Susan Rivera

Susan Rivera is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Davis. She holds affiliations with the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience, the Center for Mind and Brain, and the M.I.N.D. Institute. Her research focuses on neurocognitive development in both typical and atypical populations, including individuals with fragile X syndrome, autism, and Down syndrome. She employs advanced neuroimaging techniques such as fMRI, ERP, and DTI to study brain functions related to the parietal lobe, limbic system, and FXTAS (Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome).

Dr. Rivera’s educational background includes a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from UC Berkeley and a B.A. in Psychology from Indiana University. She has received prestigious awards such as the UC Davis School of Medicine Dean’s Award for Excellence in Collaboration (2010) and multiple grants from the M.I.N.D. Institute and NIH.

Her teaching portfolio includes courses on Developmental Neuroscience, Cognitive Development, and Numerical Representation. Current research emphasizes neuroimaging biomarkers for FXTAS, sensory processing in autism, and longitudinal studies of brain structure in fragile X premutation carriers.

• Labs/Teams: Neurocognitive Development Lab (Rivera)
• Grants: M.I.N.D. Institute Pilot Grants, NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Editorial Roles: Associate Editor of Frontiers in Developmental Psychology, Editorial Board Member of Human Development and Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders