CV

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Donor engagement: identifying, cultivating, and maintaining relationships with existing and prospective donors. Connecting donors to faculty members and priority fundraising initiatives.

Communication: developing priority materials for a wide range of audiences. Translating complex scientific and technical concepts into compelling narratives via written and oral presentations, demonstrations, and media interviews.

Program management and development: leading collaborative teams in complex, interdisciplinary projects, with strict deadlines. Data analysis, reporting, and strategy. Event planning, execution, and ROI calculation.

Interpersonal skills: establishing meaningful and long-lasting connections with donors, Stanford faculty, staff, and alumni, volunteers, and the wider community.

Human-vehicle interaction research: designing, developing, and implementing novel experimental paradigms in human behavior when interacting with automated vehicles, in on-the-road studies, and in simulated driving situations

Human physiology and neuroimaging: using a suite of complementary techniques to elucidate the cognitive processes underlying behavior in real-world tasks

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Development Officer, Generalist Team, Major Gifts, Stanford Medical Center Development, Stanford School of Medicine, CA. 2020-present

Grew and maintained a portfolio of active prospects and donors. Developed meaningful relationships that led to first-time gifts, renewed annual giving, and individual giving at an increased level.

Crafted case statements and written proposals to successfully solicit my portfolio of donors. Secured gifts to support faculty-based research initiatives (in basic science and clinical departments), School of Medicine graduate scholarships, and community outreach projects.

Provided support for three Major Gift Officers; prepared briefings for donor meetings with faculty and leadership, wrote proposals for faculty-based research, tracked on engagement strategies, solicitations, and progress to goal, prepared donor stewardship reports, tracked donor giving history and faculty spend rates. Acted as strategic thought partner in planning donor outreach and solicitations.

Supported the Dean of Medicine’s philanthropic priority project for MD student support; crafted case statements, donor outreach, and a full fundraiser’s toolkit for colleague’s use, tracked on all incoming gifts, produced regular reports for faculty and leadership, worked closely with both the Admissions Office and the Office of Financial Aid to ensure donor’s preferences were met.

Planned and executed donor cultivation events. Identified donors, prepared invitations, managed RSVP lists, prepared guest bios and event briefings, calculated ROI.

Special projects; member of the MCD DEIB steering committee, the Memorial Gifts Team, and the Proposal Toolkit Workgroup. Developed a searchable database of research projects related to COVID-19 and led training sessions for colleagues across MCD.

Research Scientist, Revs Program and Center for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS), Stanford University, CA. 2013-2019

Coordinated and managed dozens of outreach events and meetings with potential donors and research collaborators. Solely responsible for giving formal and informal presentations, research demonstrations, and facility tours to top management of automobile companies, national and international government officials, and members of the public
Interviewed by the media to communicate complex, technical research results to a wide audience. Appeared on the BBC, PBS NOVA Science Now, In The New York Time, and Popular Science
Invited to present program activities and research results at more than twenty seminars in Silicon Valley and the US between 2013 and 2019
Developed relationships with automobile industry experts, and leveraged relationships with faculty members to initiate one inter- and two intra-departmental research collaborations
Wrote a successful application for a $3M Toyota Class Action Settlement Safety Research and Education Program Grant “An interdisciplinary approach to the design of driver information, training, and assistance systems based on brain imaging”, without which the research collaborations would not be possible
Engaged three owners and five drivers of multi-million dollar vintage race cars to build a new research program studying professional drivers. Identified and recruited owners and drivers through networking at race events. Owners allowed us to instrument a total of six vehicles during semi-annual race events between 2011 and 2017. Professional race car drivers donated their time and expertise for two weeks each year. Without successful engagement of owners and drivers this research program would not exist
Led a team of four researchers in developing and implementing an innovative program studying professional drivers’ behavior and underlying physiology during competitive races. Assumed full responsibility for maintaining relationships with donors to support the research program for seven years. Resulting research has informed safe and efficient autonomous vehicle control algorithms
Led an early-stage, pioneering team of ten researchers investigating driver behavior, performance, and cognitive load when operating automated vehicles. These results have informed design principles for automated vehicles, and contributed to best practices for autonomous vehicle legislation, particularly highlighting the challenges of partial or conditional autonomy. This study resulted in eight peer-reviewed journal articles and conference presentations
Coordinated monthly, lab-wide off-campus research trips, in which all lab members and experimental vehicles re-locate to Thunderhill Raceway, Willows, CA. Arranged annual research trips to the Monterey Motorsport Reunion
Led a team of four researchers to implement a series of studies revealing the reallocation of cognitive resources during distracted driving
Designed, developed, and implemented a study revealing that drivers’ performance is compromised while they adapt to a change in handling after taking back control from an automated vehicle
Managed a pending NIH shared instrumentation grant application from a multi-disciplinary team of Stanford faculty
Directly supervised two Master’s students, and one PhD student
Led operational and logistical planning for annual research trips to Targa Sixty-Six, West Palm Beach, FL, and the Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Laguna Seca, CA
Coordinated monthly, lab-wide off-campus research trips, in which all lab members and experimental vehicles re-locate to Thunderhill Raceway, Willows, CA

