Psychosocial Adjustment, NeuroDevelopment,
and Autism (P.A.N.D.A.) Lab

TJ Shaw, M.S., is a fifth-year doctoral candidate in Virginia Tech’s Clinical Science Ph.D. program. He earned his bachelor's in psychology, history, and photojournalism from Syracuse University in 2022, and matriculated at VT the same year. His research examines biobehavioral and contextual mechanisms associated with the development and course of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including its co-occurrence with substance use, suicidality, and other trauma-related comorbidities. Currently, his program of research utilizes intensive longitudinal and psychophysiological data to investigate how latent physiological states and temporal dynamics relate to interpersonal functioning among autistic adults. Methodologically, his work integrates state-space modeling with artificial intelligence (AI) methods, particularly machine learning, to estimate latent-state trajectories and examine multilevel, nonlinear, and higher-order interactions among physiological, behavioral, and contextual processes. Clinically, he has provided assessment and psychotherapy across university, Veterans Affairs, and community mental health settings, including Virginia Tech’s Psychological Services Center, the Center for Traumatic Stress at the Salem VA Medical Center, and New River Valley Community Services. Outside work, TJ and his partner enjoy golfing during the summer, spending much of the fall hunting, and spending time with their friends and two cats.