Principal Investigator
Erin J. Wamsley
Furman University Department of Psychology
Johns Hall 206K
Greenville, SC 29613
[email protected]
Furman University Department of Psychology
Johns Hall 206K
Greenville, SC 29613
[email protected]
Dr. Erin Wamsley joined the Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience at Furman University in 2013. In the Furman Sleep Lab, Dr. Wamsley studies how the brain processes memories during sleep and rest, as well as the relationship of sleep-dependent memory processing to dream experiences. Her current work explores how spatial memories are transformed during sleep, how recent experiences are expressed in dreams. and how sleep and eyes-closed, waking rest affect declarative and procedural memory consolidation.
Lab Coordinator
Will graduated from Furman University in 2024 with a double major in Neuroscience and Religion and became the lab coordinator for the Furman Sleep Lab in Summer 2024. He is interested in the relationship between sleep and emotional memory, and studying how sleep not only helps with the consolidation of memory but also may help it change over time. Will plans to pursue a PhD in cognitive neuroscience and continue to study sleep and memory following his time in the Sleep Lab.
Research Assistants
Henderson graduated from Furman University in 2025 with a double major in Psychology and Philosophy before joining the Furman Sleep Lab as a research assistant in Fall 2025. His scientific interests include the functional role of dreaming in emotional processes, altered states of consciousness, clinical applications of psychedelic substances, and philosophy of mind. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games, spending time with loved ones, and watching Duke Blue Devil basketball. Following his time in the Sleep Lab, Henderson plans to pursue a PhD in cognitive neuroscience so he can continue searching for answers to some of life's most enthralling mysteries: why do we sleep, why do we dream, and what is consciousness?
Undergraduate Researchers
Emily Bagwell
Neuroscience & Medicine, Health, & Culture (minor), '27 |
Donna Berrezueta
Neuroscience & Spanish, '27 |
Lukas Iorio
Neuroscience & Latin American Studies (minor), '27 |
Kaia McMullen
Psychology & German, '27 |
Liam Mullin
Biology & Psychology, '27 |
Ella Niedbalski
Neuroscience, '27 |
Lab Alumni
Lab Coordinators
Lauren Hudachek
Lab Coordinator Psychology, Anthropology, & Criminal Justice '20 (Iowa State) After Sleep Lab: Master's in Human and Computer Interaction (Iowa State University) 
Megan Collins
Lab Coordinator Neuroscience & Japanese Studies '19 After Sleep Lab: MA in Social Psychology, University of Delaware 
Ted Summer
Lab Coordinator Neuroscience '16 After Sleep Lab: M.S. in Computer Science from University of Chicago; Software Engineer at Replit |
Graelyn Humiston
Lab Coordinator Neuroscience '17 After Sleep Lab: Master's from MIT (Sloan School of Management); Research Analyst at Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commision 
Yvette Graveline
Lab Coordinator After Sleep Lab: UX Researcher at Meta, Privacy and Data Practices |
Undergraduate Researchers
Rutu Patel
Neuroscience, '25 After Sleep Lab: Medical Scribe at Oak Street Health; Pursuing career as a Physician's Assistant 
Chadwick Frost
Neuroscience '24 After Sleep Lab: Doctoral student at University of Arizona 
Justin Barron
Neuroscience '23 After Sleep Lab: Pursuing a MD at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville 
Landon Minor
Psychology & Spanish '23 After Sleep Lab: PsyD in Clinical Psychology at Eastern Kentucky University 
Anna Potash
Neuroscience & Philosophy, '22 After Sleep Lab: M.S. in Community Engaged Medicine at Furman University; Clinical Research Coordinator at Shriners Hospitals for Children 
Kathryn Trost
Neuroscience, '22 
Katherine Nimchuk
Neuroscience, '19 After Sleep Lab: Biomedical Sciences PhD at University of Virginia 
Michael Tan
Psychology, '17 After Sleep Lab: Pursuing Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Pennsylvania State University 
Qinhua Sun
Psychology, '17 After Sleep Lab: PhD in Cognitive Sciences from University of California Irvine; now Senior Data Scientist at Apple 
Matthew Whitmire
Neuroscience, '15 After Sleep Lab: Scientific Consultant, Inscopix, Inc 
Jing Zhang
Psychology, '16 After Sleep Lab: PhD in Cognitive Sciences at the University of California Irvine; Postdoctoral fellowship in Dara Manoach's lab at Mass General Hospital |
Taya Middleton
Neuroscience, '26 
Rachel Hodge
Neuroscience, '25 After Sleep Lab: Neurodiagnostic Technician at Lurie Children's Hospital 
Yasmin Wali
Neuroscience, '25 
Meagan Beal
Neuroscience '23 After Sleep Lab: Pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience at Stonybrook University 
Bridget Scalia
Psychology, '23 After Sleep Lab: Organizational Transformation Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton 
Kara Samuels
Biology '23 (UofSC) After Sleep Lab: M.S. in Community Engaged Medicine at Furman University 
Lauren Omotosho
Neuroscience '22 After Sleep Lab: Clinical Documentation Specialist, Accompany Health 
Serene Wang
Psychology, '20 After Sleep Lab: PhD in Psycholinguistics from Cornell University 
Piper Powell
Psychology, '19 After Sleep Lab: Doctoral student at Universität Osnabrück, Germany 
Sarah Wood
Philosophy, '17 After Sleep Lab: Senior Designer at PepsiCo; Design Director, Sew & Co 
Paige Hickey
Psychology, '16 After Sleep Lab: PhD in Psychology from Tufts; Postdoctoral fellowship in Dara Manoach's lab at Mass General Hospital; Medical Science Liason at Lundbeck |
Click here for proof that Furman students need more sleep.