SYDNEY HEISS
PERSONAL
Date of Birth: June 1, 1989
Address: 741 Schoolhouse Ln
Bound Brook, NJ 08805
Phone: Cell: (908) 217-2221
Email: sydkatherine@gmail.com
EDUCATION
Degree
School
GPA Dates Attended
BA in Psychology
Rutgers University; New Brunswick, NJ
Elon University; Elon, NC
Wardlaw-Hartridge; Edison, NJ
3.9
3.8
3.4
HS Diploma
GRE Scores: Verbal: 161 Quantitative: 156 Writing: 4.5
2009 - 2011
2007 - 2009
2003 - 2007
Psychology Subject: 730
HONORS & AWARDS
Graduated Summa Cum Laude
Deans List: 8 semesters
Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society
National Society of Collegiate Scholars
Delta Epsilon Iota Honor Society
Presidential Scholar, Elon University
Elon College Fellow
2011
2007 - 2011
2010
2010
2009
2007
2007
PUBLICATIONS
Vaschillo, E. G., Vaschillo, B., Buckman, J. F., Nguyen-Louie, T., Heiss, S., Pandina,
R., & Bates, M. E. (2015). The effects of sighing on the cardiovascular system.
Biological Psychology 106, 86-95.
Bates, M.E., Buckman, J.F., Banu, L. M., Barnas, P., Heiss, S., Puhalla, A., Ray,
S., Hanson, S., Hanson, S., Peyser, D, Deo, P. (under review). Selective visual
response to marijuana cues in the brains of young adult marijuana smokers.
Buckman., J.F. Vaschillo, B., Vaschillo, E., Heiss, S., Banu, L., Barnas, P., Hanson, S.,
Hanson, C., Ray, S., Peyser, D., & Bates, M.E. (in preparation). Neural response
to resonance breathing: Brain regions likely affected during heart rate variability
biofeedback.
Vaschillo, E., Biswal, B., Buckman, J.F., Barnas, P., Heiss, S., Banu, L., Vaschillo, B.,
Ray, S., Hanson, S., Hanson, C., Peyser, D., & Bates, M.E. (in preparation).
Synchronized low frequency oscillations in BOLD and ECG signals during a high
respiratory load.
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SYDNEY HEISS
PRESENTATIONS
Bates, M.E., Barnas, P., Buckman, J. F., Banu, L., & Heiss, S. (2015). Importance of
using matched cues in studies of drug cue reactivity: An fMRI BOLD study.
Poster presented at Association for Psychological Science, New York, NY.
Peyser, D., Heiss, S., Buckman, J. F., & Bates, M. E. (2015). Comorbid
psychopathology in individuals with substance use disorders is associated with
quality of social support. Poster presented at Rutgers University Center of
Alcohol Studies Student Poster Session, Piscataway, NJ.
Vaschillo, E., Vaschillo, B., Buckman, J. F., Heiss, S., Francisco, R., & Bates, M. E.
(2015). Early cardiovascular dysregulation in young healthy binge drinkers.
Poster presented at Rutgers University Center of Alcohol Studies Student Poster
Session, Piscataway, NJ.
Banu, L. B, Buckman, J. F., Puhalla, A., Hanson, C., Hanson, S., Barnas, P., Ray, S.,
Heiss, S., & Bates, M.E.. (2015). Marijuana cue reactivity in heavy marijuana
users and controls: An fMRI study. Poster presented at Collaborative Perspectives
on Addiction, Baltimore, MD.
Peyser, D., Buckman, J. F., Heiss, S., & Bates, M. E. (2014). Life satisfaction after
substance abuse treatment may be linked to quality of social support. Poster
presented at Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, Philadelphia,
PA.
Buckman., J. F., Puhalla., A., Ray., S., Hanson, S., Hanson., C., Deo, P., Banu., L.,
Barnas., P., Heiss, S., & Bates., M. E. (2014). Collecting high-quality ECG data
within the fMRI environment: Physiologic and neural reactions to a high-load
respiratory task. Poster presented at Society for Neuroscience, Washington DC.
