Graduate and Undergraduate Recruitment
The Behavioral Engineering lab routinely accepts 1-2 PhD students per academic cycle. The LSU mentorship model is centered around primary mentors, with supplemental technical and clinical experiences programmed alongside the primary mission of the lab and program (e.g., work in pediatrics, early childhood assessment, other clinical applications). PhD students in the Gilroy lab can expect mentorship and supervision in Behavior Analysis, School Psychology, and Clinical Psychology more generally. Sites for practical training and research typically span home, school, clinic, and hospital settings.
Current Graduate Students
Kelsey Keen
1st Year Student
Kelsey earned her bachelors of science in psychology at West Virginia University in 2022. Before LSU, she worked at the Center for Autism Research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Her interests include the assessment of autism, specifically in toddlers and pre-school age children. She am also interested in behavioral and communication interventions for children with autism or other neurodevelopmental differences. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, traveling, and trying new restaurants.
Felicia McGill
2nd Year Student
Felicia earned her BS in Mathematics and Spanish from the University of South Carolina in 2022. Prior to LSU, Felicia worked as a Registered Behavior Technician and a math instructor. Her research interests include communication interventions for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. Outside of school, Felicia enjoys playing piano, reading, and drinking boba tea.
Cassie Feck
Graduated Student (Internship: Kennedy-Krieger Institute)
Cassie is a School Psychology student in Dr. Gilroy's lab. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Florida in 2016, and her master's degree in clinical psychology from Auburn University at Montgomery in 2018. Her research and clinical interests include assessment and treatment of autism. More specifically, she is interested in social skills interventions and parent-implemented interventions for children with autism. In her free time, she enjoys working out, hanging out with friends, and traveling.
River Waits
Graduated Student (Internship: Munroe-Meyer Institute)
River Waits is a School Psychology student on Dr. Gilroy's team. They received their undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of New Orleans in 2018. Prior to enrolling at LSU, River has worked in research labs involving children with behavioral, social, and intellectual disabilities, which has influenced their research interests today. Their research interests involve diversity-related issues in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, including the development of communication interventions for bilingual children with autism.
Rochelle Picardo
Graduated Student (Internship: Kennedy-Krieger Institute)
Rochelle Picardo (started program 2019) earned both her BA in Psychology and her MA in School Psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Before starting her PhD, she interned at British Columbia‘s Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders (POPARD). Her research and clinical interests revolve around the assessment of and interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability, especially parent-directed interventions. She hopes to translate work done in behavior analytic fields to school psychology practice.