Bella Starling-Alves, PhD

I am an educational neuroscientist specializing in how domain-general and domain-specific factors contribute to learning and human behavior.

Currently, I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Previously, I received my B.S. in Psychology and my M.S. in Neuroscience, both from the Federal University of Minas Gerais. I completed my Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and my postdoctoral training in the Department of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt University.

I am highly interested in identifying neural, cognitive, and affective mechanisms that support learning. Targeting mathematics learning, I have established a research line focused on how magnitude processing, higher-order cognition (e.g., executive functions), and emotional factors (e.g., anxiety) support the developmental trajectory of whole number knowledge, fraction knowledge, and algebraic reasoning. 

My research integrates behavioral experiments and neuroimaging techniques, targeting both typical and special populations, including children with learning disorders, genetic syndromes, and adults who had limited educational opportunities during childhood.

Beyond my interest in educational neuroscience, in my free time, I enjoy arts and crafts, cooking, and exploring outdoor spaces, including visiting state and national parks.