Vaschillo, E., Vaschillo., B., Buckman, J., Heiss, S., & Bates., M. (2014). Sigh to
restore respiratory variability: Proposed mechanism. Presented at International
Society for the Advancement of Respiration Psychophysiology, New Brunswick,
NJ.
Vaschillo, E., Buckman, J. F., Peyser, D., Heiss, S., Barnas, P., Banu, L., Puhalla, A.,
Vaschillo, B., Ray, S., Hanson, S., Hanson, C., Biswal, B. & Bates, M. E. (2014).
Resonance breathing affects hemodynamic oscillations in the brain at 0.1 Hz.
Poster presented at International Society for the Advancement of Respiration
Psychophysiology, New Brunswick, NJ.
Puhalla, A., Buckman, J. F., Ray, S., Hanson, S., Hanson, C., Peyser, D., Deo, P.,
Barnas, P., Heiss, S., Banu, L., & Bates, M. E. (2014). Simultaneous high quality
recording of ECG and fMRI data: Neural and physiologic reactions to a high load
respiratory task. Poster presented at Rutgers Neuroscience Day, Piscataway, NJ.
Heiss, S., Vaschillo, E., G., Vaschillo, B., Buckman, J. F., Puhalla, A., & Bates, M. E.
(2014). Sigh as a trigger for the baroreflex. Poster presented at Rutgers
University Center of Alcohol Studies Student Poster Session, Piscataway, NJ.
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SYDNEY HEISS
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Cardiac Neuroscience Laboratory
Rutgers University Center of Alcohol Studies
Position: Research Assistant
Principal Investigator: Dr. Marsha Bates
June 2013 – July 2015
Primary Responsibilities
 Study development: creating telephone screening interviews, protocols, and plans
for running participants; help submit IRB grants
 Participant Liaison: Screening for participant inclusion via telephone interview,
administering self-report surveys upon participants’ arrival, providing detailed
experiment explanation, training participants to perform resonance breathing
(about 6 breaths per minute)
 Lead experimenter: attaching ECG sensors, respiration belt, skin conductance,
blood pressure cuff for continuous physiological assessment
 Data Management: post-processing physiology data to eliminate noise, determine
RRI, calibrate respiration volume, performing power spectral analysis, and
generate statistics, data entry using Qualtrics and data management using SAS
Ongoing Research Studies
Characterizing the Vascular Tone Baroreflex
Supervisors: Bronya Vaschillo, M.D., and Evgeny Vaschillo, Ph.D
Study assessing the effects of paced sighing on heart rate variability as influenced
by patterns of alcohol consumption (non-drinkers, moderate drinkers, and binge
drinkers).
Effects of Depression on Cardiac and Neural Reactivity
Supervisors: Marsha Bates, Ph.D, and Jennifer Buckman, Ph.D
fMRI study combining ECG and functional neuroimaging to assess the
effectiveness of Mental and Physical (MAP) Training in college students with
depression.
Neural Reactivity and Psychophysiological Arousal to Alcohol Cues
Supervisors: Marsha Bates, Ph.D, and Jennifer Buckman, Ph.D
This study compares the cardiac response to alcohol picture cues between nontreatment seeking alcohol dependent individuals and low-risk drinkers in an fMRI
setting and studies whether slow-rate breathing could be used as a coping
mechanism.
Marijuana Cues, Arousal and the Central Autonomic Network
Supervisors: Marsha Bates, Ph.D, and Jennifer Buckman, Ph.D
This fMRI study combines ECG and BOLD data to study the effects of marijuana
abuse on cardiac, respiratory, and neural systems on a college-aged population.
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SYDNEY HEISS
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
10/13 – 11/14
Carrier Clinic – Belle Mead, NJ
Position: Mental Health Technician
Supervisor: Lynne Sennet, MPH, BSN
I provided support services for the professional nursing staff
and was in charge of many routine functions of patient care.
Specific Responsibilities: leading group therapy sessions,
assisting patients with daily living activities, functioning as a
role model of healthy interpersonal relationships, and
observing and reporting patients’ conditions, behavior, reaction
to treatment, and complaints to staff.
Patient Populations: I worked on all five units of the hospital:
Acute Care Unit, Adult Psychiatric and Addictions Unit, Older
Adult Unit, and Blake Recovery Center.
