Bethlehem, Pa., April 15, 2016— Neuroscientist Dr. Emily Merz will present, “Socioeconomic Status and Structural Brain Development” at Moravian College on Saturday, April 23 at 9:00 a.m. in Prosser Auditorium. The talk is a part of the Lehigh Valley Society for Neuroscience Undergraduate Research Conference. The talk is open to the public and free of charge.

“This seminar will present current research focused on executive function in children adopted from institutions,” said Cecilia Fox, president of the Lehigh Valley Society for Neuroscience Chapter. “A researcher in the Neurocognition, Early Experience and Development Lab at Columbia University, Dr. Merz explores the neurobiological pathways linking early socioeconomic adversity and self-regulatory difficulties.”

Merz received her PhD in clinical and developmental psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. She currently works at Colombia University in the Psychiatric Epidemiology Program where she is apart of the Neurocognition, Early Experience and Development Lab (NEED). Merz’s research focuses on child experience, observing the different factors in the child's environment, including access to material resources, richness of language exposure, and parenting style. She is also interested in how aspects of the child's chemical environment, like exposure to prenatal alcohol or secondhand smoke, might interact with social risks.

“As a society, being informed about public health is a responsibility.  Every child should have the best possible start in life.  To this end, research such as that of Dr. Merz is making a difference in the health and wellness of children​ through the promotion of community and public health,” said Fox.

The event is cosponsored by the Lehigh Valley Society for Neuroscience Chapter, which includes Moravian College, Cedar Crest College, Lafayette College, Muhlenberg College, DeSales University, and Lehigh University.

“Dr. Merz area of research contributes to the overall care of our next generation and the greater good of human beings,” said Fox. “​She is an excellent scientist and dedicated role model for our students.”

Moravian College encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. Anyone who anticipates needing any type of accommodation or who has questions about the physical access provided, please contact Dr. Cecilia M. Fox at foxc@moravian.edu prior to the event.

Moravian College is a private coeducational liberal arts college, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. For over 274 years, the Moravian College degree has been based on a liberal arts curriculum where literature, history, cultural values and global issues, ethics, and aesthetic expression and the social sciences are infused with multidisciplinary perspectives. Visit www.moravian.edu to learn more about how the Moravian College liberal arts curriculum prepares its students for life-long success.