Siena Marie Rodrigues

Siena earned a BS with honors in psychology and a minor in neuroscience. At Carolina, she gained hands-on research experience, starting at the Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, investigating neural oscillations in the context of psychiatric disorders. She is currently studying the interaction of mental health and relationships, assisting on a pilot study for couples with dual substance use disorders (SUDs) in the BRANE Lab. For her senior honors thesis, Siena investigated the mechanism of dyadic coping in couples where both partners have substance use disorders. Through her experiences at UNC and around the world, she discovered her passion for the feasibility and accessibility of mental health care. Outside of the lab and classroom, she spent her time with loved ones, making chai, and hiking. Siena plans to return to her hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to use the skills she developed at Carolina to implement evidence-based interventions within her community.