June 2010- June 2011
Departmental Psychology Honors Program Sept. 2010- June 2012
Relevant Skills
Proficient in:Windows OS, Mac OS X, PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Publisher,and Adobe Photoshop
Research Experience with: Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging(fMRI), and E-Prime (program for designing and running experiments)
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