Research Associate, Communication Between Humans and Interactive Media (CHIMe) Lab at Stanford, Stanford University, CA. 2011 – 2013

Led a team of four researchers in designing and developing a research program to inform the design of user interfaces in partially automated vehicles, based on behavioral and neurophysiological measures
Wrote a successful application for a $1M Toyota Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC) Grant “Safety and partially intelligent automobiles: creating mental models and trust to promote driver safety”, without which the research program would not exist
Led a team of three researchers in a study addressing the effects of multi-tasking on human cognition and behavior
Wrote a successful $500K Stanford NeuroVentures Program Grant “Impulsivity and inhibitory function in heavy and light multitaskers” that entirely supported the study

Research Associate, Center for Study of Language & Information (CSLI), Stanford University, CA. 2006 – 2011

Designed, developed, and executed a wide range of neurophysiology experiments to investigate how the human brain represents visual and auditory sensory stimuli, both real and imaginary
Contributed to the development of single-trial analysis methods that draw from a combination of physical and statistical models to interpret physiological data
Designed an innovative electrophysiological paradigm to investigate the neural basis of visual association learning in an animal model

Post-doctoral Scholar, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, CA. 2004-2006

Developed experimental paradigms with which to address the social and cognitive control of behavior in an animal model
Established a novel optical technique with which to investigate the brain activity that determines these behaviors

EDUCATION

PhD Cell Biology, University College London, UK, June 2004. Thesis title; “Signalling pathways mediating ephrin-A-induced growth cone collapse”

BSc Neuroscience (1st class), University College London, UK May 1999. Thesis title; “Selectivity of sugar transport in isolated outer hair cells of the guinea pig cochlea”

PUBLICATIONS

Journals

Harbott. L.K., Geeseman, J. W., Balters, S., and Reiss, A.L. “The use of near-infrared spectroscopy in driving research: a review and meta-analysis” (In preparation)

Baker, J.M., Bruno, J.L., Gundran, A., Piccirilli, A.M., Hosseini, S.M.H., Harbott, L.K., Sirkin, D.M., Gerdes, J.C. and Reiss, A.L. “Parametric evaluation of smartphone-based distractors on drivers’ brain function and driving performance” (In preparation)

Seiler, C.J., Bruno, J.L., Baker, J.M., Gundran, A., Harbott, L.K., Piccirilli, A.M., Hosseini, S.M.H., Gerdes, J.C. and Reiss, A.L. “Bayesian analysis for fNIRS” (In preparation)

Hosseini, S.M.H., Bruno, J.L., Baker, J.M., Piccirilli, A.M., Stuart, Z., Gundran, A., Harbott, L.K., Gerdes, J.C. and Reiss, A.L. “Neural correlates of adapting to changes in vehicle handlling” (In preparation)

Piccirilli, A.M., Hosseini, S.M.H., Baker, J.M., Bruno, J.L., Gundran, A., Stuart, Z., Harbott, L.K., Gerdes, J.C. and Reiss, A.L. “An evaluation of fNIRS pre-processing techniques using concurrent fNIRS-fMRI measurements” (In preparation)

