# Stephanie DeCross **Stephanie DeCross,** *Graduate Student* ***What brought you to work here?*** Coming from the world of adult psychiatric neuroscience before grad school, I was curious about the stories of peoples' lives and developmental trajectories that led them to their adult presentations. I wanted to integrate a developmental perspective with my research interests of how fear mechanisms and neural circuitry underlie psychopathology, and Kate and the lab felt like a special place filled with brilliant, warm individuals. ***What is one project you’re excited about that you are working on in the lab right now?*** I'm thrilled to be submitting my aversive learning paper, especially because it reflects a ton of effort I poured into learning a new neuroimaging analysis program, software pipeline, imaging modality, imaging visualization program, and multiple statistical techniques since joining the lab. ***Do you have any hidden talents? If so, what?*** My "black thumb" is impressive - I've somehow managed to even kill bamboo. I also know an astonishing number of musical theatre shows by heart. ***What is something that you are personally working on improving (about yourself, about the world, about your community etc)?*** I'm passionate and committed to improving things for others that come after me broadly, which motivates a lot of my mentoring and service work. At a personal level, I'm working on being more patient with myself. ***What has made you the proudest in your time in the lab?*** Being selected as a Jacobs Foundation Science of Learning symposium speaker at Flux as a second year grad student. The science communication aspect - getting to share my work directly with a bunch of scientists I admire - was an amazing opportunity, and made me feel like maybe I could have an impact. In my clinical work, I've received deeply meaningful personalized notes from patients, and I'm so proud of how much they've grown and that I could play a role in encouraging that process. ***What is something you have accomplished and are proud of outside of work?*** Achieving my first arm balance in yoga after working on it for several years was a proud moment. For me, yoga isn't about being able to do a certain pose in a certain way. A large part of my practice is about appreciating my body for what it can do and being fully present with things as they are, and in that moment I felt empowered in how steady dedication can bring about change. That might sound contradictory, but I see it as two sides of the same coin. ***Give us a snapshot of a moment of joy in your life.*** Halfway up a glacier on the other side of the world, looking out over the horizon and feeling free. ***What is something that you enjoy doing outside of work?*** Being involved with the Boston Jewish community and dance community, getting outside, traveling, cooking/baking and feeding people I care about until they explode. Petting any and every dog I see, the bigger the better. Finding new creative hobbies and being all-in for a few months and then getting distracted. ***What’s important to know about you?*** I'm driven by core values of community, connection, and authenticity, and my Jewish and Italian heritage and all the traditions that come with it are important to me. See also:- [ Steph DeCross ](/taxonomy/term/120670)