Emilia “Emili” Cárdenas, Ph.D.

Emilia “Emili” Cárdenas is a postdoctoral researcher. In 2025, she received her Ph.D. in clinical science at Vanderbilt University and completed her predoctoral clinical internship at Anne & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Emili’s research focuses on identifying biological pathways giving rise to depression during periods of developmental sensitivity. She uses multiple methods (e.g., EEG, ERP) to identify neural systems underlying reward processing in women and their children. Along with her research, Emili enjoys wheel throwing, knitting, gardening, running, and spending time with her family.