Dr. Lisa Briand
Principal Investigator, BRIDGE Program
Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University
Dr. Lisa Briand is an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Temple University and the principal investigator of the Behavioral Neurophysiology Lab. She earned her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan, where she studied the cognitive effects of chronic cocaine use, and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania examining neural circuits involved in stress and relapse.
Dr. Briand’s research investigates how stress and reward systems influence vulnerability to substance use disorders. Through the BRIDGE Program, she is committed to expanding access to high-quality research training for Temple students and creating supportive pathways for undergraduates historically underrepresented in neuroscience and has a history of mentoring undergraduates to actualizing PhDs.
Dr. Thomas M. Olino
Faculty Mentor, BRIDGE Program
Associate Professor of Psychology (Clinical), Temple University
Dr. Thomas Olino is an associate professor of psychology in the clinical program at Temple University and director of the Child and Adolescent Development of Emotion, Personality, and Psychopathology (CADEPP) Lab. He completed his PhD in Clinical Psychology at Stony Brook University, his clinical internship at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh.
His research focuses on how emotion and reward processes contribute to the development of mood disorders, particularly depression, across childhood and adolescence. In BRIDGE, Dr. Olino mentors students in clinical science, coding, longitudinal methods, and neuroimaging, helping scholars build strong foundations for graduate study and research careers.
Dr. Chelsea Helion
Faculty Mentor, BRIDGE Program
Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Temple University
Dr. Chelsea Helion is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Temple University and leads the Social and Affective Neuroscience Lab. She earned her BA in Psychology at Temple, her PhD in Psychology at Cornell University, and completed postdoctoral training in social and affective neuroscience at Columbia University.
Her research examines how emotions shape social decision-making and behavior, using neuroimaging and behavioral methods to understand the neural basis of affective processes; she also has skillsets in AI. Through her work with BRIDGE, Dr. Helion supports undergraduates in developing research skills, scientific thinking, and leveraging tech tools for success.
Marie Occhiogrosso, M.Ed.
Program Coordinator and Counselor, BRIDGE and MiNDS Programs
Marie Occhiogrosso coordinates the BRIDGE and MiNDS programs at Temple University, where she oversees recruitment, lab placements, and scholar support throughout the research experience. She is an experienced educator and college and career counselor with a commitment to building equitable pathways into graduate education for underrepresented students.
Marie holds undergraduate degrees in English Literature and English Education from Duquesne University and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She also holds grad certificates in College Counseling from UCLA and the Administration & Supervision Post-Master’s Certificate from Johns Hopkins University.