People of COLAB
Lab Director
Dr. Sarah Edmunds
Dr. Sarah Edmunds is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Carolina. She also has a joint appointment in the special education program within the Department of Educational Studies. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Washington and completed her predoctoral internship at Duke University Medical Center and postdoctoral fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital. She is glad to be back in the south, where she grew up. At UofSC, Dr. Edmunds is a member of the CAN autism excellence initiative. She is also a member of the RISE research network’s implementation science team. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, theatre, and cooking for her friends. She can be reached at sredmunds@sc.edu.
Graduate Students
Alayna Borowy
|
Alayna graduated from Ohio State University with her bachelor’s degree in Psychology in May of 2017. Before starting at UofSC, Alayna worked at Ohio State University Nisonger Center for the Families and Early Intervention Research Lab. She is currently pursuing her PhD in School Psychology at UofSC and is interested in understanding early social-emotional communication in young autistic children and implementation of Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions within community settings. In her free time, Alayna loves to explore coffee shops and play with her dog! |
Quentin Wedderburn
|
Quentin graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a psychology major and a history minor. He is interested in studying barriers and facilitators to inclusive classroom settings for autistic youth. In his free time, he enjoys learning how to play the bass and running long distance! |
Research Coordinator
Katie Rowland
|
Katie is a Research Coordinator with COLAB. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in December 2021 with a double major in Experimental Psychology and English. Within the lab, she focuses on helping Dr. Edmunds with her research. In the future, she wants to get her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. |
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Laney Hankins
Sarai Deese |
Laney is currently a senior at the University of South Carolina studying Psychology with a minor in Economics. She found her interest in studying Autism after her Behavioral and Mental Disorders class and found the COLAB as a perfect fit for her. She is hoping to go to graduate school for Occupational Therapy and continue her career in helping people have a better quality of life. |
|
Sarai is a junior in the Honors college working toward a dual degree in Psychology (B.S.) and Public Health (B.A.). She has a passion for rural and family health. In the future, she wants to get her Ph.D. in clinical psychology and wants to be a children's therapist with a family focus.
|
Emily Thomas
Matina Vasilatos
|
Emily Thomas is a sophomore at the University of South Carolina. She is a Psychology major and will be taking the role of a research assistant through this program. While Emily loves to try new foods, travel, and read, working with autistic individuals and individuals with intellectual disabilities is her passion. She wants to open a program for adults with intellectual disabilities, and she is excited to take the knowledge and experiences she gains through this research to help make this dream a reality! Matina is a junior attending the University of South Carolina to achieve her degree majoring in Psychology (BA) and double minoring in Business Administration and Counseling Education. In the future, she hopes to attend graduate school for clinical psychology and to become a children’s therapist. She has a passion for learning about child development and interacting with children and young adults, so her professional goal is to work with this group of people in a therapeutic setting. |
