Maya Rosen, research associate in the Stress and Development Lab, has received the K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development. Her project is entitled “Neurodevelopmental mechanisms linking environmental experience and executive function.” Socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with differences in cognitive and academic outcomes with children from disadvantaged backgrounds have lower performance than their advantaged counterparts. Maya’s studies will investigate environmental and neurodevelopmental mechanisms explaining SES-related differences in executive function, with a focus on how early cognitive stimulation shapes coordination between the ventral visual stream and prefrontal cortex in young children. Study findings have the potential to inform interventions to improve cognitive and academic outcomes for children. This is a monumental accomplishment and we are all so excited for her!