Who We Are
The PANDA Lab: Psychosocial Adjustment, NeuroDevelopment, and Autism
The Psychosocial Adjustment, NeuroDevelopment, and Autism (PANDA) Lab was established by Dr. Angela Scarpa and is associated with the VT Autism Clinic & Center for Autism Research (VTAC/CAR). The lab, made up of graduate student clinicians from the Psychology Department's Clinical Science program, focuses on psychosocial and physiological factors related to socioemotional functioning in autistic individuals across the lifespan. More specifically, we have ongoing projects evaluating stress and coping in families and individuals touched by ASD, as well as the efficacy of psychosocial interventions, including pivotal response treatment, parent education, and Dr. Scarpa's Stress and Anger Management Program (STAMP). We are very interested in improving access to evidence-based practices for underserved populations through research on innovative delivery models, such as our Mobile Autism Clinic and telehealth. The PANDA Lab also offers a number of opportunities for families and autistic individuals to participate in research studies.
PANDA Lab Graduate Student Clinicians
Victoria Izaac, 4th year PhD student
Danielle Martino, 4th year PhD student
TJ Shaw, 4th year PhD student
Additional Lab Members
Nadia Shafique, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate
Alan McLucas, Special Education PhD, BCBA, Postdoctoral Associate
- Kevin Pitts - Dean, College of Science
- Jamie Edgin - Chair, Psychology Department; Director, Memory Development and Policy Lab
- Karen Roberto - Executive Director, Institute for Society Culture and Environment
- Angela Scarpa - Clinical Core, Faculty, Psychology Department, Director of VTAC/CAR
- Thomas O. Williams, Jr. - Educational Core, Faculty in the School of Education
- Denis Gracanin - Technology Core, Faculty in the Department of Computer Science
- John Richey - Biomedical Core, Faculty in the Department of Psychology
- Rosanna Breaux - Clinical Core, Faculty in the Department of Psychology, Director of the VT Child Study Center
- Caroline Branscome - Autism-Centered Design, Faculty in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Felicity Adams-Vanke, MD - Carilion Clinic
- KJ Holbrook, LCSW - Mount Rogers Community Service Board
- Letitia Hawkins-Beatty, LPC - DePaul Community Resources
- Jerry Hulick - The Washington Group Special Care Planning Team
- Julie Ligon, PhD - Montgomery County Public Schools
- Ethan Long, PhD, BCBA-D - Virginia Institute of Autism
- Michole Pineda, MD - Carilion Clinic
- Kate Lewis, BCBA, LBA - VCU Autism Center for Excellence
- David Hamrick - National Weather Service
- Amy Trail - Family Advocacy Creating Education and Services (FACES)
- Angie Leonard - Beyond Boundaries RVA
Faculty Affiliates
- Luke Achenie: VT Department of Chemical Engineering
- Felicity Adams-Vanke: Carilion Clinic Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
- Richard Ashley: VT Department of Economics
- Amy Azano: VT School of Education, Center for Rural Education
- Julia Basso: VT Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise
- Martha Ann Bell: VT Department of Psychology
- Bonnie Billingsley: VT School of Education
- Caroline Branscome: VTCAR Human-Centered Design, VTCAR Self-Advocate Committee Co-Leader, VT Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Rosanna Breaux: VT Department of Psychology, VT Child Study Center
- Pearl Chiu: VTC Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
- Gabriel Dichter: UNC School of Medicine, Psychiatry
- Rudy Dieudonne: VT Department of Interior Design
- Julie Dunsmore: University of Houston Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences
- Jamie Edgin: VT Psychology Department, Memory Development and Policy Lab
- Carla Finkielstein: VTC Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
- Roseanne Foti: VT Department of Psychology
- Bruce Friedman: VT Department of Psychology
- Denis Gracanin: VT Department of Computer Science
- Jeffrey Jackson: Brigham Young University, School of Family Life
- Myounghoon (Philart) Jeon: VT Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Department of Computer Science (by courtesy)
- Sunwook Kim: VT Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Charlie Klauer: VT Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Benjamin Knapp: Northwestern University, College of Arts, Media and Design
- Yong Woo Lee: VT Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics
- Scott McCrickard: VT Department of Computer Science
- Tara Mitchell: Carilion Clinic Pediatric Behavioral Health
- Read Montague: VTC Fralin Biomedical Research Institute
- Tom Ollendick: VT Department of Psychology, VT Child Study Center (retired)
- Robin Panneton: VT Department of Psychology
- Michole Pineda: Carilion Clinic Pediatric Child Development
- Eugenia Rho: VT Department of Computer Science
- John Richey: VT Department of Psychology
- Greg Robinson: Carilion Clinic Pediatric Child Development
- Tina Savla: VT Department of Human Development and Family Science
- Angela Scarpa: VT Department of Psychology, VT Autism Clinic & Center for Autism Research
- Carolyn Shivers: Niagara University Department of Psychology
- Lavinia Uscatescu: VT Department of Psychology, VTCAR SAFE Program
- Thomas O. Williams, Jr.: VT School of Education
- Hongxiao Zhu: VT Department of Statistics
Community Affiliates
- Alan Beach: Autism counseling and social groups
- Dorita Berger: Music Therapy Academy
- Barbara Burkett: Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services
- Julie Carper: My Seat Buddy, LLC; The Auburn School; Skill Builders
- Circe Cooke: New River Valley Community Services Psychiatric Services
- Richard Kriner: Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services
- Teresa Lyons: Fit Learning Roanoke
- Molly McPike-Copenhaver: DePaul Community Resources
- Elle Miller (Driscoll): Trauma-informed Yoga Therapy
- Justin Owens: UNC Highway Safety Research Center
- Bryan Parsons: Urban Sustainability Directors Network
- Deborah Wells: Montgomery County Public Schools Special Education