19: Sarah A. Raskin, Ph.D. – Distinguished Professor who Blends Psychology and Neuroscience

Masters in Psychology Podcast

In this podcast, Dr. Sarah Raskin uses her hippocampus to recall what ignited her interest in neuropsychology. She walks us down memory lane and explains why she chose Johns Hopkins University for her B.A. in Behavioral Biology and the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center for her Ph.D. in Neuropsychology. She also discusses her ReMIND Lab, her recent research, and offers practical advice to those interested in getting a graduate degree in neuropsychology. From the time she took her first class with David Olton called Physiological Psychology, Dr. Raskin was hooked. During our discussion, Dr. Raskin revealed that she actually teaches the same class now at Trinity College, but it is called Brain and Behavior. Continuing our walk down memory lane, she recalls jumping at the chance to enroll in Dr. Olton’s newly created program called Behavioral Biology which Dr. Raskin believes might have been “one of the very first programs in what we would now call Neuroscience.” Ever since then, she has been enthralled with blending psychology and neuroscience. Apparently, she is not the only one as more and more fields of study are now incorporating a component of neuroscience or psychology (or both) into their lines of research. What is clear during my discussion with Dr. Raskin is her love for her students, her research, and her career at Trinity College. She states “I really fell in love with Trinity” because “…it felt like the right fit for me. It felt like a life where I could be happy.” Dr. Raskin is the Director of the Neuroscience program at Trinity College, and she has a joint appointment (half neuroscience and half psychology), so she is always thinking about increasing awareness of both programs and how to help students. Therefore, it was no surprise to me that she offered practical advice to those interested in psychology or neuroscience throughout our discussion. In fact, she took a few minutes to highlight how the neuroscience program at Trinity College is really unique. Dr. Raskin explains how neuropsychology is different from the other branches of psychology. She also discusses the ReMIND Lab and some of her recent work on prospective memory and the tests she and her colleagues created specifically to measure this concept. Dr. Raskin and I then highlighted some of the organizations and resources available to those interested in neuropsychology including APA Division 40: The Society for Clinical Neuropsychology, International Neuropsychological Society (INS), KnowNeuropsychology, the upcoming NEURON Conference 2022, and the ReMIND prospective memory training page. One of Dr. Raskin’s favorite theories is Hebb’s rule and Hebbian theory from 1949. The idea that learning something new actually changes your brain physiologically, at the synaptic level, way before anyone could test it, was “so prescient.” Near the end of the podcast interview, Dr. Raskin revealed that she is writing a book on what she is conceptualizing as preventable brain injuries. She is Co-writing each chapter with someone who has lived the experience. For example, one chapter is with a woman who had a severe brain injury from domestic violence, and it includes her medical history, personal history and experiences, and her neuropsychology assessment. Another chapter is with a man who experienced a gunshot wound to the head. Given Dr. Raskin’s passion and drive, I am sure the book and remaining chapters will be powerful and moving. Connect with Dr. Sarah Raskin: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedInConnect with the Show: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn https://vimeo.com/667013727 Interests and Specializations Dr. Sarah Raskin’s research focuses on better understanding neuroplasticity and its applications in creating cognitive interventions for people with brain injury. She is particularly interested in prospective memory which is the ability to remember to do things in the future. She and her colleagues developed specific test...