Ninette joined IACS in 2021 as a Research Assistant to run the experiment, Assessing the impact of an audio-visual experience on mood states. She became Lead Research Assistant for the studies, Identifying Gradations of the Meditative State, running around 200 EEG trials, as well as Neuromodulatory Induction of Meditative States, running over 150 LIFU sessions. Currently as a Junior Research Scientist, she contributes to study preparation, data collection, data analysis, and manuscript preparation for over five studies.
Undergraduate
UCLA, B.S. Cognitive Science with a specialization in computing, 2021
Representative Publications
- Cain, J, Brandmeyer, T., Sanguinetti, J., Simonian, N., Reggente, N. (2024) Towards enhancing meditation with focused ultrasound neuromodulation in expert Vipassana meditators. [Article]
- Cain, J., Simonian, N., Reggente, N. (2024) Towards Focused Ultrasound Stimulation for Enhancing Meditation: A Study on the State-Dependent Effects between Novices and Experienced Practitioners. [Article]
- Johnson, M. A., Simonian, N., & Nicco Reggente. (2024). Enlightening the Mind: Comparing Stroboscopic Stimulation and Meditation for Mood and Cognition Enhancement. [Article]
- Reggente, N., Kothe, C., Brandmeyer, T., Hanada, G., Simonian, N., Mullen, S., Mullen, T. (2024) Decoding Depth of Meditation: EEG Insights from Expert Vipassana Practioners. [Article]
- Frohlich, J., Simonian, N., Hanada, G., Kothe, C., Reggente, N. (2023) Neural entrainment induced by periodic audiovisual stimulation: A large-sample EEG study. [Article]
Skills
Project Management
EEG setup
Low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) setup
Your ideal research study
My ideal research is in translational science; specifically, studying clinical psychology and neuroscience to assess cognitive function, diagnose disorders, recommend targeted treatments, collaborate on rehabilitation, and conduct research utilizing new technology and approaches. I am particularly interested in studying cognitive decline and memory disorders.
What drew you to consciousness
The core premise regarding consciousness, taught in most of my cognition courses, was that it is difficult to “objectively” research, and consciousness research is a field with many open-ended questions. I liked the idea that interdisciplinary studies, from neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and more, can come together to further understand what consciousness is. I am specifically interested in the mind-body connection – how the mind can heal the body and vice versa – and learning more about the mechanisms in which they interact.
Hobbies
Being active – practicing yoga, playing tennis, and hiking with my dog.
Being creative – painting, crafting beautifully organized Spotify playlists, watching Architectural Digest videos, and scrapbooking.