Baker, J.M., Piccirilli, A.M., Bruno, J.L., Harbott, L.K., Gundran, A., Stuart, Z., Hosseini, S.M.H., Gerdes, J.C. and Reiss, A.L. “Investigating driver response to changing vehicle dynamics utilizing concurrent fNIRS-fMRI measurements” (In preparation)

Bruno, J.L., Baker, J.M., Gundran, A., Harbott, L.K., Stuart, Z., Piccirilli, A.M., Hosseini, S.M.H., Gerdes, J.C. and Reiss, A.L. (2018) “Mind over motor mapping: Driver response to changing vehicle dynamics” Human Brain Mapping 39:3915-3927

Hosseini, S.M.H., Bruno, J.L., Baker, J.M., Gundran, A., Harbott, L.K., Gerdes, J.C. and Reiss, A.L. (2017) “Neural, physiological, and behavioral correlates of visuomotor cognitive load using functional NIRS” Scientific Reports 7(1):8866

Kegelman, J.C., Harbott, L.K. and Gerdes, J.C. (2017) “Insights into vehicle trajectories at the handling limits: analysing open data from race car drivers” Vehicle System Dynamics 55(2):191-207

Russell, H.E.B., Harbott, L.K., Nisky, I., Pan, S., Okamura, A.M. and Gerdes, J.C. (2016) “Motor learning affects car-to-driver handover in automated vehicles” Science Robotics 1(1):eaah5682

Harbott, L.K., Burmeister, S., White, R., Vagell, M. and Fernald, R.D. (2007) “Androgen receptors in a cichlid fish: structure, localization and expression levels” Journal of Comparative Neuroscience 540:57-73

Harbott, L.K. and Nobes, C.D. (2005) “A key role for Abl family kinases in EphA receptor-mediated growth cone collapse” Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 30:1-11

Ashmore, J.F, Géléoc, G.S.G. and Harbott L.K. (2000) “A key role for Abl family kinases in EphA receptor-mediated growth cone collapse” Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 30:1-11

Ashmore, J.F, Géléoc, G.S.G. and Harbott L.K. (2000) “Molecular mechanisms of sound amplification in the mammalian cochlea” PNAS 97(22):11759

Book Chapters

Suppes, P., Grosenick, L. and Harbott, L.K. (2013) “Models and simulations in brain experiments” In Models, Simulations, and Representations, eds P. Humphreys and C. Imbert. Taylor Francis

Harbott, L.K., Marston, D.J. and Nobes C.D. (2003) “Ephrin regulated contact repulsion of growth cones” In Cell Motility: from Molecules to Organisms, eds P. Clark, M. Peckham and A. Riley. John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Conferences

Bruno, J.L., Baker, J.M., Gundran, A., Harbott, L.K., Stuart, Z., Piccirilli, A.M., Hosseini, S.M.H., Gerdes, J.C. and Reiss, A.L. “Characterizing brain and behavioral correlates of steering control during simulated driving” Society for Neuroscience (SfN), 2016

Hosseini, S.M.H., Bruno, J.L., Baker, J.M., Gundran, A., Piccirilli, A.M., Harbott, L.K., Gerdes, J.C. and Reiss, A.L. “Navigating a winding road: Neural, physiological, and behavioral correlates of visuomotor cognitive load using functional NIRS” Society for Neuroscience (SfN), 2016

Gundran, A., Piccirilli, A.M., Baker, J.M., Bruno, J.L., Harbott, L.K., Hosseini, S.M.H., Gerdes, J.C., and Reiss, A.L. “Complementary physiological and behavioral data streams enhance analysis of fNIRS data during a real-world driving task” Society for Neuroscience (SfN), 2016

Spielberg, N., Harbott, L.K., Russell, H., and Gerdes, J.C. “Safety Implementation in driver adaptation experiments” Stanford Mechanical Engineering Conference (MECon), 2016

Grosenick, L., Franzson, D. B., Harbott, L., Perreau-Guimaeres, M., Bohannan, B., & Suppes, P. “Single-trial classification and representation of melody in the brain” Association for Psychological Science (APS), 2009

