My name is Dr. Leyla Eghbalzad (she/her) and I’m an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Oxford College of Emory University. I was born and raised in Tehran, Iran and I consider myself a Persian-American. In 2003, I moved to Atlanta, GA with my parents and my older sister. This life-changing experience as a teenager led to my interest in the field of Psychology. Specifically, I found people’s ability to learn and adapt to new environments very fascinating and wondered about how these abilities develop over time. Following my passion for Psychology, I earned my PhD in Developmental Psychology with a focus on Cognitive Neuroscience from Georgia State University. I completed my postdoctoral training at Emory University School of Medicine collaborating with the Grady Trauma Project. My research at Oxford broadly focuses on the impact of experience, as related to various indicators of socioeconomic adversity and trauma, on the neural mechanisms underlying early cognitive development.
In addition to research, I LOVE teaching! No, seriously… I’m very passionate about it. I feel so lucky to be able to engage with individuals from various backgrounds. Every student brings with them a variety of experiences and together we paint a beautiful picture of what it is to be human. As I teach, I also learn from my students. I learn about cultures, traditions, perspectives, and beliefs that are different from my own. It feels like I’m traveling all over the world every time I teach a course.
During my free time, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family! I enjoy painting (highly dependent on my mood) and Pyrography (wood burning). In addition, I’m into hot yoga. Gardening is also a passion of mine, but I’m currently struggling with propagating my favorite roses… My happy place is any coastal town, the beach, feet in the sand with a good book.