Hours: Approximately 20 hours per week
07/13 – 06/14
Papa Ganache Project – Matawan, NJ
Position: Behavioral Assistant/Mentor
Supervisor: Lisa Sirote, MSW
Responsibilities: Provided in-home and in-community services
to children individually and provide support to the families. A
behavioral assistant service is an intensive, formal intervention
to address specific behavioral and emotional challenges of a
child. The mentoring service is community based, with a
concrete goal tailored specifically for the child and/or family to
accomplish. Arranged relevant weekly activities based on the
age and interest of the child, submitted weekly progress reports
to managing clinician, and attended monthly progress meetings
with family and managing clinicians.
Patient Population: Youth aged 8 – 18 years old with anger
issues, adjustment problems, and/or substance use disorders
Hours: 10-15 hours per week
08/09 – 06/11
Scarlet Listeners – New Brunswick, NJ
Position: Phone Operator
Responsibilities: Fielded calls from troubled individuals,
discussed current problems, and aided in making a concrete
plain to improve current situation. Trained in over-the-phone
crisis management.
Patient Population: College students
Hours: Approximately 6 hours per week
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SYDNEY HEISS
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
03/15-Present
The Princeton Review – Online Offices
Position: Psychology/Sociology MCAT Instructor
Supervisor: Brian Emerson
Responsibilities: Certified to teach six online MCAT classes
related to Psychology and Sociology. Develop online
presentations, teach topics from General Psychology classes,
lead classroom discussions, continually interact with students
by employing Socratic method, explain testing strategies and
practice questions with students.
Hours: Varies
2008-2009
Substance Abuse Office – Elon University, Elon, NC
Position: SPARKS Peer Educator
Supervisor: Whitney Gregory
Responsibilities: Taught seminars in freshman health classes
regarding risky drinking behaviors. Spearheaded marijuana
information campaign on campus. Promoted healthy body
images by showing presentation to freshman health classes,
created and handed out fliers and pins, made posters to hang
around campus.
Hours: 10 hours per week
TECHNICAL SKILLS
 WinCPRS (physiology data
analysis software)
 AcqKnowledge (physiological
acquisition software)
 Qualtrics (survey software)
 SAS
 Microsoft Office (Word, Excel,
PowerPoint)
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
2014 – 2015
Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues – Member
2014 – 2015
APA Division 34: Society for Environmental, Population and
Conservation Psychology – Member
2014 – 2015
Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Behavioral Assistant by the NJ Department of Children and Families
Certification No. BA000001/31/2015
CITI Certification by Rutgers University IRB
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SYDNEY HEISS
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
2015
Association for Psychological Science Student Caucus – online
reviewer of APS Student Research Award
2011
Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, Woodstock, NY – animal
caretaker, general farm work, social media aid
2008
Contact We Care, Westfield, NJ – input and revised data on
callers, updated local psychology professionals list, planned
fundraising events
WORK EXPERIENCE
07/11 – 08/12
Papa Ganache – Matawan, NJ
Position: Head Lunch Chef
Supervisor: Lisa Sirote
Head lunch chef at Papa Ganache, a vegan bakery that won
Food Network’s Cupcake Wars.
Specific Responsibilities: Planned and prepared daily lunch
specials. In charge of ordering weekly supplies and catering
numerous large-scale parties.
Hours: Approximately 30 per week
07/11 – 08/12
The Cinnamon Snail – New York, NY
Position: Food Truck Chef
Supervisor: Adam Sobel
Lead chef on the first vegan, organic food truck based in
Manhattan. The Cinnamon Snail has been voted the best
overall restaurant in Manhattan, won VegNews’ “Favorite
Vegan Street Cart” as well as PETA’s Libby award for Best
East Coast Food Truck, and has been featured on Food
Network, and The Travel Channel among others.
Specific Responsibilities: Daily chef on the truck, weekly prep
cook, helped with baking, stocking, and cleaning.
Hours: Approximately 55 per week
ADDITIONAL COURSEWORK
Developmental Tasks of Childhood and Adolescence, Positive Behavior Support,
DSM 5, Infusing Practice with Cultural Competence, Safety Issues in Working in the
Community