Hands-on research in CAT Lab guides psychology student’s career path

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When Miguel Morazan, a fourth-year Penn State student majoring in psychology with a neuroscience option, joined the Department of Psychology’s Cognition, Affect, and Temperament (CAT) Lab, he found a meaningful way to connect his academic interests with real-world research. Originally from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Morazan said he was drawn to opportunities in the lab after learning about it through Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology, and exploring the research support available within the department.

In the CAT Lab, he worked with technologies such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalography (EEG) while contributing to a project on parent-to-child anxiety. The project resonated with him, offering a chance to better understand how anxiety can be transmitted across generations and how the developing brain responds to connection, resilience and fear.

A typical day in the CAT Lab began early, with Morazan arriving 30 minutes before a visit to prepare the machinery. Eventually, parents and children would enter the lab, often with stories, nerves and curiosity.

Morazan welcomed them, explained the process and guided them through the procedures. For children, the EEG required patience, gel and careful electrode placement. To keep them comfortable, he said, he sparked conversations by asking about their interests, making the process feel less like a clinical procedure and more like a shared experience. Each visit, he said, felt unique because every child brought something new into the lab, be it a passion, a story or simply a different way of seeing the world.

After sessions, he said he found unexpected peace in cleaning the lab space.

“When cleaning, I would feel it was therapeutic as it was a peaceful activity,” Morazan said.

Later in the week, he would spend hours in the undergraduate research room coding videos from parent-child interactions. With his tea beside him, he said, he invested himself in detecting subtle behaviors like a small hand movement, a glance, a moment of shared focus that could later be translated into data.

These tasks, he said, weren’t just work. They became lessons in patience, focus and adaptability.

Of all his responsibilities, Morazan said he most enjoyed learning to set up and use the EEG system.

“It encouraged me to do more research independently,” he said, noting each machine provided him with key insights into the workings of the brain. They didn’t just expand his technical skills, but made him more confident about the tools he hopes to use in his future career.

Still, research is rarely seamless, and for Morazan the biggest challenge came during behavioral coding. Precision was key, like when identifying the exact timing of a behavior, and deciding which code applied to which interaction.

“I had trouble understanding the codes and getting the timing correctly,” he said.

But instead of letting frustration win, Morazan said he turned to his graduate assistants for guidance. Practice, feedback and protocol documents full of examples eventually turned him into a confident coder. These moments taught him that research, much like life, is collaborative, and that asking for help and leaning on mentors are just as important as mastering the equipment.

Of all his memories in the lab, he said, one stands out most. During his first EEG visit, Morazan worked with a child who was nervous about having medical tape removed.

As the child braced for pain and her eyes squeezed shut, he said, he remembered a technique his mother had taught him when he was young: Distract with a deep breath, spray gently and remove the tape quickly and painlessly. When the child opened her eyes, the tape was already gone. No pain, only relief.

“It made me happy I carried out a good visit,” Morazan said.

Morazan’s research experience helped clarify his long-term goals. He said he plans to pursue another research position after graduation to build on his skills before applying for a doctoral program in neuropsychology. He hopes to focus on early brain development in children ages 4 to 6 and how behaviors emerge during those formative years.

He said the CAT Lab shaped not only his technical skills, but also his approach to learning and problem-solving. Even his study habits have become more organized and more grounded in research methods and protocols.

Morazan added that support from the College of the Liberal Arts played a pivotal role in his success, from sharing opportunities and department resources to providing enrichment funding that allowed him to invest his time fully in research.

“Receiving enrichment funding removed a lot of financial pressure for me,” Morazan said. “It allowed me to dedicate real time to research instead of worrying about picking up extra shifts. Because of that support, I could focus on learning the equipment, working with families, and growing as a researcher.”

Faculty and peers also shaped Morazan’s path. CAT Lab Primary Investigator Koraly Pérez-Edgar, McCourtney Professor of Child Studies and professor of psychology, wrote him recommendation letters and fostered an encouraging environment within the team of 40 faculty, graduate students and undergraduates. Graduate assistant Lucia Herrero and lab coordinator Desirée Mecca guided him through the nuances of behavioral coding and future career planning. Lab coordinator Kimberly Labra-Franco taught him the details of machine setup and helped him grow confident as a data collector.

Together, these mentors created a supportive community that pushed him to grow. Morazan described the experience as “a journey of bountiful knowledge and a career opener” — one that solidified his commitment to pursuing research that helps children and families.