Yanli Lin, PhD
Lab Director
Dr. Jeff (Yanli) Lin is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Arkansas and director of the CNP Lab. He is passionate about understanding if and how contemplative practices, like mindfulness meditation, can enhance our cognitive abilities, emotional wellbeing, and interpersonal connections. Above all, Dr. Lin is deeply committed to people and strives to cultivate a lab culture where folks from all walks of life can unite around a shared love for psychology and science, while receiving support towards achieving their own professional goals.
Outside of the lab or classroom, you can find Dr. Lin cooking, weightlifting, passionately (and sometimes painfully) following Detroit sports, and watching other people play the video games that he used to have the luxury to play himself!
Graduate Students
Emily Grugan, BS
Graduate Student
Emily Grugan joined the Clinical Psychology PhD program at the University of Arkansas in the Fall of 2024. Her research interests, most broadly, include exploring philosophical questions from the lens of psychology and neuroscience. For example, her curiosity about the metaphysical nature of the “self” motivates her plans to investigate the effects of non-dual meditation inductions on both the subjective experience of and the neural activity associated with self-referential processing.
When Emily is not working on school-related things, you can likely find her spending time with her husband, engaging with their LDS church community, working on a creative writing project, or exploring the great outdoors.
Nathan McPherson, BA
Graduate Student
Nathan McPherson began graduate training in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program at the University of Arkansas in the fall of 2025. His research interests arise from a longstanding engagement with the philosophy of mind, religion, and spirituality, and from a desire to forge a more direct epistemological connection between the objective measurements of the neurocognitive sciences and the subjective experiences explored in contemplative practices.
More specifically, Nathan is interested in using machine learning, EEG, and neurocognitive tasks to investigate the neural underpinnings of theoretically distinct contemplative practices and their potential to improve transdiagnostically implicated cognitive functions such as cognitive control and sustained attention.
In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his dog and fiancée, hiking, and reading fiction, history, and philosophy.
Research Assistants
Brielle White, BA
Lab Manager
Brielle White is the Lab Manager of the Contemplative Neurophenomenology (CNP) Lab at the University of Arkansas. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University as well. She is passionate about understanding how contemplative practices, particularly mindfulness, influence the brain and support emotional well-being. Brielle has become increasingly interested in how mindfulness and cognitive training intersect with aging and neuropsychological assessment. She hopes to contribute to the growing field of aging neuroscience by exploring how intentional mental practices can preserve cognitive health, enhance well-being, and support graceful aging across the lifespan.
Brielle is currently expanding her research and technical skills in preparation for graduate study in cognitive or affective neuroscience. Outside the lab, she enjoys yoga, Pilates, and long walks with her dog, Rugby. She also loves cooking creative, healthy recipes and getting lost in books and personal development podcasts.
Regina Ramirez
Undergraduate Honors Student
Regina Ramirez is an undergraduate student at the University of Arkansas, majoring in Psychology. Her academic interests include mindfulness and mental health research. She believes mindfulness can be a powerful tool for improving mental health. She is passionate about exploring how mindfulness practices can improve well-being and about sharing our findings in ways that are helpful and accessible. She plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in psychology.
Catherine E. Scales, BA
Postbaccalaureate Research Assistant
Catherine Scales is a Postbaccalaureate Research Assistant in the CNP Lab. Her research interests focus on identifying event-related potential (ERP) markers that predict treatment outcomes in adults with elevated negative affect, trauma-related symptoms, and substance use disorders. She is particularly interested in the translational application of ERP components to characterize individual differences in treatment response and in using philosophical frameworks to inform neurobiological models of mental health.
Catherine earned her B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy from the University of Arkansas and plans to pursue graduate training in clinical neuroscience. Outside the lab, she enjoys caring for her plants, playing competitive pool, and taking long walks through Fayetteville.
