Beatriz Brandao is a doctoral student at Rice University in the Cognitive & Affective Neuroscience and Health Psychology & Behavioral Medicine research interest groups. She received her B.S. in Psychology in 2021 and her M.S. in Applied Cognition and Neuroscience in 2022 from the University of Texas at Dallas. She previously worked at the Center for BrainHealth in Dallas as a research intern developing science programs designed to enhance brain health and performance. She now conducts her graduate work in the Translational Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (T-SCAN) Lab and in the Leal Neuroscience of Memory, Mood, & Aging Lab, supervised by Dr. Bryan Denny and Dr. Stephanie Leal. She is currently investigating the relationship between hormonal contraceptive use and its impact on emotion regulation and emotional memory. In her free time, she enjoys reading and exploring the outdoors through activities like hiking and scuba diving.