Dr. Hecht received her B.S. in Cognitive Science from the University of California San Diego in 2006, and her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Emory University in 2013.  She is currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. Dr. Hecht launched the Canine Brains Project while she was a Research Scientist in the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience at Georgia State University, and an Affiliated Scientist at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center at Emory University.  Dr. Hecht's research focuses on neuroanatomical specializations in dogs, primates, and humans.  She has two Miniature Australian Shepherds, Lefty and Izzy, who are mostly good. 

Sophie earned her B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Georgia in 2019. She is a third-year PhD candidate in the Human Evolutionary Biology Department of Harvard University. Her research investigates how selection for complex behaviors shapes the brains of domestic dog breeds and other canids. Sophie began working with the Canine Brains Project as an undergraduate student researcher. She draws inspiration from her rescue dog Tamsin, an Australian Shepherd x Labrador Retriever mix, who helps pilot her studies.

Alexandra (Alex) Grayson is an undergraduate student researcher in the lab, and she is currently pursuing an A.B. in Molecular & Cellular Biology at Harvard University. While focused on cells in class, she is interested in all aspects of biology, including neuroscience, as it helps to explain why nature is the way it is. Outside of science, she enjoys researching health policy, playing lacrosse, cheering on University of Kentucky basketball, and FaceTiming her miniature dachshund, Oliver.

Kelsey Hoskin '21 is an undergraduate at Harvard studying Human Evolutionary Biology and Medical Anthropology. On campus she loves volunteering at Spaulding Hospital, playing on the Harvard Women's Club Volleyball team, and leading Harvard College Faith and Action as well as Harvard Global Health Forum. She is from Lilburn, Ga and has two dogs of her own, a Corgi and a Boston Terrier!

Stacy Jo '21 is a Harvard undergraduate concentrating in Human & Evolutionary Biology (Mind, Brain and Behavior Track) with a Secondary in Music. She is also a student of the Harvard-Berklee Dual Degree Program and is on her way to earning her Master's Degree in Music. Stacy hopes to bring together evolutionary biology, music and cognitive neuroscience altogether to study the ways in which our musicality may be inherited or newly formed within the human species in an evolutionary standpoint. Beyond academia, you can catch her either performing onstage, tutoring students in SAT, or repping Harvard spirit as part of the Harvard College Events Board.

Hanna is a 2020 graduate from Harvard College with an A.B. in Human Evolutionary Biology and a Foreign Language Citation in Spanish. She is interested in a career in biological research, possibly one focused on human and primate social behavior and/or genetics. After graduating, she moved to Montevideo, Uruguay, where she is currently conducting research on neuroplasticity at a local university and working remotely for the Hecht Lab. Beyond biology, Hanna is interested in singing and playing the guitar, traveling, and trying out new recipes.

Lauren Duffee provides expert veterinary support to dogs during MRI scans at the Hecht lab. She is an anesthesiologist at the Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn, Massachusetts. Lauren received her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She then spent a year in the San Francisco area for a private practice equine internship before returning to the University of Pennsylvania to complete a three-year residency in veterinary anesthesia and analgesia in small and large animals. Lauren is a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (ACVAA) and a member of the American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture (AAVA). Outside of the hospital, Lauren enjoys gardening, travel, and hiking with her two corgis.

Christina Campbell assists with veterinary care during MRI scans. She is a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner as well as a Credentialed Veterinary Technician. She has over 15 years of experience in animal care, including examinations, surgeries, therapy, and client education. Christina has two dogs, Chloe and Serena, and two tabby cats, Weedge and Theo. She enjoys spending her free time outdoors, canoeing, camping, biking, and going on long walks with her dogs.