Lauren is an Atlanta native, having grown up just outside the city. She earned her B.S. in psychology at Georgia Tech, where she is continuing in the master’s program. She currently serves as the research coordinator for the Tran Memory Lab, where she investigates individual differences– such as stress, anxiety, and depression– in object-location memory. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and writing. She recognizes that new environments can feel intimidating, especially under pressure to meet expectations and define success. Her advice to incoming graduate students is that finding your purpose can transform the journey– making it feel less like checking a box and more like a meaningful path forward.