About Us

Dr. Burman joined the Psychology Department at UNE in 2009 after getting his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 2006 under Dr. Jonathan Gewirtz and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Delaware under Dr. Mark Stanton (2006-2008).  His faculty page can be found here.

Megan is a well-rounded scientist broadly interested in the neurobiology of impulsivity and addiction, and the affective impacts of pain. During her undergraduate education, she completed an honor’s thesis entitled “Sex Differences in Motivation to Self-Administer Cocaine in Inbred Mice”.

A Ph.D. Candidate in Biomedical Science from the University of Maine’s Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering (GSBSE), Megan joined the Burman Collaborative in early 2022 as a graduate research assistant. She has been involved in every aspect of our day-to-day work and is instrumental in the Collaborative’s overall function. Her dissertation utilizes acute-slice patch-clamp electrophysiology and immunohistochemistry to investigate the impacts of time spent in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on vulnerability to anxiety-like behaviors and increased pain sensitivity during adolescence. Megan has traveled across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United States to present her research and has received awards for her exemplar work as a trainee. After her doctoral defense in early 2025, Megan plans to shift towards industry science, combining her long-term interests and comprehensive training to further understand neurobiology of addiction and negative emotionality.

Known for her distinctive luck, when not at work Megan can be found wandering the streets of Southern Maine with her furry friends, sipping iced coffees, and getting her car crashed into.

Since joining the Burman Collaborative in the summer of 2022, Brooklynn has become a leader and mentor in the lab. She has presented her research across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United States and was awarded two summer research fellowships from the Kahn Family Foundation. After graduating from UNE in December, Brooklynn plans to pursue a doctoral program in pharmaceutical sciences or drug development, to eventually become a professor and principal investigator at a leading academic institution. Always up for a pun, Brooklynn can also be found advocating for reproductive rights, mentoring fellow women in STEM, or unwinding with some crochet.

Brayden joined the Burman Collaborative in the spring of 2023, becoming an invaluable member of the lab. He has co-presented his rodent behavior research at UNE and Colby College. Brayden plans to pursue medical school after graduating from UNE. Outside the lab, well-coiffed Brayden can be found  participating in a variety of on-campus clubs, engaging in outdoor sports, and jamming along to his favorite tunes.

Since joining the Burman Collaborative in the spring of 2023, Lainie has been actively involved in assisting with day-to-day tasks, especially those of rodent husbandry. After graduating from UNE, she plans to pursue medical school. A silent killer in the lab and on the ice, Lainie can be found scoring goals for the UNE Varsity Women’s Ice Hockey team or spending time with friends.

Willard joined the Burman Collaborative in the fall of 2023, having loved college so much, he’s doing it twice!  In the lab, he’s leading efforts on our newly established zebrafish research. Willard has presented his research at UNE and Colby College and was awarded a summer research fellowship from the Kahn Family Foundation. After graduating from UNE, he plans to continue biomedical research until pursuing a higher degree. Outside the lab, Willard enjoys spending time in the Maine outdoors, reading and collecting books, and cooking up fun recipes.

Tyler has been actively involved in our lab’s current zebrafish research since he joined the Burman Collaborative in spring of 2024. After graduating from UNE, he plans to pursue medical school. Just like Bill Nye, Tyler loves everything science, and can be found outside the lab volunteering as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for the residential UNE community.

The newest member of the Burman Collaborative, Josh is an active participant in day-to-day lab tasks and eager to understand the “why” for everything we do. He plans to pursue medical school after graduating from UNE. Outside the lab, Josh can be found selling motorcycles, hitting the gym, or longboarding around campus.