The Team

Principal Investigator and Lab Director

Kathrin Rothermich, PhD

Dr. Rothermich has 20 years of research experience in Communication Science and Disorders, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Neurolinguistics. Her main goal as a director of the SCONE Lab is to advance knowledge about how humans communicate and perceive speaker intentions. To that end, she uses behavioral tools, eye tracking, neuroimaging, and brain stimulation to explore social communication abilities in healthy participants and individuals with neurogenic disorders, such as Parkinson’s Disease and after stroke. In her free time, you can find her listening to podcasts, rescuing feral cats, biking, and lifting weights.

Kathrin Rothermich CV (PDF)

Ph.D. Students

Rosie Baker

Rose Baker is a fourth-year doctoral student and linguist who focuses her research on the intersection of social communication, neuroscience, and linguistic theory. She received her BA from Gordon College in Massachusetts and has experience working in minority language development. Her current work focuses on speech accommodation theory and eye tracking with older adults or L2 speakers of English. She is also earning a certificate in Quantitative methods to apply statistical modeling to language data. In her free time, Rose likes to go on walks, cook new recipes, read, and do her latest thrift-store jigsaw puzzle. Her favorite thing about being a graduate student in the lab is sitting down at the lab computer with some tea and writing about her most recent findings.

Lab Manager

Mary Lynn Dawson

My name is Mary Lynn Dawson, and I am from Kinston, North Carolina.  I am currently a graduate student in the speeach pathology program here at ECU. Upon graduation, I hope to continue my education and become a speech-language pathologist. I joined the SCONE Lab in Spring of 2024 and have loved it so far, it has given me so many connections, opportunities, and a chance to learn more about research. In my free time, I love to get outdoors, play with my dog, and hang out with friends and family.

Research Coordinator

Dai’Sha Dowson

Hello! My name is Dai’Sha Dowson and I’m the project coordinator for the lab. I was born in South Carolina, but I’ve lived in Raleigh, NC since I was a kid.  I’m a recent graduate with a psychology/ speech and hearing degree, and now a graduate student in the Rehabilitation Counseling Program at ECU. My research interests include behavioral interactions, psychosocial interventions, and autism. 

Graduate Assistants

Olivia Mather

My name is Olivia Mather and I am from Raleigh, NC. I am graduate student in speech pathology, was a member of the Honors College, and am the treasurer for Pirates of Down Syndrome Awareness (PDSA). When I graduate, I hope to become a speech-language pathologist. In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with friends and family, listening to music, and going to the beach. I am excited to be a part of the SCONE lab this year!

Undergraduate research assistants/honors students/neuroscience students

Alanna Lisewski

My name is Alanna, and I am from New Bern, NC. I just started my first semester in the nursing program. I have had prior lab experience and have always wanted to perform research. I am very interested in neurobiology/linguistics and the SCONE lab seemed like the perfect intersection of those two interests. I hope to work as an ED nurse while I go back to school to pursue an MS in counseling.

Anna Abernathy

My name is Anna, and I’m from Charlotte, NC! I’m a neuroscience and biology major and plan to apply to medical school after graduation. In my free time, I love to spend time with my dog, read, and hang out with friends! I’m super excited to be part of the SCONE Lab.

Katherine Palin

My name is Katherine, but most of my friends call me “Kat”. I am a neuroscience major and would like to attend PA school after I graduate. Aside from school, I work as an EMT. In my free time, I like to listen to music, workout, and do art. I am looking forward to doing great things at the SCONE lab!

Essence Hopkins

My name is Essence Hopkins, and I am a junior here at ECU. My majors are Neuroscience and Hispanic studies, so SCONE Lab was right where I needed to be! In my free time I enjoy reading, playing volleyball, or watching movies. After graduation, I plan on applying to PA school to work towards becoming a physician’s assistant.

Former graduate assistants/volunteers

  • Makyah McNeill
  • Elisha Eanes
  • Megan Bowling
  • Hannah Ragsdale
  • Kendal Tyner (former lab manager)
  • Caroline Sprinkle
  • Allie Wilson
  • Julia Scott (former lab manager)
  • Molly Hostetler
  • Mackenzie Rountree (former lab manager)
  • Madeline Funke
  • Havan Harris (former lab manager)
  • Emily Ritter
  • Ke’Asia Craig
  • Kim Fleck

Former undergraduate research assistants/honors students/neuroscience students

  • Peyton Disser
  • Essence Hopkins
  • Rhiannon Phillips
  • Rindi Povlich
  • Nasir Harris
  • Jewlia Burney
  • Aysha Ruiz
  • Thomas Abraham Willis
  • Maddie Coster
  • Catherine Nobles
  • Hannah Ring
  • Rachel Mansfield
  • Sharon Falkins
  • Atticus Toriello
  • Maddie Capps
  • Emma Plyler
  • Cristal Jackson
  • Monica Beingolea
  • Megan Bennett
  • Brenda Toro
  • Lindsay Leonard

REU BIO-SIM Summer students

  • Isaiah Martinez
  • Santiago Rivero

Collaborators