Harbott, L.K. and Nobes, C.D. “Eph Receptor-ephrin signalling triggered by direct cell contact” Cold Spring Harbor (CSH) Conference on Axon Guidance and Neural Plasticity, 2002

INVITED TALKS, WORKSHOPS AND SESSIONS

Harbott, L.K. “The future of transportation” STaRS Undergraduate Summer Intern Program, Stanford University, CA. Jul 18, 2018

Harbott, L.K. “Imaging the future driving experience: the neurobiology of skilled driving performance” CARS Webinar, Stanford University, CA. Jul 11, 2018

Harbott, L.K. “CARS and CAB: Stanford’s cars and brains collaboration” Daimler AG Silicon Valley Inspiration Day, Stanford University, CA. Jan 11, 2018

Harbott, L.K., “Stanford Cars and Brains Project” CARS blog post, Sep 27, 2017

Harbott, L.K. “Automated driving: from human to machine” Huawei-Stanford Automated Driving Workshop, Stanford University, CA. Jul 27, 2017

Harbott, L.K. “Automated vehicles: learning from the best human drivers” Daimler International Techtour 2017, Stanford University, CA. Mar 8, 2017

Harbott, L.K. “Neuroimaging in vehicles” Yanmar Tractor (Japan), Stanford University, CA. Feb 3, 2017

Harbott, L.K. “From magnets to roads: studying drivers’ brain activity” CARS blog post, Dec 14, 2016

Harbott, L.K. “Supporting drivers in automated vehicles: physiological measurements to improve safety” United Technologies Research Center (UTRC)-Stanford Mechanical Engineering meeting on Robotics and Design, Stanford University, CA. Dec 9, 2016

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Open Forum on Guidelines for the Safe Deployment of Automated Vehicle Safety Techniques, Stanford University, California, Apr 27, 2016. Organizer

Harbott, L.K. “Driver adaptation” Education Session for Women in Automotive Technology, Stanford University, CA. Mar 31, 2016

Harbott, L.K. and Hosseini S.M.H. “Magnets to road: imaging driver’s brain activity” CARS Annual Meeting, Stanford University, CA. Dec 3, 2015

Harbott, L.K. “Shared control, handover of control, and car-driver communication” Workshop: Human-Machine Interaction for Automated Driving, Stanford University, CA. Nov 18, 2015

Driver-Automation Collaboration Workshop, Cranfield University, UK. Nov 16, 2015. Workshop organizer, keynote speaker, and panel chair

Harbott, L.K., Kegelman, J.C., and Gerdes, J.C. “Learning at the racetrack” Audi Piloted Driving Experience, Sonoma, CA. Jul 8 – 12, 2015

Towards Programming Ethics in Automated Vehicles, CARS Workshop, Stanford University, CA. Jun 5, 2015. Breakout session chair

Harbott, L.K. “Studying drivers brain activity” Chalmers Technical University – Dynamic Design Lab Seminar session, Stanford University, CA. Feb 27 2015

Harbott, L.K. “Learning from professional drivers” Workshop: Driver Models for Racing, Stanford University, CA. Dec 18, 2014

Harbott, L.K., and Jeannette, G. “Instrumenting the best to improve the future” Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Laguna Seca Raceway, CA. Aug 16 2014

Harbott, L.K. “Vintage races as classes: learning from the past to shape the future” CAM Followers Network, Naples, FL. Feb 18, 2014

Harbott, L.K. “Introduction to Stanford’s automated vehicles” Interactive presentation, Stanford+Connects Alumni Tour, Pasadena, CA. Jan 31 – Feb 2, 2014

Transportation Research Board (TRB) 2nd Annual Workshop on Road Vehicle Automation, Stanford University, CA. Jul 16-19, 2013. Breakout session chair

Kegelman, J.C., Harbott, L.K., Liao, J., Brennan, R.P. and Gerdes, J.C. “Measuring the past to shape the future” 7th Biennial Symposium on Connoisseurship and the Collectable Car, Revs Institute for Automotive Research, Naples, FL. Mar 3 – 6, 2013

