Research & Interests
Where Mind Meets Art
My intellectual curiosity lives at the intersection of psychology, art, and cognitive science. I'm drawn to questions about how the brain creates meaning from beauty — and how that understanding can help people.
Current Research Project
Energy Drink Consumption and Anxiety in High School Students
This research project investigates the relationship between energy drink and caffeine consumption and anxiety levels among high school students. Using validated psychological scales such as the GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale), I designed a survey to collect data on consumption patterns and self-reported anxiety. Preliminary analysis of 39 responses using regression analysis in Excel has revealed a statistically significant relationship between energy drink consumption and anxiety levels. The research is ongoing as I work toward a larger sample size for more robust findings.
Method
Survey-based research with regression analysis (GAD-7 scale)
Focus Areas
Caffeine & energy drinks, adolescent anxiety, behavioral psychology
Mentor
Mia via Curious Cardinals
Areas of Exploration
Social Psychology
Ongoing InterestUnderstanding how social forces, group dynamics, and cultural context shape individual behavior and perception.
Art Psychology
Primary FocusInvestigating the psychological mechanisms behind aesthetic experience — why certain artworks move us and how visual art communicates emotion.
Environmental Psychology
Ongoing InterestExploring how physical spaces, colors, and design elements affect mood, cognition, and wellbeing.
Cognitive Science
Primary FocusStudying how the brain processes sensory information and transforms it into meaning, memory, and creative thought.
Neuroscience of Creativity
Emerging InterestExamining the neural pathways involved in creative expression — how the brain generates novel ideas and artistic vision.
Art Therapy
Emerging InterestUnderstanding how creative practices can be used as therapeutic tools for emotional healing and psychological wellbeing.
The Question That Drives Me
How does the brain transform color and form into feeling? And can understanding that process help us heal?
This question first took shape during a conversation with my counselor Elisa about the brain's limbic system and its connection to artistic experience. We discussed how colors trigger emotional responses through neural pathways that bypass conscious thought — and I realized this was the exact intersection I wanted to explore.
My journey in Media Arts at Emma Willard has deepened this curiosity. Every project teaches me something new about how visual language communicates meaning. Combined with my background in Ikebana — where arrangement, space, and color harmony are everything — I see these threads converging into a single intellectual mission.
In college, I hope to pursue this work formally through one of several interdisciplinary paths — and eventually contribute to fields like UX Research, Human-AI Interaction, or Health Communication.
Possible Academic Pathways
Psychology + Media / Communication
Combining psychological insight with visual storytelling and media literacy. Potential majors include Communication Studies, Human-Centered Design, and Visual Studies. Future roles: UX Research, Content/Brand Strategy, Communication Specialist.
Psychology + Cognitive Science
Exploring perception, creativity, and the neural basis of aesthetic experience. Potential majors include Cognitive Science (perception & language focus) and Data for Social Impact. Future roles: Human-AI Interaction Research, Research Coordinator.
Psychology + Public Health / Community Wellbeing
Focused on adolescent wellbeing, campus wellness, and health communication. Drawing on my role as a Wellness student representative and long-term interest in how communities can better support mental health. Future roles: Health Communication Research, Policy & Program Evaluation.