Naoise Mac Giollabhui is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology area, working in the Mood and Cognition Lab under the guidance of Dr. Lauren Alloy. Giollabhui's research interest includes the impact of depression, both when individuals are depressed and when depression has remitted, on cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and executive functioning. In the Mood and Cognition Lab, he investigates the influence of factors such as body mass and inflammation on cognitive dysfunction in depressed individuals.  Prior to coming to Temple, Giollabhui completed his undergraduate studies in History and Philosophy in Ireland, and then earned a Master's degree in Latin American Studies while studying in England. Through his studies and work outside of academia, he became particularly interested in how individuals behave individually and in social settings, so he returned to school for a Bachelor's degree in Psychology before applying to our doctoral program.

Giollabhui is the 2019 recipient of the Thomas E. Shipley, Jr. Research Prize, which is awarded to a graduate student for excellence in research. Dr. Thomas E. Shipley, Jr., for whom the award was named, was a faculty member in the Clinical Psychology area for almost four decades and who was dedicated to the notion that scientific study of psychological problems could address important social issues.  Following Tom's death in 2007, the Shipley family graciously began this award in his honor. The award to Giollabhui will help fund a study following up a sample of participants to examine how a history of depression and chronic low-grade peripheral inflammation may interact to influence performance on tests of cognitive functioning.