Harbott, L.K. “Brain and behavior of racing drivers” Targa Sixty-six, West Palm Beach, FL. Feb 25, 2012

Harbott, L.K. “Driver physiology at the Revs Program” Palo Alto Concours d’Elegance, Palo Alto, CA. Jun 26, 2011

SELECTED MEDIA

Broadcast

Seeker – Science & Education “How close are we to a self-driving world?” Seeker Digital, Apr 12, 2019

Discovery “Driverless Cars” BBC World Service, Jun 15, 2014

NOVA Science Now “Making Stuff Safer” PBS, Nov 6, 2013

NOVA Science Now “What will the future be like?” PBS, Nov 14, 2012

Supersized Earth “The way we move” BBC One, Nov 28, 2012

Print

John Markoff “Robot cars can’t count on us in an emergency” The New York Times, Jun 7, 2017

Staff writers “Steering an autonomous car may put you on road to disaster” ISRAEL21c, Jan 12,

Corrine Iozzio “Humans may falter when taking control of self-driving cars” Popular Science, Dec 6, 2016

Taylor Kubota “Taking back control of an autonomous car affects human steering behavior, Stanford research shows” Stanford Report, Dec 6, 2016

Gordon Maltby “Exploring driver psychophysiology… in an Abarth Carrera” Porsche 356 Registry Magazine, Apr 2015

Jack Stewart “Can brain scans help make cars safer?” BBC Future, Jul 21, 2014

Mark Rechtin “Stanford innovation center studies the auto’s past, plans for its future” Automotive News, Jun 3, 2013

RESEARCH GRANTS

Toyota Class Action Settlement Safety Research and Education Program Grant (with X. Cui, N. Liu, M. Saggar, J.C. Gerdes and A.L. Reiss). Awarded 2014. “An interdisciplinary approach to the design of driver information, training, and assistance systems based on brain imaging”. $3M+ research grant over 3 years

Toyota Collaborative Safety Research Center (CSRC) Grant (with C.I. Nass). Awarded 2012. “Safety and partially intelligent automobiles: creating mental models and trust to promote driver safety”. $1M+ research grant over 3 years

Stanford NeuroVentures Program Grant (with D. Lottridge and C.I. Nass). Awarded 2011. “Impulsivity and inhibitory function in heavy and light multitaskers” $500K research grant over 2 years

TEACHING

Instructor, Mechanical Engineering Dept., Stanford University, CA. Apr 2015 – Jun 2015. Mechanical Engineering 113: Mechanical Engineering Design

Capstone class. Instructed 2 graduate students on a novel research project to design and prototype MR-safe controllers for use with driving simulator software. Met weekly with students for design feedback, prototype testing, and design modification advice

Instructor, Communication Dept., Stanford University, CA. Sep 2012 – Dec 2012. Communication 368: Experimental Research in Advanced User Interfaces

Graduate research-based class. Instructed 4 graduate students on a novel research project investigating the neurophysiological basis of task-switching. Prepared and led 2 discussion and 2 experimental sessions per week, assisted students with office hours and via email

Adviser for Undergraduate Honors in Biological Sciences, Stanford University, CA. Summer 2005

Directed two undergraduate honors students in Human Biology, identifying novel genes involved in reproductive behavior in an animal model. Met daily with students to instruct them in various molecular biology techniques, trouble-shoot experimental problems, and interpret results

HONORS AND AWARDS

SfN 2016 Hot Topic Award. A. Gundran et al. “Complementary physiological and behavioral data streams enhance analysis of fNIRS data during a real-world driving task”

Henry O. Fuchs Memorial Award, 2015. Awarded to the Mechanical Engineering Design graduate students under my instruction

Eli Lilly Prize for Graduate Neuroscience, 2004. Harbott, L.K. “Signalling pathways mediating ephrin-A-induced growth cone collapse”, PhD thesis

OTHER ACTIVITIES AND AFFILIATIONS

Ad-hoc reviewer, Journal of Human-Robot Interaction

Society for Neuroscience - member

Sports Car Club of America (SSCA) - member

SSCA Novice Racing License - holder

McPherson College, KS, Automotive Restoration Summer Institute, 2014 - graduate

References available on request