Ava Bir is a master’s of social work student at Columbia University. She graduated from Virginia Tech with dual bachelor’s degrees in Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychology with Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa distinction. She is thrilled to be completing a year of her clinical social work field placement training at Behavioral Psych Studio and excited to grow as a clinician.

Ava has extensive research experience from undergrad, where she served as a research assistant on multiple projects. At Virginia Tech, she contributed to research that focused on examining the role of technology on young children’s cognitive development to further understand and support learning in early childhood development. She also worked on suicide prevention research at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where she was exposed to the evidence-based treatment approach of DBT.

Additionally, Ava has several years of experience working with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is passionate about disability awareness and acceptance. Her interest lies in bridging the gap between clinical neuroscience and psychopathology. She aspires to make neuroscience accessible to a broader audience of individuals interested in the link between the brain and behavior. Look out for some of her blog posts exploring the relationship between our brains and the environment.

Outside of school and training, Ava is an avid podcast listener, Formula One fan, amateur rollerblader, central park jogger, and vegan food enthusiast.